[{"content_id":3,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":0,"chapter_title":"Chapter 0","content":"

In the 21st year of the Qi dynasty, the frost descended.

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A group of riders on horseback were galloping on the official road, both people and horses covered in dust. Suddenly, the young leader shouted, "The boundary marker is here!"

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Not far away stood a stone stele over ten feet tall with blood-red characters dancing on it, fierce and threatening. It read: "Chiyuan, no living being may pass, trespassers will have their bones crushed and ashes scattered."

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In front of the stele, a middle-aged warrior with a team of guards welcomed them. The guards wore armor and held sharp weapons, kneeling in unison, "Greetings to Your Royal Highness."

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The young leader dismounted from his horse. His horse had not yet stopped, and he stumbled slightly as the warrior went forward to support him, "Be careful, Your Highness."

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"It's fine." The young man waved his hand and asked, "Where is my...father?"

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As he spoke, someone nearby called out his nickname, "Xiaotong'er, come here."

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The young crown prince looked in the direction of the voice. It was a man in black standing alone at the other side of the stele that read "trespassers will be killed." He took a quick glance at the blood-red characters on the stele and without any hesitation, he dashed across it nimbly and knelt before the man in black, "I..."

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The man in black reached out to steady him, "Be steady, no need to rush."

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The man spoke and acted with calmness and grace. He appeared mature and dignified from behind, but when he turned his head, he revealed a face that was unmarked by time, looking somewhat eerie and out of place.

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Just by looking at this face, no one could ever imagine that he was Sheng Xiao, the Emperor of Qi, who had already been on the throne for twenty-one years.

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His eyebrows were like swords, not prominent, sloping into his temples. The corners of his eyes tilted downwards with a hint of tenderness and sentimentality, presenting a handsome and proper appearance.

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The crown prince stood up and called out softly, "Uncle."

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It turned out that this crown prince was not the biological son of Emperor Sheng Xiao. As Sheng Xiao had no children of his own, he adopted his late brother's orphaned child and made him the crown prince. Sheng Xiao was naturally distant and cold, not fond of being close to others, so in public, the crown prince referred to him as "father," but in private, the two still addressed each other as uncle and nephew.

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Sheng Xiao said to the crown prince, "Walking with me on this side of the border marker, are you afraid?"

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The crown prince replied, "No. I have heard that when my uncle was young, he defeated Chiyuan, conquered evil spirits, and killed a million ghost soldiers, restoring our country. Although I am not even one or two percent as good as you, I dare not speak lightly of fearing your reputation."

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"What reputation? Do you mean infamy?" Sheng Xiao smiled and walked forward, "Did you hear anything just now?"

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The crown prince listened carefully for a while, but there was only the silence of the world, only the sound of the wind. He shook his head, "I didn't hear anything."

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Sheng Xiao smiled, "Yes, there's nothing to hear."

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The Crown Prince was taken aback and suddenly remembered a legend he had heard when he was young. It was said that the fiery abyss of Chiyuan was sealed with the vengeful souls of a million fallen soldiers, whose resentment reached the heavens. As a result, the fierce winds in the Great Canyon never stopped, and those standing outside the boundary marker could hear the screams and cries from the other side. But at this moment, he was walking around safely inside the boundary marker, and everything was fine except for the unbearable heat.

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The Crown Prince thought to himself, "Folklore is really just hearsay and exaggeration."

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After walking just over a hundred meters inside the boundary marker, he already felt the heat wave rushing towards him. It was already deep autumn, and the Crown Prince was only wearing a thin padded jacket, which was already soaked with sweat. The beads of sweat were rolling down his forehead, but he secretly glanced at his uncle and resisted the urge to wipe it away.

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Emperor Qi Zheng's reputation was not very good. Those Jianghu artists fabricated stories that he was a capricious madman. They said he was born in a pool of blood from his father and brothers, and his birth was inauspicious.

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They also said that he killed his mother, killed his teacher, burned books, banned speech, colluded with evil officials, waged war and slaughtered loyalists.

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But in the young Crown Prince's heart, this man was his only relative.

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No matter what happened, this man was always gentle and calm, and he had never seen him speak harshly or act without grace. The Crown Prince had looked up to him since he was a child. Now, as an 18-year-old heir, he could shoot the heaviest bow and govern the country with skill, but he still instinctively followed the man's back like he did when he was a child.

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After they passed the boundary marker, they walked for over a mile, and Sheng Xiao stopped. The smell of sulfur had already begun to fill the air, and the Crown Prince was having difficulty breathing.

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"We'll stop here for this year. If we go any further, the heat will harm us," said Sheng Xiao.

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The Crown Prince was confused. "This year?"

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"Yes, this year." Sheng Xiao reached out and pulled out the Crown Prince's sword, which had protective charms engraved on it. When the scorching wind from Chiyuan swept over the sword, the charms on the blade turned red. Sheng Xiao plunged the sword into the ground and said, "This is the first thing I want to tell you, and it's the most important. I've been entangled with Chiyuan for a lifetime, and I've finally achieved some results. If my estimation is correct, this sword can be pushed forward five miles every year. In less than ten years, the fire of Chiyuan should be completely extinguished, and when the fierce winds disperse and the sword reaches the edge of the cliff, you can send people from the 'Qingping Division' to stay here permanently."

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The Crown Prince was taken aback, vaguely sensing a different meaning from his words: "Unc...Father, you..."

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Sheng Xiao said faintly, "I will pass the throne to you."

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The Crown Prince knelt down with a thump.

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In fact, the Crown Prince was somewhat prepared in his heart. During the past year, Emperor Qizheng had gone on two inspection tours to suppress the four corners of the kingdom, and gradually let go of the internal affairs, orderly paving the way for the future generation and letting the Crown Prince take the reins of the kingdom.

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But when it really came to this day, the young heir was still at a loss as to what to do.

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"I have taught you what you need to know," Sheng Xiao said without looking at him, "As for the rest...Zhang Bo and Kong Yu can be trusted. Zhao Kuan is still in prison, he is innocent, release him and exonerate the Zhao family. He will serve you well in the future. Do not speak ill of your father. If it is inconvenient for you to talk about me in the future, just blame everything on Yang Dong. That little guy is not a good person. He has been living comfortably for these years, I raised him as a gift for you."

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The Crown Prince knelt deeply on the ground: "Father, may you live long and prosperous..."

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A faint smile appeared on Sheng Xiao's face: "What, are you planning to let me work until I am old and still breathing or till I’m buried under the soil? I have been worried about you for half my life, so take some pity on me too. The edict of abdication, Zhang Bo and Feng Chun each have a copy. Old Feng was your father's closest friend, he will protect you, don't be afraid."

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The Crown Prince's eyes turned red.

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Sheng Xiao stood with his hands behind his back, looking towards the direction of Chiyuan. Suddenly, he asked, "Do you remember how your biological parents died?"

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"Your child does not dare to forget for even a day."

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"That's good," Sheng Xiao nodded, "You have grown up and know how to walk your own path. Go, Chiyuan will be destroyed, but there is still some residual warmth here, it is not good to stay here for too long."

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"What about you..."

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"I will stay for a few more days," Sheng Xiao waved his hand, not saying much, just said, "The country cannot be without a ruler. The affairs in the capital are complicated, so go back quickly."

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Emperor Qizheng's words were final, and the Crown Prince did not dare to disobey the order. He had to reluctantly leave with his head turning back thrice. When he reached the boundary marker, he couldn't help but glance back at the man. He saw Sheng Xiao sitting on the ground before his sword with his back to him.

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In that moment, the Crown Prince inexplicably felt a sense of farewell, but immediately shook his head, feeling that he was just dizzy from the heat. He knelt in front of the boundary marker, saluted the man in black meticulously, and then hurried back to the capital overnight, heading towards his own destiny.

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After seeing off the Crown Prince, Sheng Xiao ordered the guards to wait at the official post, and only one close attendant stayed behind.

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As night fell, the attendant came to Sheng Xiao's side, knelt down and curled up his body. His armor fell off his body, and after a moment, his robes fell to the ground. There was actually a small bird the size of a palm that flew out and approached Sheng Xiao closely.

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"I nearly forgot about you." Sheng Xiao scratched the bird's neck with his finger, and a very fine gold wire was hooked out from its neck. The wire was adorned with intricate inscriptions, as if it were grown on the bird's neck. Sheng Xiao gently pinched the wire, and it instantly shattered on his fingertips. Suddenly, the bird raised its head, its body growing more than ten times in size, and its wings spread out. It lifted its head and let out a long howl, stirring up the starry sky in the southern night - it turned out to be a young Bifang!

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Sheng Xiao stood up and said, "From now on, you don't have to monitor me or be driven by me. We are both free."

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The Bifang hesitated for a moment and timidly held onto his clothes.

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The man turned his head and looked at it, and the little Bifang shrank back and loosened its beak nervously under his gaze.

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Sheng Xiao took off his headgear, crookedly placed it on the bird's head, and then removed his seal, finger guard, jade pendant, and other items one by one. Finally, he took off a jade-carved human-shaped pendant from his neck, took a glance at it, and casually threw it aside. The little Bifang didn't know what important thing it was, and its feathers ruffled as it anxiously chased after the pendant, carefully holding it in its beak. But by the time it looked up again, the man had already walked away with his hair and clothes disheveled, heading towards Chiyuan.

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The little Bifang anxiously called out and didn't care about the jade pendant anymore, flapping its wings to catch up. Chiyuan was cracked for thousands of miles, rolling with violent magma, with no grass growing on either bank. As it neared the edge of the cliff, the feathers on the Bifang's wings suddenly ignited in black flames, causing it to scream in agony and roll to the ground, almost turning into a roast chicken, unable to move forward.

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However, Sheng Xiao had walked step by step to the edge of the cliff, his robe sleeves and boots already charred. The mask-like calm on his face cracked, revealing a hint of pleasure and madness.

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It's still better to be a mortal.

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A mortal only experiences a few decades of joy and suffering in their fleeting life. The pain that the body can feel is always limited, often before the pain is even felt, the person is already released from it.

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But he, he might have to suffer a little.

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The little Bifang let out a miserable scream, and Sheng Xiao leaped into the sea of fire.

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The hot wind hit him in the face like flames, and his skin and flesh were quickly burned into charcoal. Layer by layer, from his hair to his skin, his blood vessels burst inside his body, blasting through the charred skin and flesh. His blood boiled, and all the meridians in his body were shattered. He coughed up a mouthful of ash, not knowing whether it was his heart or lungs.

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Next, his body crashed into the molten lava of the earth's core. The surface of the lava had a hard shell, but his body was too strong. Falling from a towering cliff, he didn't break apart, but instead his spine was shattered and his body was battered against the lava's shell. Flames surged high like banners, and the earth's core, which could melt gold and jade, opened its mouth and swallowed him whole.

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Even then, he still didn't die.

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If a person could experience a bone-crushing and ash-rising event, then all the so-called heart-wrenching moments in the world would probably become nothing more than floating ashes on a rock.

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The ups and downs of his life, joys and sorrows, all melted together with his consciousness, being refined and purified by the great fire.

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On that day, laughter echoed through Chiyuan.

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Until the leftover limbs that could not be burned slowly sank and the disturbed lava returned to its calm state.

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"Emperor Wu, the youngest son of Emperor Ping, Sheng Xiao.

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Emperor Ping was killed by the Yao clan and died in battle in Chiyuan. Qi Wu succeeded as emperor. In his youth, he experienced hardships and tribulations. At the age of 23, he beheaded the demon king under the city of Yong'an and changed the reign to Qizheng. He restored the country, expanded its borders, and his achievements were comparable to those of the Five Emperors. He was ruthless and cruel, and overturned the norms of society. He enjoyed his reign for 21 years before he killed himself under the fire of Chiyuan, and his body and bones were completely destroyed.

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Emperor Wen succeeded him. Ten years later, the fire was extinguished, and Chiyuan became peaceful. Emperor Wen removed the boundary markers and established the tomb of Emperor Wu."

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After thousands of years, the forest grew on the ashes of Chiyuan, and the original forest in the Chiyuan canyon became a national 5A-level scenic spot.

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Hum--

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A mysterious movement deep within the earth was felt, followed by blurry and unsettling murmurs. The noise grew louder and louder, being carried by some unknown process and pierced into his consciousness like steel needles.

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What... is that sound?

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Who dares to make such a racket?

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"I am willing to sacrifice everything..."

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"As a medium...as a medium..."

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"Under the Nine Nether Springs, the ancient gods and demons..."

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"Demon..."

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His consciousness was awakened by the noisy clamor, but for a moment, he was confused.

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Before he fully regained his senses, his perception instinctively betrayed his will. His senses, which had been dormant for thousands of years, suddenly awakened, greedily extending their tentacles and expanding outward, sucking in every fresh detail around him.

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This caused the noisy world outside to rush into his consciousness, flowing in through his senses– the feeling of mud, the scent of soil, the sound of the wind, the rustling of leaves, footsteps, human voices...

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"What kind of person is disturbing my sleep?" The feeling of losing control stirred up his anger, and he was momentarily furious. A foreboding black cloud surfaced in his sea of consciousness, and his thoughts manifested as sharp claws that struck back at the sound that dared to disturb him. "How dare you!"

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But just then, in the midst of chaos and restlessness, his newly awakened senses suddenly caught a faint but familiar scent, like a gentle breeze passing by. His turbulent sea of consciousness suddenly cleared, and his heart trembled inexplicably for the first time in thousands of years.

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What was that?

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His killing intent dissipated in an instant.

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But before he could capture it, the scent disappeared again.

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Wait, don't... don't go.

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He couldn't remember who he was or where he was, but he instinctively wanted to keep that elusive scent. Ignoring the other noises in his ears, he struggled desperately. The next moment, his sea of consciousness shook violently, and he could feel his body. Then, there was a crisp sound, and the wind brushed his forehead. He suddenly opened his eyes, and the long-lost sunlight made him shed tears. He then realized that he was lying amidst the shattered remains of a coffin, with a small cluster of thin, fiery red bird feathers...down feathers in his arms.

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After being buried underground for who knows how many years, they had already dried up, sustained only by a faint spiritual energy of unknown origin. They dispersed at the slightest breeze, but he had just managed to grab them. The small cluster of feathers turned into floating dust in his palm, dissipating into thin air.

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He curled his fingers and looked at his empty palm for a while, then slightly tilted his head back, squinting at the billowing dust and chaos in the air.

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"Human world..." he thought, "Am I a zombie?"

\n","published_time":"2023-02-19T02:24:12.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":4,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":1,"chapter_title":"Chapter 1","content":"

After every great fire, there are ants that survive - Foreword.

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On the outskirts of the capital city of Yong'an, there was a natural reserve in the Western Hills.

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Two rounds of autumn rain had passed, and most of the red leaves on the hillside had fallen. Few visitors were around, and the only sound came from the lonely evening drum in the temple. Despite the already cold weather, Xuan Ji was sweating after climbing the mountain. The Director Xiao who was leading the way walked too fast, rolling his feet like two windmills, and he ended up gliding to the back door of the mountaintop temple, leaving Xuan Ji breathless.

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Director Xiao went to open the door, and Xuan Ji finally caught his breath, teasing, "Director Xiao, we are at least leading cadres now, can you be a little more stable? I've been nervous all the way, afraid that you might slip."

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"Stop talking nonsense, I still have other things to do later," Director Xiao opened the door and impatiently waved his hand at him. "Hurry up!"

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Director Xiao's full name was Xiao Zheng, he was around thirty years old, dressed in a suit without a wrinkle, sharp-featured, like a hard-to-please young man. He hurriedly walked up the steps and led Xuan Ji through the staff passage of the temple, straight to the backyard where visitors were prohibited. The backyard was empty except for an old well. Director Xiao took out his wallet and waved his work ID card in front of the well. "Remember to bring your ID card to work in the future. You need to swipe your card to enter and exit."

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As soon as he finished speaking, a light "ding" sounded from the well. Immediately after, the green stones around the well began to slowly separate, revealing a tunnel that could fit one person.

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Director Xiao lowered his head and went in, and Xuan Ji quickly followed. They walked for about a hundred meters in the tunnel before arriving at a flight of stone steps leading upwards. After following the steps back up to the surface, Xuan Ji found himself in a dense forest. Before he could get a good look, the surroundings were shrouded in thick fog, and the visibility dropped to less than one meter. Then, a white light shot out from the forest and scanned over the two of them. A mechanical voice said, "Identity verification, please wait - ding, verification passed. Good evening, Director Xiao. Welcome, new colleague. Please be careful and stand firmly."

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Xuan Ji asked, "Ah? Stand where?"

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As he spoke, the ground under his feet suddenly started to move. Unprepared, Xuan Ji stumbled backward before he could steady himself. The ground in the dense forest had become a huge conveyor belt, carrying the two of them through the labyrinth-like fog. The plants hidden in the fog were indistinct and turned into afterimages, making the scene dazzling and dizzying. After about five or six minutes, the conveyor belt gradually slowed down and came to a stop.

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"We have arrived," said Director Xiao.

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The thick fog dissipated, and Xuan Ji looked up at the magnificent building in front of him. After a moment, he slowly breathed out and said, "What an imposing sight!"

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It was a skyscraper that seemed almost unreal, with its upper floors reaching into the clouds. Two guards stood watch at the entrance, which was adorned with the national emblem and flag. The ground was paved with white marble tiles, and there was a lively golden dragon etched onto the stone. A large sign hung in the center, reading: National Bureau of Management, Prevention and Control of Exceptional Phenomena and Special Species.

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This was the legendary Bureau of Paranormal Control," one of the most mysterious "departments" and Xuan Ji's new workplace. The introduction in the employee handbook quickly came to mind: "The Bureau of Paranormal Control is responsible for identifying, monitoring, and handling various non-natural events, as well as the movement of paranormal energy throughout the entire region, maintaining social order, and safeguarding national prosperity and stability."

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This department was responsible for managing events such as "illegal entry of vampire bats," "appearance of unknown whirlpools in the city's rivers," and "three-headed water monster incidents."

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In addition, the Bureau of Paranormal Control was the only official organization in which special ability holders could exercise autonomy.

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According to the results of the 2010 sixth national census (internal data of the Bureau of Paranormal Control), approximately one in two hundred thousand people were special ability holders, also known as "specials."

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The official explanation for the existence of these people was that a small number of modern humans may have been careless about male-female relationships in the process of evolution, leaving some non-human blood and preserving some special genes in their descendants. Of course, this theory is difficult to verify, as the special abilities of the "specials" are so diverse that each one is almost unique, and it is difficult to obtain sufficient sample data.

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As for folk legends, they are much more interesting: it is said that in ancient times, the war between the human race and the demon race lasted for a hundred years, resulting in a long-standing blood feud. The half-breeds left by the mixed-blood demon people were rejected by both sides and were forced to band together for warmth, eventually joining the army of Emperor Wu. With their help, Emperor Wu defeated the demon king, and after peace was restored to the world, he established the Qingping Division to house these half-breeds. The Qingping Division was the predecessor of the Bureau of Paranormal Control, and today's "specials" are the descendants of those mixed-blood half-breeds. Of course, anyone with a little common sense knows that this claim is pure nonsense, as the Qingping Division was disbanded more than seven hundred years ago in history, and there is no connection to the Bureau of Paranormal Control, which was established in modern times.

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In fact, the so-called "specials" are not that "special" at all. In reality, most of them are not much different from ordinary people if they do not receive special training, with at most a slightly sharper sense of hearing or vision, and a more acute intuition. They have some tiny, insignificant special abilities that are of little help in daily life.

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The Bureau of Paranormal Control only recruits people on a targeted basis every year, not open to the general public, only selecting from "specials" and ordinary people who have "participated in exceptional energy events for some reason and have been documented."

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Xuan Ji met both criteria—he was a "special," and an old friend of the Bureau of Paranormal Control.

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Director Xiao was a very dignified and elegant person, and the fact that he personally came to pick up Xuan Ji shows that they have a close relationship.

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Several years ago, when he was still Captain Xiao, he owed Xuan Ji a favor. That time, Xiao's team went to arrest a group of illegal bats, but underestimated their intelligence and were tricked into a cold storage room by the bats, almost freezing to death. Xuan Ji, who had just finished touring the night market, was passing by in his slippers. He sat next to them and watched for a while, during which he enjoyed two kilograms of crayfish. After finishing, he wiped his mouth, made a gesture, and summoned a large fireball, which he used to burn the bats. As a result, he accidentally singed off half of Captain Xiao's handsome eyebrows.

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Since then, Xuan Ji has had an inexplicable relationship with the Bureau of Paranormal. Because of his mysterious and unpredictable arson technique, he was once on the bureau's watch list. Later, because of his clean record and law-abiding nature, they couldn't find any problems and relaxed their surveillance of him, even trying to recruit him. Unfortunately, at that time, Xuan Ji was still in college and was filled with illusions of "becoming a CEO, marrying a rich and beautiful woman, and reaching the pinnacle of life". Without even thinking about it, he refused, arrogantly replying with "forgive me for being a carefree and free-spirited person for life."

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Then society taught him a lesson.

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After graduating, Xuan Ji quickly discovered that he was far less interested in making money than in spending it. His ambitions were always thwarted by eating, drinking, and having fun. After years of struggling, his biggest achievement was accepting the fact that he was going nowhere. He worked as a salesperson in a small company and occasionally did live streaming. When he was too poor to survive, he supplied content to some random marketing accounts, becoming a "money-spending" loser.

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Due to industry restructuring, their company had been struggling since the beginning of the year, and after months of struggle, it finally went bankrupt. Xuan Ji became an unemployed youth, and the marketing accounts that used to pay him for his content were reported for "feudal superstition". It seemed that troubles always came in pairs. He still had to pay rent and credit card bills. His love of freedom led him into poverty, and finally, after being beaten by society, he came to the conclusion that he needed a stable job.

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So he bought books and took courses to prepare for the civil service exam.

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It was at this time that Director Xiao, who had just been promoted, sent him a job notice.

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Xuan Ji was someone who would rather beg for food on the street than join the Bureau of Paranormal Control, especially since he couldn't stand the militarized management of the field agents. However, this job notice was different. It was mainly for logistics personnel.

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The logistics department of the Bureau of Paranormal was completely different from the field agents. More than 80% of the staff were ordinary people, and except for having to abide by confidentiality regulations, they were no different from ordinary civil servants. Xuan Ji thought about it and realized that ordinary civil service positions were open to the entire society, with thousands of people competing for one position, including the academic elites. In contrast, the "civil servants" of the Bureau of Paranormal were restricted by the application requirements, and the competition pressure was almost non-existent.

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Sneakily, Xuan Ji asked Director Xiao which position had the least number of applicants, and then threw away his exam preparation books and went to join the Bureau of Paranormal Control. He applied for the Aftermath Department and participated in a written test and an interview. It was said that after the job information was posted, there were six candidates including him from all over the country who intended to participate in the selection. Among them, three were disqualified for reasons such as being overage, not knowing how to use the internet, or filling out important information incorrectly. The remaining two candidates, one missed the exam and the other got into an argument with the interviewer during the interview, which did not meet the requirements of having an "easygoing character".

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In this way, the cordial Xuan Ji passed through two rounds without a fight and "defeated" five candidates. Just after finishing his self-introduction during the interview, the interviewer confirmed his admission.

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On his first day reporting for duty, Xuan Ji found everything fresh and new. As soon as he stepped on the Hanbaiyu bricks at the entrance, the golden dragon moved, causing the stone bricks to shake slightly. Then, a distant and solemn dragon roar sounded, and the golden scales on the dragon's body flickered. Its majesty and elegance flowed out from under their feet, making way for the path, and finally, the dragon climbed up a stone pillar in front of the building.

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"The dragon is a guide. There are some external administrative windows in the headquarters that can register and issue credentials. Foreign visitors are given temporary documents. The dragon will plan the optimal route based on the type of document you have," Xiao Zheng led Xuan Ji to the door next to the stone pillar where the golden dragon perched. "The staff entrance is over here."

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Xuan Ji lowered his head and rubbed his eyes, using his thumb to wipe his eyelids. A half-transparent, non-obstructing book appeared in his field of vision. One corner of the book was titled "Thousand Demon Bestiary". When his gaze focused on it, small characters appeared on the pages of the book, telling him what he saw. It usually only showed the name, but sometimes it also came with a detailed explanation.

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Xuan Ji was born with this book in his eyes, perhaps it was a special ability he had since birth. It couldn't be taken out, and besides reading it, it couldn't perform any other functions. Its origin was unknown, the author was unknown...the author looked like he or she wasn't very cultured - Xuan Ji was not good at foreign languages when he was young, and when he was in college, he tried to cheat using it during the English test by opening the "Thousand Demon Bestiary" and staring at the test paper. Unexpectedly, this thing seemed to have fewer characters than the ones he knew. After hesitating for a long time, it finally floated out the characters "foreign language."

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It's like a lousy game cheat, mostly just talking nonsense. For example, at the moment, Xuan Ji is in the lobby of the Mystical Department of the Bureau of Paranormal Control, intending to open the Bestiary and see what magical species there were here. As he scanned the crowd in the lobby, the pages of the "Thousand Demon Bestiary" only popped out the word "human" dryly.

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"Rubbish," Xuan Ji muttered to himself, "I don't know these are called 'human'?"

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The Bestiary seemed to be in tune with his thoughts, and the word "human" disappeared, replaced by two words: mortal human.

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Xuan Ji: "......"

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He angrily closed the useless Bestiary, and his vision cleared. He looked around the lobby - from left to right, there were six partitions in total, with signs reading "Metal," "Plant," "Ice and Water," "Thunder and Fire," "Spirit or Power," and "Special and Others."

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Among them, the "Plant" and "Spirit or Power" areas were crowded with people, and visitors were queuing up, with ropes set up to maintain order. In the "Metal" area, there were only six or seven visitors, while the "Ice and Water," "Thunder and Fire," and "Special and Others" areas were basically deserted, and the staff were idle. The service window of the "Thunder and Fire" was not even open, as they were called over to help the "Plant" next door.

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"Hey, Old Xiao, Old Xiao," Xuan Ji grabbed Xiao Zheng and pointed to the partition sign with his chin, "What does this mean?"

\n\n

"Speak normally, don't touch me," Xiao Zheng slapped away his hand, "What do you mean by 'what does this mean'?"

\n\n

"That partition--"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng looked at him inexplicably, "Partition? It's divided according to the six major categories, what's the problem?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji, full of curiosity, asked, "What are the six major systems?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng and Xuan Ji had been old friends for many years. They would usually banter and tease each other, and had a certain level of camaraderie. However, Xuan Ji had never revealed his origins to Xiao Zheng. Until now, Xiao Zheng could only vaguely guess that Xuan Ji might come from some secret folk organization as a rare "Thunder and Fire" type, and was incredibly knowledgeable about talismans and magic circles, knowing things that were unheard of.

\n\n

But strangely, sometimes he would lack common sense on some well-known issues.

\n\n

"Superpowered individuals are classified into six major types based on their strength and attributes," Xiao Zheng said briefly. "This is the mainstream classification system used internationally in modern times, and the defining criteria for each spectrum is listed under the respective signboards. Can you read? Look for yourself."

\n\n

Xuan Ji eagerly leaned over the glass window separating them from the employee area, observing how they defined the various types of superpowered individuals.

\n\n

The closest signboard to him was "Metal," with a large sign two square meters in size that read:

\n\n

"Individuals who meet either of the following two conditions can be considered as having the Metal-type superpower.

\n\n

(1) They possess a sensing ability for any one or more metals that exceeds that of an ordinary person. This 'sensing ability' includes but is not limited to accurately sensing the location, volume, composition ratio, forging process, and distribution of free electrons on the surface of the metal.

\n\n

(2) They are able to influence metal without physical contact, including but not limited to changing the spatial location, altering the length and shape of metal, depriving or moving the free electrons in metal, and changing the distribution of free electrons."

\n\n

"So 'Metal’ refers to those who can sense and control metal," Xuan Ji said. "But what about those who can turn parts of their body into metal? Aren't they considered Metal types?"

\n\n

"I've never heard of that," Xiao Zheng rolled his eyes. "You're an adult, watch fewer Transformers."

\n\n

Xuan Ji blinked and asked again, "What about those who have multiple attributes at the same time? For example, they can breathe fire, control metal, and fly?"

\n\n

"That's not our concern, the organizational relationship may belong to the circus." Xiao Zheng felt he was talking nonsense, his patience exhausted, and he didn't want to bother with him anymore. He walked quickly to the administrative front desk at the end of the employee channel, knocked on the desk, and asked, "Employee number 3-1101, name 'Xuan Ji,' is the card ready?"

\n\n

"It's ready," the receptionist at the front desk, a pretty round-faced girl who seemed to have heard their conversation just now, smiled and said to Xuan Ji, "In the six major spectra of special abilities, except for the 'special and other' category, the rest basically correspond to the traditional Chinese 'Five Elements' theory. The Five Elements include 'metal, wood, water, fire, and earth,' which interact with each other in both positive and negative ways. Therefore, although there are special ability individuals with multiple attributes, it's unlikely for a person to have attributes that clearly conflict with each other, such as 'metal' and 'thunder and fire'."

\n\n

After hearing the front desk girl's words, Xuan Ji hesitated for a moment and said, "Oh," thoughtfully murmuring to himself, "I didn't know that."

\n\n

"Come sign and pick up your card, and complete your onboarding process," Xiao Zheng beckoned to Xuan Ji.

\n\n

Xuan Ji no longer thought about special ability spectra, happily walked up to pick up the pen, and without even looking, signed his name on a pile of contracts and disclosure documents. "Do I now have a position? Can I get a hukou? Can I buy a house in Yong'an City?" he asked.

\n\n

"Yes, yes, and yes," Xiao Zheng answered coldly, "But do you have the money?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

"You're an old hand at this, so you don't need to attend the training. Your department and job responsibilities are all in the employee handbook. Your predecessor couldn't hand over the work to you due to some special circumstances. The department office is on the 36th floor. I've already informed them, so someone will pick you up. Go up by yourself," Xiao Zheng said to Xuan Ji, nodding to the receptionist as if he were an emotionless delivery man. He felt that he had done a good deed and fulfilled his duty.

\n\n

After speaking, the busy Director Xiao didn't give Xuan Ji a chance to retort. He turned and left. Xuan Ji didn't have a chance to complain about the coldness of human relationships before he saw the receptionist stand up and say crisply, "Director Xiao, take care. Welcome, Director Xuan, to join our Bureau of Paranormal Control."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was taken aback. "What did you call me?"

\n\n

"Director." The receptionist handed him his new work ID card, which showed his position: Xuan Ji, Aftermath Department, Acting Head of Operations and Acting Department Director.

\n\n

Xuan Ji flipped the small card back and forth several times, feeling a little confused. "Aftermath Department...Director? Me? Miss, did you print the card wrong?"

\n\n

The receptionist replied, "No, Director Xuan. That's how it's written on the documents I received."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was shocked. "Is our department really that unconventional?"

\n\n

A trainee who hadn't even completed the probation period was promoted directly to department director? This unit was too hasty and unreliable, wasn't it?

\n\n

"You're too modest," the receptionist laughed, covering her mouth. "Normally, we're thrilled just to be able to talk to Director Xiao, but you were personally mentored by him. You must be an incredibly talented and exceptional person."

\n\n

This girl was actually a fan of Director Xiao. Although Xuan Ji was flattered, he didn't enjoy being praised in front of him. He felt like he had benefited from Xiao's influence and was like a nephew who had been given a position due to nepotism.

\n\n

"There are very few exceptional people in our logistics department, and anyone who is exceptional receives elite treatment. As a backup department director, it's not surprising for you to take over the Aftermath Department. Gong, the former director of the department, fell ill and was just approved for medical retirement, leaving a vacancy. According to Director Xiao, you were once an advisor to our bureau, so you must have both the experience and the ability to take over the Aftermath Department. " While speaking, the receptionist led him inside. "Follow me."

\n\n

"Although..." Xuan Ji frowned slightly, skeptical. "Is there really such a good thing?"

\n\n

He had never won more than five yuan in the lottery and had never eaten a pie falling from the sky. Suddenly tasting this sweetness made him uncomfortable, and he felt suspicious.

\n\n

Wait a minute... Xuan Ji suddenly remembered that he had looked at the job posting and left a message in his friend's circle asking Xiao Zheng which position was the easiest to apply for. Instead of jokingly replying with "toilet tester," Xiao Zheng had replied seriously after a moment of silence: "Aftermath Department."

\n\n

Wait, was Xiao Zheng doing this intentionally?

\n\n

But why?

\n\n

Have you heard of the principle of cheating people for their money, cheating them for sex, and cheating them to become officials?

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't figure it out. He walked through the administrative hall and into the interior of the Control Bureau building. There, he saw a huge withered tree in the open space in front of the elevator. He didn't know what kind of tree it was, but the diameter of the trunk was about a hundred meters, and it was covered with withered vines. Looking up from the bottom, he couldn't see the top at a glance.

\n\n

Because the visual effect was too shocking, it seemed almost divine.

\n\n

Xuan Ji looked at the tree and inexplicably felt a tremor in his heart. The receptionist next to him turned around and said, "This is the foundation tree. The tree was here first, and then the headquarters building was built. Isn't it spectacular? Shall I take you around?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji wiped his eyes and looked through the Thousand Demon Bestiary. However, he found that the pages were blank. After a while, four words floated up on the atlas with a rattling sound: "withered vines and decayed wood."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's eyes twitched. What a useless thing!

\n\n

At this moment, his cell phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated, and three messages came in a row.

\n\n

"Emergency mission in the Aftermath Department, come to the 36th floor!"

\n\n

"Don't dawdle!"

\n\n

"Hurry up!!!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was not only a tornado of a person, but even the messages he sent were suffocating.

\n\n

"Before I came, you cheated me by saying that the Aftermath Department was a marginal group, with no competition, only eating and not working. But now, before I even report, there's a mission. No need, miss, I won't go sightseeing anymore. Director Xiao is in a hurry. The elevator is over there, right? You go ahead, I'll go up by myself. Thanks." Xuan Ji said goodbye to the receptionist who was leading the way and walked towards the elevator. He also sent a voice message to Director Xiao, "You big pig's foot."

\n","published_time":"2023-02-19T02:24:14.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:27:23.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":21,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":2,"chapter_title":"Chapter 2","content":"

As soon as the elevator doors on the thirty-sixth floor opened, Xuan Ji's eyes were dazzled - the entire floor was actually semi-open, with a row of large floor-to-ceiling windows facing south and a glass door in the middle, overlooking the entire capital city.

\n\n

Outside was a terrace suspended on the thirty-sixth floor, extending from the building. Xuan Ji swept his gaze over it and saw at least ten different complex arrays on the terrace. Layer upon layer of arrays expanded the space of the terrace to the extreme, and in addition to a helipad, there was even enough space to accommodate a runway for airplanes.

\n\n

Xuan Ji thought he had been idling in the mortal world for many years, seen and experienced everything, and had no more surprises, but at this moment, he was still amazed by this great artificial creation. The dazzling sunlight made him a little dizzy. He hadn't even found the Aftermath Department's office yet, and another elevator door opened beside him. Xiao Zheng and a few people rushed out from inside.

\n\n

Seeing Xuan Ji standing foolishly at the elevator door like a country bumpkin, Hurricane Xiao swept over him like thunder without giving him a chance to cover his ears, and took him away: "Your department's plane is ready, you lead the team, take off in twenty minutes. Come on, let's talk as we walk."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

What was going on? Why was he leading the team? He hadn't even touched the door of his own office and was already being sent on a business trip on a plane... Wait a minute, this department actually has its own plane?

\n\n

The glass door opened, and the wind swept in from the open-air runway, sweeping everyone's hair into a mess. Only Director Xiao's hair, full of hair gel, remained steady in the strong wind, as immovable as Mount Tai. He turned his head and stuffed a stack of documents into Xuan Ji's arms, and said in a deep voice, "There's been an incident at Chiyuan."

\n\n

As soon as Xuan Ji heard the words "Chiyuan," while busy combing his hair back with his hand, his eyes narrowed as if he had been hit by a glaring ray of light. "What?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng knew he was lacking in common knowledge and thought he didn't know what Chiyuan was, so he quickly explained, "It's the Chiyuan Grand Canyon, but when we say 'Chiyuan,' we don't mean the scenic area of the canyon - the scenic area is only outside/peripheral to the canyon. The vast primitive forest in the belly of the canyon hasn't been developed and is not open to the public."

\n\n

Xuan Ji nodded with some hesitation, "What happened at the Grand Canyon?"

\n\n

"The Chiyuan Grand Canyon is one of the high-risk areas we closely monitor. There's a huge unknown energy field in the depths of the canyon that we can't penetrate with our current technology, let alone study in detail. Because of this energy field, there have been frequent abnormal energy events over there, and there are still many lost ancient arrays and inscriptions in the primitive forest that can't be understood. To this day, less than one-tenth of them can be deciphered and interpreted. Experts from the Research Institute in the bureau speculate that there may be very dangerous things sealed in the Grand Canyon."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng interrupted Xuan Ji, who seemed to want to express his views on the "extremely dangerous thing." He hastily led Xuan Ji and several other members of the Aftermath Department onto a small plane. Xiao Zheng sat down and opened his tablet, "Let me give you a brief rundown of the matter - during the National Day holiday, several ancient trees in the Chiyuan Canyon suddenly mutated. These mutated trees can move in the forest and hunt around. For safety reasons, the local sub-bureau communicated with the scenic area management and suspended reception of tourists, claiming a geological disaster. However, a small group of thrill-seekers sneaked in and live-streamed their exploration, which happened to coincide with the mutant trees' outbreak. This is the surveillance footage from the scenic area."

\n\n

He opened a video file on the tablet. The video footage was shaky, and the signal was unstable, like an earthquake. After a moment of shaking, a shadow suddenly swept across the middle of the screen with quick movements, like a giant python hunting. It slithered with its teeth and claws close to the ground, then collided with a nearby ancient tree and immediately entwined itself around it.

\n\n

The ancient tree entwined by the "python" quickly withered, as if it had lost its vitality, and in just a few dozen seconds, it had turned into a pile of dead branches.

\n\n

It was not until then that Xuan Ji could see clearly that the "giant python" was the root of a large tree.

\n\n

This terrifying root was full and round after feeding, and then crawled down from the remains of the ancient tree, swaggering and shaking a few times, and suddenly smashed towards the camera. The screen suddenly turned black, and the lens shattered.

\n\n

Xuan Ji frowned and quickly pinched a few finger joints with his thumb. Recently, there were no solar eclipses, lunar eclipses, or meteor showers. The nearby Mars was steadily revolving and had not reached the retrograde point. There were no anomalies in the celestial phenomenon, and the almanac was not at the "inopportune time," nor was it the "time of demons." Everything seemed fine. Why did a group of trees mutate?

\n\n

"Conservatively estimated, there were at least seven or eight mutated plants this time. The tree roots filmed should be from a mutated spruce, and they quickly spread out and hunted all creatures along the way—not just plants. Our people found several large mammal corpses inside," Xiao Zheng interrupted his thoughts, "It was said that after someone was trapped, the local sub-bureau immediately organized a rescue team. They have rescued all the people, and it's just lucky for them that they stumbled into a natural cave. However, it is uncertain how much they saw. The focus of the Aftermath Department this time is on these few people."

\n\n

The several members of the Aftermath Department on the plane echoed in unison, "Understood."

\n\n

Only Xuan Ji had not yet adapted to his position and asked in confusion, "Didn't you say that the people have been rescued?"

\n\n

"Yes," said a staff member from the Aftermath Department next to them, "That's why our department needs to step in now. Our job is to handle personal and property losses, negotiate compensation, calm down the ordinary people who were involved, and prevent the spread of the paranormal event causing social panic, right?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

That's right, his main job now is to collect corpses, compensate losses, refute rumors, and promote the values of science to the public.

\n\n

"I didn't have the right major before, and I didn't have any experience when I first came here. I'm sorry." Xuan Ji laughed and turned to ask for help from his new colleagues, "Can someone give me some guidance on how we usually handle these situations?"

\n\n

When he turned around, he saw the three people behind him.

\n\n

In addition to him, there were three people in the Aftermath Department, two women and one man. The one who spoke earlier was a highly experienced middle-aged woman in her fifties, wearing stylish and beautiful "Teddy curls" and a knitted cardigan in a deathly Barbie pink color, with a row of lace edging on the collar revealing the autumn clothes, which looked rather exquisite.

\n\n

The male colleague next to her was even more exquisite, wearing a suit and leather shoes, shining brightly. Although his hairline was pitiful, he still carefully applied hair gel and neatly fixed the hollow headband on his crown, which looked like a row of barcodes from afar.

\n\n

There was also a chubby young girl who either feared the heat or feared strangers, with a thin layer of sweat on her forehead. When the new boss turned to look at her, she became so nervous that she nearly ripped her pants.

\n\n

Xuan Ji suddenly felt exhausted because he had to single-handedly raise the department's average appearance, and he felt very tired.

\n\n

"Hello, Director, my name is Bi Chunsheng. I'm a few years older than you, so you can just call me Lao Bi." The woman with glasses spoke first. "Don't worry, we all have a basic office process - we talk to each person one by one, and if there's nothing serious, we just deceive them...well, we console them a bit. For those who have severe psychological trauma, we occasionally use some 'props,' but it's not complicated, and you'll know when you see them. Finally, be sure to check their phones and computers, especially things that can connect to the internet, to make sure there are no traces left online. You can let Qianru - that little girl named Ping Qianru - handle that. Young people these days are very good at using computers. When our office printer breaks down, we go to her to fix it."

\n\n

It turned out that the girl who was picking at her pants was named "Ping Qianru." The girl herself was as introverted as the seam of her pants, and she was startled by being called out. She hung her head, showing a fair hairpin to Xuan Ji as if she couldn't bear to look at him.

\n\n

Xuan Ji wanted to say something, but his mind was blanked by this mourning head. He had no choice but to smack his lips and force out a friendly smile.

\n\n

"There is one more thing you need to focus on," Xiao Zheng looked at his watch and interrupted their department's internal icebreaking ceremony. "When we received the report, it said that there were five trapped tourists. The search and rescue team initially detected signs of life from five people in the cave. But, for some reason, they pulled out six people in the end, an extra one that nobody knows where it came from."

\n\n

Several people from the Aftermath Department looked at Director Xiao with confusion.

\n\n

"The trapped people were originally two groups of individuals who happened to meet during their escape. Both groups thought that the extra person was with the other group, so no one paid attention to it. One of the groups was trespassing in the scenic area to film, and their equipment was not turned off at the time. The whole process was recorded," Xiao Zheng continued, "After investigating the video, we found that all of the footage of this person was blurry, meaning that only his voice was recorded from start to finish."

\n\n

As he spoke, he opened another video on his computer. In the video, a man in the corner of the frame seemed to melt into the light, with only an overexposed, blurry outline visible.

\n\n

The outline said, "I'm tired of living the 9-to-5 life, so I came out to wander around."

\n\n

Although only his voice was heard, it seemed that the person speaking was smiling, with a relaxed tone and a warm and friendly voice that made people feel good just listening to him.

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng thought for a moment and said, "At the time, we were escaping for our lives, and this person seemed a bit too calm."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng shook his head. "No, the problem is here."

\n\n

As he spoke, he played several other audio clips.

\n\n

The first clip was a crisp female voice that sounded young. The girl seemed to be talking to the camera, saying, "Okay, we're in now. Let's just wander around here for a bit."

\n\n

The second clip was a deep male voice. "Tourism is just going from a place where you're tired of living to a place where others are tired of living. Now, there's traffic on holidays when people go out. I think it's better to lie on the couch and watch others run around. Today, we're responsible for traveling and taking you all around. Don't forget to give us a thumbs-up if you're having a good time, bros."

\n\n

The third clip was from another man with a slightly hoarse voice. "I don't think it's that difficult. Everyone has their own difficulties, right? Is the 9-to-5 life not hard? Of course it is. At least we're free."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng said, "Three of the trapped people were live-streaming before they were in danger. These are recordings of them chatting with their audience. It may not be obvious when listening to the complete sentences, but I'll show you..."

\n\n

"I can tell," Xuan Ji rubbed his chin. "This mysterious figure cut out words from what others said and pieced them together to make a sentence."

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng's glasses slipped down from her nose. "Are you saying he learned how to talk from other people?"

\n\n

"Not just learned," Xiao Zheng first clipped out the four words "wander around" from the young woman's statement, and then played the audio of the mysterious man saying the same phrase. It wasn't very clear in the context of the sentence, and one could easily miss it, but when played separately, it gave people goosebumps.

\n\n

"Speech speed, tone, pauses, and..."

\n\n

As for me...

\n\n

I'm tired of the nine-to-five routine...

\n\n

So I came out to wander around...

\n\n

"Pay close attention to this person. It's about time for you to set off." Xiao Zheng said, glanced at Xuan Ji, "Let me know when you come back. From now on, we're colleagues. Let's have a meal together."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was probably going to explain to Xuan Ji why he had been tricked into joining the Aftermath Department.

\n\n

Xuan Ji smiled and teased him, "You're inviting us? That's not very generous of you, Director Xiao. Why are you so stingy? If you're treating us, you should invite everyone in our department."

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng and the male colleague were both old hands at this, immediately joining in the act and saying they wanted to seize the opportunity to share the wealth.

\n\n

"Don't try to fool us with cafeteria food. If you're treating us, take us to a place we can't afford to go on our own. Oh, and before we eat, let's get some work done," Xuan Ji copied the weird video onto his phone. "By the way, what's this 'mosaic' guy's name?"

\n\n

"Oh... he calls himself 'Sheng Lingyuan'."

\n","published_time":"2023-02-26T03:23:46.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:28:04.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":23,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":3,"chapter_title":"Chapter 3","content":"

It took about two and a half hours to fly from the headquarters to the Chiyuan Grand Canyon. As a contemporary man, Xuan Ji has only flown first class once in his life - it was because the flight was overbooked and the airline compensated him with a free upgrade. Now he's on a departmental private jet, lying on a large couch that can be reclined, closing his eyes and listening to the engine's rumble. He almost feels like he had become a billionaire.

\n\n

As he was enjoying the perks of traveling on a private jet for the first time, Xuan Ji didn't want to appear too inexperienced, so he secretly observed his colleagues' posture on the jet. He saw that Senior Sister Bi Chunseng had already prepared props to pass the time - she took out a roll of seaweed-green wool from her bag, set it up and began knitting. Her knitting needles moved with such proficiency that it was difficult for the naked eye to follow their movements. The sweater was already taking shape, except for the two sleeves.

\n\n

The guy with the barcode on his head rushed to the small mirror next to the bathroom as soon as the flight stabilized, took out a jar of hair gel, and began meticulously styling his hair, filling the cabin with a fragrant scent.

\n\n

The girl Ping Qianru was relatively quiet, sitting in a corner and silently eating snacks from her pocket. Xuan Ji suspected that she might have a bottomless bag in her pocket, which could carry half of Walmart with her. She kept taking bags out of her pocket, and the garbage can was filled with packaging bags, but she showed no signs of stopping.

\n\n

Seeing that the other two were busy, Xuan Ji took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Bi Chunseng. He knew that the old-timers might not have completely positive opinions about a young leader who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, so he lowered his posture: "I haven't seen anyone knit a sweater by hand for a long time. You're so skillful. Is it for your child?"

\n\n

"It's for my old man," Bi Chunseng was quite friendly, and Xuan Ji couldn't tell if she had any opinions of him. "Young people nowadays buy their own things and don't appreciate what their old mother made. They think it's too old-fashioned!"

\n\n

Using his three-inch-tongue from his previous experience as a salesman, Xuan Ji followed her line of thought and quickly asked about Bi Chunseng's family situation - three generations living together, taking care of her mother-in-law with her husband, with a son who just graduated from college and hasn't moved out yet. He tactfully praised Bi Chunseng's simple aesthetic taste and deliberately downplayed his own position, chatting about his own struggles in a big city far from home and how he reports his daily progress to his parents.

\n\n

Bi Chunseng was moved by his words, and her eyes changed as she said, "That's right, it's not easy for young people to be away from home! Oh, you're from the south, right? Where's your hometown? Isn't it difficult to endure the winters in Yong'an? Perfect! I bought too much wool this time. When I finish this sweater, I'll have enough to knit you a hat - what style do you like?"

\n\n

"No, no, no...I don't need it. It's too kind of you." Xuan Ji was trembling with fear when he saw the roll of "eco-friendly" wool. He realized he had exaggerated his pitiful situation and quickly retracted his words, "I'm not afraid of the cold. My hometown isn't far from the place we went on our business trip today, and that place is a ghost town with no heating in the winter. We rely on shaking ourselves to keep warm.”

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng's gaze peeked out from her reading glasses and she glanced at Xuan Ji. "Chiyuan?"

\n\n

"Not in Chiyuan City, it's in the adjacent county, several tens of kilometers away." Xuan Ji replied casually, as if he didn't care, and then changed the subject, "Is our department always in such a hurry when we go on business trips?"

\n\n

"It's not usually like this, it's an unexpected situation today. In general, field agents are quite careful to avoid ordinary people. After all, they are most afraid of involving ordinary people. Do you know what the 'Fifteen-People Red Line' for field agents means?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji had dealt with field agents from the Bureau of Paranormal Control before and was quite familiar with Xiao Zheng, so he knew about this rule.

\n\n

Ordinary people were very fragile in supernatural events. In order to prevent field agents from losing control and ignoring public safety, the Bureau of Paranormal Control made a strict rule: except for major malicious and dereliction of duty behaviors caused by subjective intention and operational violations, if field agents cause the death of an ordinary person during a mission, even if they are falsely accused, each field agent present at the scene will be deducted one point, and the team leader will be deducted double the points.

\n\n

Each field agent had fifteen points. Once all fifteen points were deducted, their work permit would be revoked and they would face serious disciplinary action. Being suspended for investigation was the lightest punishment. If there was any suspicion of dereliction of duty, they could be held criminally liable. Even if they were not sentenced, they would have no future prospects.

\n\n

This was the so-called "Fifteen-People Red Line", so the first thing field agents would do when going on a mission was to do everything possible to "clear the scene".

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng continued, "They do a thorough job of clearing the scene, so we have much less work that involves ordinary people. Most of what our department does is apologize and make reparations - when field agents are not paying attention and damage a bridge or blow up a road, they leave after patting their butts, and we have to run around, act as intermediaries, and discuss compensation and repair plans."

\n\n

Xuan Ji understood a little after listening. He had switched from a sales position to a customer service position.

\n\n

"Everything else is fine, but when it comes to money, it's troublesome. Economic issues can drag on endlessly," Bi Chunsheng said, leaning in closer to Xuan Ji and lowering his voice. "Our department's previous leader, Director Gong, went home before reaching retirement age, claiming it was due to illness. But in reality, he had some issues, and now the bureau is investigating him."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was taken aback. He never expected there to be corruption risks in such a tedious position within the palace.

\n\n

"In addition to business trips, we also need to pay attention to public opinion," Bi Chunsheng continued, deftly winding the yarn around her little finger as she spoke to Xuan Ji with divided attention. "Several popular, strange forums and public accounts are under our surveillance. Once we discover a hot topic, we need to quickly determine whether it's a baseless rumor or a real issue. If we find a suspicious event, we need to report it to the security department as soon as possible. This is handled by Old Luo, and his subordinates take shifts to screen information 24 hours a day."

\n\n

"It's me, leader. I am Old Luo, my name is Luo Cuicui." The fragrant barcode guy came over, and when he spoke, a scent of flowers mixed with a hint of mint filled the air.

\n\n

Xuan Ji sniffed and felt that this was a fresh barcode.

\n\n

"Barcode" Luo Cuicui said, "Don't underestimate the importance of our work. If we report a false alarm, won't our field agents scold us for making them run for no reason? They are our ancestors, and we can't afford to offend them."

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked, "But what if we miss something and fail to report an incident? Wouldn't that be even more serious?"

\n\n

"That won't happen. How many paranormal incidents are there, anyway? We only need to send field agents for the cases that were transferred from the public security department. Online rumors and self-fulfilling prophecies are rampant. Look at this," Luo Cuicui handed her phone to Xuan Ji and opened a forum for her to see.

\n\n

The post at the top read, "Help! I think my son is no longer my son."

\n\n

"It's all like this. Our goal is not to make achievements, but to avoid making mistakes. When Director Gong was in charge, he emphasized every day that our department is responsible for handling ordinary matters and that we should never stir up trouble. We must always remember this principle," Luo Cuicui said. Perhaps feeling that she had talked too much, she quickly changed the subject and flattered Xuan Ji, "But Director Gong was also someone who knew how to compromise. Let's not talk about him. I can tell that you are different. You are a young talent with great ability, and you have won the favor of Director Xiao. You must be someone extraordinary. Which lineage of paranormals do you belong to?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji's smile paused for a moment when he looked at Luo Cuicui, and he lifted his eyelids slightly, asking, "What do you think?"

\n\n

He had a pair of atypical phoenix-shaped eyes, which curved when he smiled. When he smiled, it seemed like he was holding back some mischief. Often, people mistook it for a smiling expression. But now, as he looked at Luo Cuicui without a smile, she noticed that his eyelids were thin, and the color of his eyeballs was slightly light. The slightly upturned eye tails were hanging with an inconspicuous mole. As his smile faded, an indescribable sense of strangeness emerged.

\n\n

Luo Cuicui shivered from his gaze, which made him tremble for no reason. Before he could react, Xuan Ji leaned back lazily and winked at him, a bit slippery. The demon-like sharpness from earlier disappeared without a trace, as if it were just an illusion created by the angle. He had become an ordinary mortal once again, full of commonality. "Bro, do you think I'm not ordinary? Can I become an idol?" he asked.

\n\n

Luo Cuicui was quick-witted, even though he didn't have much hair. He felt that this new boss was a bit difficult to deal with, so he didn't dare to probe further and left.

\n\n

Xuan Ji sent him away, connected his phone to the plane's wifi, tested the internet speed, and casually browsed the forum that Old Luo had shown him earlier. He clicked on the pinned post, which was filled with ramblings and made no sense. The author seemed to be possessed.

\n\n

After reading it for a long time, Xuan Ji finally understood what the author was trying to say from the messy description. The gist was that the original poster had a troublesome and unruly child at home who used to smoke, skip classes, and hang out in internet cafes all day. However, recently, for no apparent reason, the child had started to turn over a new leaf, not only becoming honest but also getting decent grades in monthly exams. The mother was surprised and couldn't believe it. She began to have wild thoughts and suspected that her son had been possessed.

\n\n

When he looked at the replies below, all he saw were "paid trolls from internet addiction schools, get lost." Then, he refreshed the page, and the post disappeared, probably because someone reported it.

\n\n

He browsed through other posts on the forum and found that, as Old Luo had said, there was nothing important. Apart from a few delusional patients and online novel writers, the rest were clickbait titles, discussing the three main topics of "family gossip," "romantic relationships," and "celebrity gossip."

\n\n

After flipping through for a while, Xuan Ji became a bit bored. His eyes were tired and his vision was blurry. Old Luo and Sister Bi were discussing investing in Cambodian real estate. As a credit card slave, he couldn't participate in such a high-end topic. So, he put on his headphones, blocked out the two financial tycoons who were planning to expand in Southeast Asia, and closed his eyes to rest.

\n\n

Maybe the special plane's seats were too comfortable, or perhaps the plane's vibrations were helping him sleep, but as soon as he closed his eyes, he fell asleep. And he had another dream.

\n\n

Xuan Ji had a dream that he was in an antique small building, with a wooden beam structure, possibly a post station or something similar. The room was not big, and he could vaguely hear the noisy crowd downstairs. A person with their back to him was leaning against the window, gazing outside. The person was tall and straight, wearing black clothing like crow feathers. Xuan Ji had dreamed of this figure many times before. Since he could remember, this figure would occasionally appear in his dreams at midnight. Xuan Ji didn't know who he was, and had never seen his face. Whenever he approached the figure within a meter in his dream, he would wake up immediately. It was as if the other person was a forbidden object that he could not touch.

\n\n

"Are you here to experience the private jet too?" Xuan Ji talked to the dream guest like an old friend because he had dreamed of this figure so frequently. He maintained a safe distance of one meter, and chatted with the figure. "How is it? My new job has style, right?"

\n\n

The figure didn't answer, as usual, remaining silent like an exquisite sculpture. In this dream, everything except for Xuan Ji was a prop. He could rant or roll around, but it was a monologue.

\n\n

"Although it might be a troublesome position with some status," Xuan Ji retreated two steps and sat on the wooden table beside him, constantly muttering to his "old friend", "The former Director retired for no apparent reason, and Xiao Zheng was acting sneaky. Hm... It shouldn't be just an economic problem. Ordinary corruption wouldn't even leak within the department, and why would Old Xiao go around in circles to find me? Also, what's going on with Chiyuan? How could they suddenly start a rebellion? And I didn't even sense anything..."

\n\n

As he was speaking, he suddenly stopped and widened his eyes - a gust of wind blew through the window, lifting the figure's clothing at the window. The motion caused the statue-like man to seem to come to life suddenly. Xuan Ji's heart trembled suddenly, as if he had stepped into another dimension. This had never happened in his dreams before!

\n\n

Then, the person with his back to him sighed, and slowly turned around -

\n\n

"Boss!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji trembled, jumping up from his seat, nearly being blinded by Luo Cuicui's shiny lip gloss.

\n\n

Luo Cuicuiwas shouting into his ear amidst the noise of the airplane, "Wake up, we're about to land!"

\n\n

When they landed near Chiyuan, it was already dark outside. The sub-bureau was busy encircling the mutated trees all over the mountains and was too preoccupied to attend to the logistics team. They sent an intern named Li to pick them up.

\n\n

Several illegal tourists were warded at the first hospital in Chiyuan. The hospital was located at a high ground in the parking lot and provided a panoramic view of the mountains of Chiyuan. At the moment, the sky was overcast, and the mist was hazy. Even though the car's air conditioning was on, their clothes were still damp and sticky.

\n\n

Ping Qianru's hair turned into a ball of steel wire. As soon as she got out of the car, she began to brush it continuously. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, and Qianru stopped brushing her hair and asked with confusion, "Sister Bi, did you smell anything?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji had very sensitive hearing and turned his head, several steps away. "What smell?" he asked.

\n\n

Ping Qianru was startled by his sudden question and instinctively stood at attention as if a teacher had just called her name in class. "The smell of incense and candles from the temple," she explained. She paused and glanced at Xuan Ji's expression, then continued, "The wind brought a hint of something fishy along with it."

\n\n

The wind blew from the direction of the Grand Canyon in Chiyuan. Xuan Ji followed the little girl's gaze and looked back. The distant mountains suddenly turned black in his vision, as if a circle of eerie shadows had appeared. Xuan Ji was secretly surprised, and his footsteps faltered. He pinched his eyebrows and took another look. The green hills were still there, shrouded in mist, as if nothing had happened. It was as if he had just seen things.

\n\n

The intern driver, Xiao Li, asked, "Leader, is something wrong?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji shook his head, took back his gaze, and signaled him to lead the way. He was thinking that after finishing their work, he wanted to go and take a look at the Grand Canyon.

\n\n

Their mission this time was to deal with several trapped tourists who were injured to varying degrees. They looked pale and exhausted, and after being discharged from the hospital, they would be taken away by the Public Security Bureau for administrative punishment. Their ID cards and phones were confiscated, and they were inspected by Ping Qianru to prevent them from taking any inappropriate pictures.

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng took the initiative to take on the task of talking to them. As a newcomer, Xuan Ji did not dare to interfere with his colleague's work. He quietly observed her work process for a while and found Bi Chunsheng's conversation with the targets quite interesting.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's previous job was dealing with people, and though he was not very ambitious, he had some basic communication skills. In his opinion, Bi Chunsheng was not particularly skilled in speaking. Although her attitude was enthusiastic, she was a bit too familiar and her body language exceeded social boundaries, making her appear lacking in discretion. If someone else said the same thing, it would easily arouse the targets' alertness and anxiety. However, it was strange that the people she talked to behaved like they were drugged, naturally divulging their secrets.

\n\n

One girl with a broken leg recalled, "It seemed like a giant python was chasing us at the time. The snake was very strange, with an earthy color and looked like it was covered in tree bark. It scared me to death!"

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng smiled and said, "The so-called 'snake' you saw should be the vine that was originally wrapped around the big tree. The earthquake shook the tree down, and the vines were swinging around, which looked like they were moving. It couldn't be a real snake. Where would a giant python come from in the scenic area?"

\n\n

"No," the corrected girl was a bit confused and tried to argue, but her tone of voice weakened noticeably, as if suddenly unsure, "I think it shouldn't be the swinging vines. It was running very fast, chasing us, and..."

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng stared into her eyes and calmly repeated, "No, that was the vine."

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt that Bi Chunsheng was almost being pedantic and could easily get into an argument with someone with a bad temper. But the girl's expression became increasingly hesitant, and her tone of voice grew weaker. They went back and forth like this two or three times, and the girl suddenly seemed brainwashed, completely accepting Bi Chunsheng's explanation. Even when someone else asked her, she no longer mentioned anything about "earth-colored pythons" or being "chased," as if she had amnesia.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was a bit surprised and asked Luo Cuicui next to her, "Is Sister Bi particularly powerful? What was that... how do you guys categorize yourselves?"

\n\n

"Yes, she's a special ability user in the 'power and spiritual' category, with a bias towards the 'spiritual' side," Luo Cuicui proudly puffed out her chest, "There aren't many special ability users in our logistics department, but she's one of them."

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't help but look at her and said, "Oh, sorry for my disrespect. Does that mean you're also one?"

\n\n

"I can't compare to her at all. My special ability is not very practical," Luo Cuicui humbly said, "I'm in the 'plant' type of the six major categories, and my limbs can turn into plants. My fingers and toes have plant characteristics."

\n\n

Xuan Ji continued to ask humbly, "What do you mean by plant characteristics?"

\n\n

"Ah, it means they keep growing. If you don't trim them in time, they can wear out many pairs of shoes in a year!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

Brother Luo should really go to the hospital to treat his special ability.

\n\n

The leading intern, Xiao Li, couldn't help but laugh, but then realized it might not be polite and quickly coughed to change the topic, saying to Xuan Ji, "The sixth rescued person wasn't injured, so we temporarily placed them in the family waiting room ahead."

\n\n

Xuan Ji had just followed his finger and looked up when the lights in the hallway flickered and suddenly went out. At the same time, his finger felt cold and a ring appeared on his right index finger. The ring face was a chicken-blood red stone, the size of a grain of rice, with no impurities.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's heart skipped a beat. When no one was paying attention, he hid his right hand in his coat pocket. This ring was like the "Thousand Demon Bestiary," brought with him from birth and had always been firmly on his finger, unable to be taken off. It was even more mysterious than the "Thousand Demon Bestiary," never showing any spiritual energy or demonic activity. It was like extra hair or nails, neither hurting nor itching, and he didn't know what it was for.

\n\n

Except for its somewhat old-fashioned style, Xuan Ji didn't have any objections to it. Because this ring could be invisible during normal times, it could not be called out and could be treated as non-existent.

\n\n

The Chiyuan trees suddenly erupted into chaos for no reason, and the man in his dream suddenly turned around. The invisible ring appeared without his permission...

\n\n

Xuan Ji's heart sank slightly. There were too many anomalies happening on this day.

\n\n

"The light bulb went out," the leading intern muttered, unaware, as he walked forward and said, "This person... um... seems a bit strange. You'll see later."

\n\n

The hospital had already been quarantined by the Bureau of Paranormal Control, and there was only one person in the family waiting room.

\n\n

A man was sitting on a plastic chair with his back facing the half-closed door, fully focused on watching the advertisement on the TV on the wall. His back was straight, but not tense, as if he had received specialized body posture training. His back view was pleasing to the eye. The most striking thing about him was his long hair that reached his waist, which was unusually thick and lush, tied with a hair tie at the back of his neck, as thick as a child's arm.

\n\n

When Xuan Ji saw the man, his vision suddenly blurred. After the ring, "Thousand Demon Bestiary" also automatically popped up, as if it had something to say. However, Xuan Ji waited for a while, but the pages of the book were all blank.

\n\n

"This is the ID he provided." Xiao Li took out an ID card from a file bag, "He said he lost his phone and didn't have one."

\n\n

Luo Cuicui's gaze lingered on the man's hair for a moment, and she affectionately touched his own "barcode" on her head, muttering, "Now even young men are wearing wigs, it must be because of air pollution - Leader, can I talk to him for a few minutes?"

\n\n

"Wait." Xuan Ji raised his hand to stop him, and the ID in his hand turned into a withered leaf, then suddenly burned up with a "whoosh". The sudden flame startled both Xiao Li and Luo Cuicui.

\n\n

At this moment, the door of the family rest area, which was only slightly open, made a creaking sound and opened around the silent and long-sighing door hinge. The cold and musty smell rushed out from inside, making people inexplicably think of coffins and decayed wood embracing bones. The TV on the wall suddenly went black, reflecting a pair of eyes through the mirror-like black screen, meeting Xuan Ji's guarded gaze...

\n\n

A mischievous smile appeared in those ghostly eyes.

\n","published_time":"2023-02-27T00:57:13.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:28:05.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":24,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":4,"chapter_title":"Chapter 4","content":"

A spark flashed on the black screen of the TV, and the picture reappeared. It was an advertisement for a summer camp, where a group of children were playing and laughing on the playground. It was originally a very relaxing and happy scene, but for some reason, the image on the TV was stuttering badly, and the children's laughter became intermittent and suddenly eerie.

\n\n

Ha...ha...

\n\n

The little girl on the TV was too excited, and her expression was out of control. It stopped at a grimace that was unclear whether she was crying or laughing, and there was a missing front tooth in her open mouth.

\n\n

Luo Cuicui's legs went weak, and she stumbled backward, kicking over a metal trash can with a loud clanging sound that echoed in the winding hallway.

\n\n

Only then did Xiao Li react and asked the long-haired man, "What's going on with you? Hey, are you a psychic? Do you really think you can get away with forging documents with psychic abilities?"

\n\n

The long-haired man in the lounge was startled by his sudden outburst. He slowly turned around, and Xuan Ji pressed his hand against Xiao Li's chest, giving the fierce young man a shove backwards. Almost at the same time, the man who had been sitting in the lounge suddenly disappeared from his seat. In a flash of lightning, Xuan Ji raised his right hand to block in front of his neck, and there was a flash of silver between his fingers. With a "ding" sound, the mysterious long-haired man had teleported from the lounge to the doorway, and was now standing right in front of Xuan Ji, his pale hand pointed straight at Xuan Ji's throat. Xuan Ji had a coin between his fingers that happened to block the man's hand.

\n\n

As the coin and the hand collided, Xuan Ji had the feeling that he had hit a rock. Then he saw the face that was just inches away from him.

\n\n

The man's eyebrows raised, his eyes slightly drooped, and the sharpness of his brow bone was filled with coldness that could keep people at a distance. But his eyes were like those of a lover, with a deep and warm look that could melt one's heart.

\n\n

In an instant, Xuan Ji suddenly felt an indescribable sense of familiarity. With a light sound in his ear, a crack appeared on the surface of the stone on the ring on his right hand!

\n\n

This ring was fireproof, acid-resistant, bulletproof, and capable of blocking knives. He had taken it with him everywhere he went for half his life, and he had always believed that it could turn into some kind of relic after he died. Yet it was shattered so easily by a light touch!

\n\n

The originally bright and blood-red stone lost its vitality. Rust gradually appeared from the cracks, and a bone-chilling cold spread rapidly along the hand wearing the ring. The blood in his body seemed to freeze. Out of a self-defense instinct, Xuan Ji's coin exploded, a thin layer of metallic color covered his hand, and a cluster of small flames burst out from his palm, biting the man's fingers. The man with long hair skillfully withdrew his hand. The originally pea-sized flame instantly swelled several times and curled up his arm like a dragon made of fire.

\n\n

The man with long hair lightly exclaimed "ah". Half of his arm was on fire, but he remained calm and turned his wrist over, grabbing the "fire dragon". As he pulled and tugged, the fire burning his sleeve was like a snake caught by its neck, helplessly curling up into a small ball, clutched in his palm. His fingers didn't even touch a speck of ash, and the skin of his palm was tinged with a warm color from the flame. Only his clothes revealed their original form: the black tactical vest he wore melted away starting from the sleeve, leaving behind a pile of tattered fabric tangled on his pale and skinny wrist. The man with long hair extinguished the flame, lowered his head and brushed his hand. The exposed half of his forearm's clothing returned to its original state.

\n\n

His clothes were also copied from those next door. He even copied the holes on their tactical vests, but changed the color and details cleverly enough that it was difficult to notice the imitation at first glance. However, upon closer inspection, every color he wore was taken from those male tourists trapped with him, and even the thread and stitches were similar to those of the tourists' clothes.

\n\n

The man with long hair politely nodded his head at Xuan Ji and spoke with a strange accent: "I'm sorry for my appearance." It wasn't Mandarin or any dialect Xuan Ji recognized. Xuan Ji was slightly surprised. The man with long hair thought Xuan Ji didn't understand him and looked back at the TV hanging on the wall, switching to poor Mandarin: "My clothes are..."

\n\n

He paused because the word he was about to use was probably an uncommon vocabulary that neither the TV nor the trapped tourists had used. The man with long hair said, with a slight frown, "...um..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji said, "It's a visual illusion."

\n\n

The man smiled amiably, nodding his head like a host, and gestured politely to Xuan Ji to come in and sit down: "It's good that you understand. Please come in and have a seat."

\n\n

Xuan Ji did not take his eyes off the man with long hair. He put his hand behind his back and gestured to the intern Xiao Li and Luo Cuicui not to follow him, and casually closed the door of the family lounge. The man just spoke in an ancient language. Xuan Ji had encountered many old objects before, some of which had spirituality and could say a few words. He had heard a lot of them since he was young, so he was familiar with them. Based on his unprofessional deduction, the long-haired man just now spoke a bit like the "classical language" from the era of the great Nine Provinces War over 3,000 years ago. However, he was not sure because the evolution of language in history was sometimes fast and sometimes slow. In some turbulent times, the popular official language could change within three to fifty years, and even in peaceful times, some regions' accents could change in a few decades. The man with long hair seemed to be deliberately hiding something, and Xuan Ji became more curious.

\n\n

Who is this...let's call him a "person" for now. Which deep mountain forest did he crawl out from?

\n\n

At this moment, Xuan Ji's eyes, which had been stuck on the "Thousand Demon Bestiary" for a long time, finally recovered from their frozen state. The pages of the book gently shook, and a hesitant line of small characters appeared in his field of vision, with a note beside the long-haired man: "Heart-Piercing Grass Puppet".

\n\n

Xuan Ji was stunned for a moment, and then the note disappeared. The "Thousand Demon Bestiary" provided him with a more detailed explanation: The Heart-Piercing Grass is a substitute magic, which engraves the Heart-Piercing Grass curse on a puppet. The caster can control the puppet from miles away, and it can move, lie down, speak and talk like a real person, and share the six senses with the caster. The puppet can be made of wood carvings or clay sculptures, and the curse must be broken to see its original form.

\n\n

Xuan Ji suddenly realized - so this person is not a real human being, no wonder his hair is so long and striking.

\n\n

As he focused his gaze on the puppet of the long-haired man, the "Thousand Demon Bestiary" provided another thoughtful note: this puppet was carved from a thousand-year-old spiritual jade.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

A puppet that tall, carved from a thousand-year-old spiritual jade, with such exquisite craftsmanship! It must be worth a whole courtyard house.

\n\n

The facial features of the puppet were handsome, but Xuan Ji didn't know what kind of curse was on it. Staring at it for a while, he felt suffocated and couldn't catch his breath. He collected himself and lowered his gaze to the puppet's shoulder and neck, politely asking, "Hello, as part of my duties, may I ask who you are and why you sent such a valuable 'messenger' to our Chiyuan area? Is there anything we can assist you with?"

\n\n

The puppet blinked and didn't say a word, looking at him with a kind of "this cat meows quite well" expression.

\n\n

Oh, the phrasing was too convoluted. With the other's level of Mandarin, he probably didn't understand. Xuan Ji was helpless and had to use a more straightforward expression, "Just asking where you're from and what business you have - you can say it in your own words, I can get a general idea."

\n\n

The puppet leaned loosely against the wall, raised his hand, and gently sniffed the fingers that had just collided with Xuan Ji's. He calmly asked, "Little demon, with your pure bloodline, why are you mixing in with humans?"

\n\n

As the puppet spoke, a few strands of loose hair hung over his shoulders. His voice was gentle and soothing, perhaps because he struggled with Mandarin. Xuan Ji glimpsed him out of the corner of his eye and saw that the person's gaze was unusually focused, even with a hint of indescribable fondness. He didn't seem like a serious person.

\n\n

"What do you mean?" Xuan Ji thought warily, "Are things so corrupt now that they have to resort to seduction right off the bat?"

\n\n

"I'm sorry, but I'm the one asking questions now," Xuan Ji said. "Is 'Sheng Lingyuan' the name you gave or your real name?"

\n\n

"I don't remember."

\n\n

"Where is your true body?"

\n\n

The puppet either didn't understand the question or didn't want to answer, so he tilted his head slightly and smiled without saying a word.

\n\n

"Where did you come from?"

\n\n

"Underground."

\n\n

"Underground?" Xuan Ji didn't know if this was a literal meaning or had some special connotation. He felt anxious and asked, "What does 'underground' mean?"

\n\n

"I woke up from a shallow coffin underground," the person claiming to be Sheng Lingyuan said, "The coffin was rotten, so my family must have been poor before I died."

\n\n

Climbed out of the coffin...

\n\n

Xuan Ji accidentally glanced at the other person's face and his heart started beating irregularly again. He didn't dare to look again. It was difficult for them to communicate, and they were both guessing and confused. If he hadn't misunderstood, this person seemed to be an old ghost. Judging from his accent, he had been dead for some years. But what was this? A resurrection?

\n\n

"Did you wake up as your true body from the coffin, or as this...puppet?" Xuan Ji asked.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan either misunderstood or avoided the question intentionally and only said, "I was forcibly awakened by someone, and it's very noisy outside."

\n\n

"Who? Why did they wake you up?"

\n\n

"The man spoke incoherently, with a tone I had never heard before. At the time, my mind was not very clear, and I didn't understand him," Sheng Lingyuan's thoughtful gaze remained on Xuan Ji, as he spoke slowly, "After leaving the coffin, I happened to meet those friends outside, but since I wasn’t dressed appropriately, it was inconvenient to show myself. Therefore, I just followed them secretly for a while. Unexpectedly, we encountered a tree demon, and I saw that my friends were completely unaware of it, so I had to imitate their appearance, transform my clothes, and lead them into the cave."

\n\n

Xuan Ji vaguely felt that something was off about this person. He squinted his eyes slightly and played with the coin between his fingers, "You could understand what those people were saying?"

\n\n

"Not entirely, but I could follow some of their words, and my friends were not very guarded against me. By observing their expressions, I could guess the meaning of some of their words. I was afraid that I would reveal too much by saying too much, so I just imitated their way of speaking and exchanged some simple greetings with them. Fortunately, everyone was in a panic, and I didn't expose myself. However, that instrument," Sheng Lingyuan pointed to the television. The TV was no longer stuck and was now playing a subtitled TV drama, "The speech of the people in this program is clear and concise, and every word and sentence is marked. Is this used for children's handwriting practice?"

\n\n

"Do you know simplified characters?"

\n\n

"Simplified characters," Sheng Lingyuan was very interested and repeated the phrase, mimicking Xuan Ji's pronunciation perfectly. His ability to imitate was somewhat creepy. He answered with a smile, "I can't read them word for word, but I can guess about fifty percent of them based on their shapes."

\n\n

Wherever this person stood, perhaps because of his jade-like body, he exuded a warm and gentle aura that made people naturally feel good about him.

\n\n

"Being forcibly awakened from the coffin without any warning, confused and unable to understand a single word of what was being said. With clothes made of grass skirts woven from tree leaves. Yet he was just busy saving people, what kind of saintly person would do that?" Xuan Ji thought, "I almost believed him."

\n\n

Suddenly, Xuan Ji realized that something was wrong with this "Sheng Lingyuan"—his tone of voice. Except for a few deliberately ignored questions, this person answered every question and was both detailed and patient in his responses. His tone was relaxed, but his words were scattered, like idle chatter with a stranger while waiting in line, to pass the time.

\n\n

If he really had been buried for thousands of years and crawled out of the ground, with everyone and everything being incomprehensible, shouldn't his first priority be to find the one who awakened him? Even if he couldn't find the one who woke him up, shouldn't he try to understand what era it was and search for something familiar? Instead of sitting comfortably in a hospital watching TV and chatting idly with strangers, what was he doing with his time?

\n\n

Xiao Li, who was locked outside the door, probably thought something was wrong and called a field team stationed at the hospital. At this time, the field team, who had received the notification, arrived at the door of the family rest area and knocked, "Director Xuan, do you need help? What's the situation?"

\n\n

What exactly are you? Don't hide behind the puppet--

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan reacted quickly, lifting his hand to block the coin. As he reached out to grab the coin with his five fingers, it exploded in mid-air, flames shooting out over a meter and dragging him half-way inside. Several rows of "curse-breaking" spells were burned onto the white wall behind Sheng Lingyuan, and while the jade-carved figure was unscathed, the grass rope tying his hair was burned through. His long hair fell down and the fake clothes made of dried leaves vanished, but he was not naked.

\n\n

There was another layer inside!

\n\n

The pile of illusionary clothes made from deceitful magic was licked clean by the flames, revealing a white robe with a blood-drawn totem almost taking shape, emitting a horrifying and bloody scent. The man's once lively flesh and skin revealed a stony texture, pale with a tinge of blue. His lips, once a tender and affectionate smile, suddenly turned strange.

\n\n

Wait a minute, doesn't the "Thousand Demon Bestiary" say that the puppet won't move when hit?

\n\n

Where's the Heart-Piercing spell? The source code?

\n\n

What is the bloody totem on his body?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan sighed and extinguished the flames on him with a wave of his hand, standing up slowly. "Little guy, you're quite clever. You broke the curse well. Who taught you?"

\n\n

As soon as he finished speaking, the long-haired man had already rushed to Xuan Ji's side like lightning. The edge of the coin in Xuan Ji's hand was as sharp as a knife, and he blocked the man's reaching hand. In the blink of an eye, the two exchanged seven or eight moves, the coins flying everywhere, and the black smoke in the family rest area had not yet dispersed before the sound of metal clashing filled the air.

\n\n

Several coins shook loose from Xuan Ji's sleeve, bouncing and rolling around Sheng Lingyuan's feet. Xuan Ji reached out from afar and pressed down, and the coins suddenly embedded themselves in the marble floor, forming a formation that produced several burning iron chains out of thin air, roaring and wrapping around the long-haired man in the middle.

\n\n

The "Thousand Demon Bestiary" was ignored and, upon a second glance, the annotations on the "Heart-Piercing Grass Puppet" evaporated like dew under sunlight, leaving no trace. Two bloody characters slowly rose from between the pages:

\n\n

"Heavenly demon."

\n","published_time":"2023-02-28T00:15:45.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:28:06.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":27,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":5,"chapter_title":"Chapter 5","content":"

Being 'forcibly awakened,' 'emerged from an underground coffin,' and 'speaking in an ancient dialect with a clear and elegant tone'...It sounded like something out of a thousand-year-old horror movie. But zombies actually aren’t that scary, because when a person dies, they're like a light that goes out. The principles behind 'refining corpses' and 'driving out corpses' are similar to those of a puppet on a string. The body moves under external manipulation, and the nervous system is already decayed, without any thoughts or intentions. If the preservation work isn't done properly, it's not uncommon for the arms, legs, heart, liver, and lungs to fall off while walking. Apart from scaring people, their combat effectiveness can be completely ignored.

\n\n

The frightening thing is when the coffin doesn't contain a corpse. Because in addition to burying them properly, ancient people also used coffins to seal away bad things. The so-called ‘voice that woke him up' is likely some kind of curse or prayer.

\n\n

Someone is using forbidden techniques to summon demons!

\n\n

No wonder the heavens have been calm, but the Chiyuan has been in turmoil. It turns out to be a man-made disaster - Xuan Ji cursed in his heart. He should have thought of this earlier. It's all because of this misleading book, the "Thousand Demon Bestiary." Where does it stand?

\n\n

The personnel outside the door heard something amiss and immediately wanted to rush in. Xuan Ji suddenly raised his hand and slapped the door from a distance. The person who had just pushed the door open was immediately pushed out. A fiery "stop" character flashed and merged into the door. The "stop" character quickly spread to the walls. In the blink of an eye, the family rest area was surrounded by flames, separated from the outside world.

\n\n

The team of personnel who were blocked outside were all thrown back. They didn't see the process of him drawing the talisman with his bare hands, but they felt the power of the talisman. They looked at each other in shock - what kind of talisman was this? Why did someone from the logistics department carry such a powerful talisman with them?

\n\n

This is against the rules!

\n\n

One should know that the complexity of learning talismans and magic circles is so great that one or two years of training can't even scratch the surface, so it hasn't been included in the regular field training program. The talismans are produced in bulk by the Bureau of Paranormal Control with the help of instruments, and as a weapon, they are distributed to various department's field operatives as quotas, like bullets. Because mishandling them can be dangerous, even field operatives must have a license to hold talismans, and the bureau strictly prohibits non-combat personnel from coming into contact with them!

\n\n

Intern Xiao Li hurriedly picked up his jaw from the ground and turned to ask Luo Cuicui, "How can your department dare to blatantly violate regulations... Hey, where did the person go?"

\n\n

Although Luo Cuicui was also a talent, he had always been in the logistics department, living a peaceful life of "being civilized and polite." Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, he had already taken small steps and hid in the corner of the hallway, listening and cautiously sticking her head out to spread rumors from afar: "Our leader is a newcomer, maybe a connection!"

\n\n

The family rest area was only about ten square meters, but the flames on the iron chains were like angry dragons, smoking the ceiling black. In theory, it would take no more than three to five minutes to preheat the room like an oven, but a cold and damp breath spread from somewhere, overpowering the heat of the flames. Water vapor was continuously heated, and the walls of the family rest area oozed water droplets.

\n\n

Xuan Ji bound the mysterious long-haired man with iron chains, but was pressed by the cold and damp vapor to the point of being unable to breathe, not knowing who was binding whom.

\n\n

Large and small water droplets rolled down the wall, leaving wet marks that gradually joined together, forming rows of text that were not any commonly used language in the world. Xuan Ji caught a glimpse of it from the corner of his eye, and his spine shuddered with inexplicable coldness.

\n\n

The pages of the "Thousand Demon Bestiary" trembled, and after a moment, it coughed up a line of annotations: Yin Sacrifice.

\n\n

At the door, the head of the field team, Yue Zhong, stepped forward and said, "Director Xuan, what happened? I am..."

\n\n

"Don't introduce yourselves," came Xuan Ji's distorted voice from inside the room. "Evacuate everyone within a ten-kilometer radius of this hospital immediately! Bring over all the people you can use and... report to headquarters!"

\n\n

The squad leader was bombarded with a string of orders before he could finish a single sentence. He was completely confused and wondered to himself, "Who is this guy?"

\n\n

Field operatives have always looked down upon logistics. After all, functional departments have always been superior. And logistics personnel are usually just ordinary people. Even if they have special abilities, those who are relegated to the same category as ordinary people are probably useless weirdos. Although the Aftermath Department was sent by headquarters and is administratively under the jurisdiction of superiors, local field operatives didn't take them seriously. It's like the attitude of ancient generals towards eunuchs in charge of the army - they hope they eat and drink well and don't cause any trouble.

\n\n

This Director Xuan, who carried talismans illegally in broad daylight, not only caused trouble but also inexplicably assigned them work.

\n\n

He really thinks he's a vegetable!

\n\n

The squad leader quietly studied the seal and spell on the door, patiently saying, "Leader, relocating residents is not a small matter. Transportation, supplies, and economic losses are all issues, not to mention the panic it will cause the people. Even if it's not me, our bureau chief wouldn't be able to make the decision. Besides, most of our people are currently in the Grand Canyon, and the mutated trees haven't been cleared yet. We really don't have the resources to spare..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji, impatient and interrupting again, said, "Luo Cuicui, call Director Xiao and tell him that the mutated trees are just the small symptom, and the main cause of the chaos in Chiyuan might be the 'Yin Sacrifice’!"

\n\n

The squad leader, who thought he had some cunning, was still caught off guard, turning green in the face. "Director Xuan, we have a specialized team of experts to evaluate the problem in Chiyuan. Please don't mislead the organization based on your subjective speculation!"

\n\n

Luo Cuicui piped up, "Leader, what does Director Xiao mean by 'Yin Sacrifice'?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji thought to himself, "Who should I ask?"

\n\n

The "Thousand Demon Bestiary" was like squeezing toothpaste. There was a blank space where there should have been annotations below the three words "Yin Sacrifice," and it was unclear what secrets a shoddy book could hold.

\n\n

Obviously, it was useless now. Xuan Ji could feel the malicious water vapor drilling into his bones. The flames on the iron chain were becoming weaker under the gloomy atmosphere. He forcibly pried open his teeth that were tightly clenched from the battle and hastily blurted out, "Go use a search engine!"

\n\n

The team leader of the sub-bureau thought he was talking nonsense and was so angry that he turned around and left. However, he remembered something, felt it was inappropriate, turned back, and asked Xiao Li, "You just said that person inside... the one with long hair. Is he a particularly talented person who infiltrated Chiyuan with malicious intentions?"

\n\n

Xiao Li quickly replied, "The motive is unclear now, I dare not say whether he is bad or not..."

\n\n

"I don't care if he's good or bad, just tell me if he's talented!" The team leader was irritable.

\n\n

"Oh... yes, he is talented, and it seems to be mental..." Xiao Li said.

\n\n

"Being talented is enough." The team leader coldly snorted and waved his hand, leading his men to leave, regardless of the clueless ass-wiping Director Xuan.

\n\n

Regardless of whether someone is good or bad, the head of an employee does not count towards the "fifteen red lines" of the death toll. Whether they live or die, it doesn't matter.

\n\n

Luo CuiCui ran out in small steps and shouted, "Please don't go... Hey, our leader didn't mean that. Director Xiao hasn't spoken yet... Ah!"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng may have gone to check the information and told her to wait on the phone, but then there was no sound. Luo CuiCui chased after the field agents who were leaving in a magnificent manner for a few steps, looked back at the gloomy family rest area, and was hesitant to leave. Holding her phone, she was extremely anxious, "What a temper!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was being roasted over the fire, but he was still interested in listening to their conversation. With flames licking his body, he didn't even move a single strand of his hair, and even felt quite warm. The pale face was reflected in the blood-red light of the flames. He kindly said to Xuan Ji, "The blood feud between the demon race and the human race has lasted for generations. Even if the demon race has declined, they still avoid humans and retreat to the mountains and forests. As for you, a pure-blooded little demon, why are you throwing yourself into a crowd of humans? Did you suffer some injustice at home and defect to the enemy, or did you do something wrong and get exiled by your own people?"

\n\n

Cold sweat dripped down Xuan Ji's back, and his lips turned blue with cold, but he still refused to give up, "Old man, all fifty-six ethnic groups are now one big family. Which generation's outdated thinking are you clinging to? You are the one who defected and got exiled, not me!"

\n\n

The iron chain that bound the heavenly demon was stretched to the limit and began to creak. The totem on his robe began to seep blood, and the water stain on the wall suddenly deepened in color.

\n\n

"Little demon, if you don't release me, be careful of getting hurt." Before he even finished speaking, ice shards appeared on Sheng Lingyuan's hair and the hem of his clothes, and the "stop" character on the door crumbled apart. The bloodstains seeped through the walls of the family rest area and a mournful cold wind swept out, shattering all the glass and emitting a sharp whistle as it squeezed through the windows and doors, as if accompanied by a dying scream. The agents who hadn't had time to move far away were hit by the shards of broken glass. A tender green sprout of aloe vera crept out of Luo Cuicui's collar and coiled around his neck, covering his eyes with its leaves, as if deceiving itself.

\n\n

At that moment, Xiao Zheng happened to make a video call, and in her panic, Luo Cuicui accidentally pressed the video button, transmitting the scene in its entirety to the headquarters of the Bureau of Paranormal Control, thousands of miles away.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng's pupils suddenly contracted. He turned his head quickly and ordered the staff next to him, "Contact the director of the Chiyuan branch, immediately send more personnel, evacuate everyone from the hospital, and have them listen to Xuan Ji's orders on-site. Old Luo, tell your director to hold on for a moment, and get someone from the ancient studies department!"

\n\n

Luo Cuicui's vision was obstructed by the leaves of a green plant. In a daze, he stammered, "D-Director X-Xiao said..."

\n\n

His voice was drowned out by the sound of clanging iron chains. The original flames on the chains had disappeared, as if they had been sucked dry, and they turned into dull coins that flew in all directions, hitting the walls and ricocheting off them. One of them grazed Luo Cuicui's head and embedded itself in the wall behind him, taking with it two precious locks of hair.

\n\n

It took Luo Cuicui a moment to react, but then his legs went weak, and he collapsed onto the floor, floundering and swimming in all directions like a drowning person. He used his arms and legs to crawl towards the exit.

\n\n

The moment Sheng Lingyuan broke free, he had already rushed out of the family rest area.

\n\n

The arrogant field agents finally realized that Xuan Ji was not playing a joke on them, but the thick smell of blood, which was accompanied by a chill, had already filled their nostrils. They couldn't move anymore. They were horrified to see the white shadow that flew out of the rest area like a plague. The cold and sticky water vapor rushed in through the broken window, sticking to all living things. Their bodies were frozen like fish that had been flash-frozen. In the blink of an eye, their joints were frozen stiff, and the small ice chips crawled like ulcers on their skin. The terrifying white shadow was getting closer!

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan extended a finger and hooked it under the chin of the nearest person, Xiao Li. Xiao Li's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as he saw the expressionless heavenly demon look at him for a moment before laughing and exhaling a puff of black mist at him. Xiao Li didn't know what the black mist was, but he instinctively felt extreme fear. That fear triggered his survival instinct, and he desperately backed away, even cracking the ice chips behind him.

\n\n

However, even if an ant struggles to the death, it cannot struggle out of a gust of wind. The gap was quickly frozen shut by the ice chips, and the black mist was about to swallow him whole.

\n\n

At that moment, a fireball like a shooting star came hurtling towards them and grazed Xiao Li's nose, shattering the black mist.

\n\n

The thin layer of ice on Xiao Li's body began to melt from his nose, instantly restoring his ability to move. He sat on the ground, legs curled up and almost peed his pants in fear.

\n\n

The fireball seemed to have a life of its own as it circled around him, leaving a brilliant trail of fire on the floor. It collided with the undercover agents and bounced off, freeing them from their frozen state. Although the team leader of the undercover agents was quite arrogant, he was also courageous. As soon as he regained his freedom, he pulled out a gun and fired several shots at the demon.

\n\n

It was a mithril gun specially designed for the field agents to deal with all kinds of monsters and demons. The Mithril bullets inside would automatically avoid people and objects without any abnormal energy reactions, and chase after high-energy targets. For a moment, silver light was flying everywhere in the corridor. As the silver light passed by, a soft laugh rang out, like the helpless and indulgent laugh of a beloved child misbehaving. The team leader was a middle-aged man with a daughter in high school. When he heard the laughter, he was momentarily dazed, as if he had returned to his infancy, feeling vulnerable and wronged, wanting to be coddled.

\n\n

Just as he was lost in thought, a claw made of black mist had already grabbed his wrist holding the gun. He only felt a tingling sensation spreading from his wrist, and then half of his body lost consciousness. The Mithril gun slipped from his hand and fell to the ground, while the black mist climbed up his arm and headed straight for his throat!

\n\n

"Get out of the way!" A burst of fire rolled up and ignited the team leader's arm in a swoop. However, the fire only used the black mist as fuel, it didn't burn his clothes or scorch his skin. In the blink of an eye, the black mist was burned to ashes and disappeared along with the fire.

\n\n

The undercover team leader rolled on the ground and retrieved the Mithril gun, looking at Xuan Ji in shock and suspicion. "You... are you actually a Lightning-Fire type?"

\n\n

Lightning-Fire type was an extremely rare type of ability with strong offensive capabilities. Even in the External Affairs Department, it was almost impossible to find one. Almost all Lightning-Fire types were in the three major special elite forces of the General Administration - the commander of the former special forces "Thunder", and current director of the External Affairs Department, Xiao Zheng, was a Lightning-Fire type. Local branch offices might not have seen a live "Lightning-Fire" in their entire lifetime!

\n\n

What was wrong with the personnel department of the headquarters, letting a Lightning-Fire expert do the cleanup work?

\n\n

Xuan Ji said, "Keep firing, don't stop!"

\n\n

The team leader snapped out of his trance, and the agents behind him finally reacted and took their positions, using mithril bullets to snipe the heavenly demon. The heavenly demon had probably never seen mithril bullets before and hesitated in the face of the dense silver light. Just as the mithril bullets were raining down on him like drops, ready to turn even a stone statue into a sieve, a layer of black mist suddenly appeared around the heavenly demon, sweeping away all the mithril bullets.

\n\n

At that moment, Xuan Ji reached out and grabbed the coins embedded in the walls and floors out of thin air. Each coin had an exaggerated cartoon face on it, either crying, laughing, scolding, or happy, arranged in a row, spinning in his palm like a row of miniature living beings. Then, the coins suddenly transformed, elongating into several iron chains, one end held in Xuan Ji's hand, the other end flying out like a poisonous snake, hooking onto the heavenly demon's limbs, tightly binding him.

\n\n

The agents were once again collectively dumbfounded - what was this? Was this monster a Lightning-Fire type or a metal type? Had lightning rods gained sentience? They had been taught that Lightning-Fire and metal were incompatible and could never coexist!

\n\n

But even Xuan Ji himself didn't look relaxed as he tugged on the iron chains, a layer of frost forming on his eyebrows and hair. His hands were shaking as if he might lose his grip at any moment. "Quickly evacuate the people near the hospital, hurry up!" he shouted.

\n\n

One of the agents hesitated for a moment. "You..."

\n\n

"Don't dawdle!"

\n\n

The agent was about to say something else but was stopped by the team leader, who had put aside his pride. With his experience and keen eye, he had already realized that this post-crisis management director was at least a qualified expert who could enter a special forces unit. In this kind of combat, leaving behind anyone who wasn't capable would only be a hindrance.

\n\n

The team leader took a deep look at Xuan Ji. "Brother, remember to immediately report to headquarters and request support from the nearest special forces unit - everyone! Clear the area and evacuate ten kilometers! Let's go!"

\n\n

That night, Dr. Wang, the head of the ancient studies department, was on the night shift at the Bureau.

\n\n

Dr. Wang wore a pair of round glasses and stooped, shuffling along to the main control room. His head, ahead of his body, extended out of his neck two li away and landed in front of Xiao Zheng. It was said that he was born in the late Ming Dynasty, and he had no other special abilities other than being old and refusing to die. He retired more than 30 times, but was rehired by the Bureau. Now, he specialized in the research of mysterious ancient books and rituals. He was knowledgeable and well-versed in both ancient and modern knowledge, like a living encyclopedia, but due to his age, he did everything slowly, so one needed to have some patience when communicating with him.

\n\n

"Yin Sacrifice...it's really serious! This is a forbidden ritual. If it goes wrong, people may die." Dr. Wang opened his mouth like an old opera performer and spoke eloquently, making Xiao Zheng want to fast forward.

\n\n

"'Sacrifice' is an 'evil contract.' On one hand, it can be used to summon evil gods to descend and massacre the people, and on the other hand, it can be used to ask evil spirits to possess people and seek revenge. However, those evil gods and evil spirits are not easy to please. They will require a hundred times more repayment for helping you. Xiao Director, you asked at the right time. We just did a special topic on 'sacrifice' not long ago, and the file should be saved somewhere...oh..."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng asked, "What is the date of the saved file?"

\n\n

"Oh...it was last week, which date was it again?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng grabbed his computer and rushed to the archive room, dragging the power cord behind him.

\n\n

The archive room of the ancient studies department was constantly temperature- and humidity-controlled, with no light. There were rows of crystal cabinets inside, containing various original ancient books. There was a small screen on each cabinet door that could access the researchers' annotations. With a command from Xiao Zheng, more than ten researchers rummaged through the archive, and soon found the "Sacrifice" special topic cabinet.

\n\n

"The so-called sacrifice can be understood as a kind of buying and selling contract. A sacrifice has four elements: 'sacrificial object,' 'sacrificial host,' 'medium,' and 'sacrificial text.'" A researcher told Xiao Zheng, "The sacrificial object is the 'cost' paid by the 'Party A'; the sacrificial host is the 'Party B' that charges for the service, usually not a good person. Some scholars believe that only a 'demon' can serve as a sacrificial host and respond to the 'sacrifice.' The 'medium' is the 'communication tool' between the buyer and seller. Finally, the 'sacrificial text' is equivalent to the contract for this transaction. It is said that this is a type of writing that cannot be written. Once it is written, the sacrifice has already taken effect. Neither party can go back on their word, and the sacrificial object listed in the sacrificial text must be in place, and the sacrificial host must fulfill the contract, otherwise, he will suffer the backlash of the sacrifice."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng asked, "Tell me specifically about the Yin Sacrifice."

\n\n

"The Yin Sacrifice is a type of 'sacrifice'. According to legend, the sacrificial host for this type of 'sacrifice' is a very special being, a sealed heavenly demon. The Yin Sacrifice can unlock the seal, so it is also called the 'Summoning Demon Sacrifice'. The sacrificial object must be sacrificer, Party A, themselves," the researcher said, "As you can imagine, regardless of success or failure, the sacrificer who initiates the Yin Sacrifice will not have a good ending. It's a kind of 'suicidal attack'."

\n\n

\nXiao Zheng asked, "What the heck? What are these sealed heavenly demons?"

\n\n

"Our information is limited. Ancient texts say that demons can 'live forever, have endless magical powers', and can only be sealed or left to dissipate naturally, they cannot be killed by external force. According to this description, the contemporary academic community generally agrees that the so-called 'heavenly demon' is actually a kind of chaotic and harmful abnormal energy."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was confused, "How can a ball of energy do business, or fulfill contracts?"

\n\n

"Sorry, Director, I don't know, after all, whether it's a 'demon' or a 'sacrifice', they are just legends in ancient texts, and may even be the fantastic imagination of ancient people - but...there is a damaged ancient text that once mentioned 'heavenly demons'. We speculate that this special abnormal energy similar to a 'demon' can be embodied in a specific person, and this person can either control this exceptionally powerful abnormal energy...or be controlled by it, becoming a real heavenly demon."

\n\n

Speaking of which, that mysterious man with an unknown background in Chiyuan Hospital... Xiao Zheng's eyes widened, "What information can we find about heavenly demons?"

\n\n

"Human-demons are like natural disasters," the researcher opened an electronic scanned document, revealing a mural on it, which depicted scenes of floods, earthquakes, plagues, and wars in meticulous and somewhat gruesome strokes. The picture was filled with bodies of various shapes and sizes, and in each scene resembling a human purgatory, there was a white-clothed figure that stood out, without a clear face, seeming to be only a symbol of terror, "You see this white-clothed figure, in the scene of the flood, he reaches his hand into the water upstream and stirs it; in the scene of war, two people stab each other with swords, and this white-clothed figure is holding a cup, collecting blood to drink from the tip of the sword - suggesting that all these major disasters are related to him. Did you notice that in this painting, except for this white-clothed figure, everything else is just corpses. This painting is called “Heavenly demon'."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng: "..."

\n\n

It's over, Xuan Ji is probably in trouble.

\n\n

Xuan Ji not only felt cold, but also bone-chillingly cold. His hands had already been frozen by the ice chips, as if he was wearing a pair of crystal gloves that were shining with colorful light.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan—the heavenly demon lowered his head, his gaze sweeping over the blood-red totem on his body. He couldn't be bothered to move, and his smile was like that of an old cat looking at a little bird under its paw. The more the little bird struggled, the more interesting he found it, and he coldly advised, "Little demon, you are naturally pleasing to my eyes. I liked you at first sight and don't want to hurt you. You should retreat quickly."

\n\n

Xuan Ji never thought of himself as a face-con, but the phrase "I liked you at first sight" hit his ears and he inexplicably felt strange. He suddenly had a sense of being favored and his heart skipped a beat. His fingers holding the iron chain almost softened.

\n\n

Fortunately, at this moment, the "Thousand Demon Bestiary" which had been frozen for a long time, returned to life, and a line of annotations appeared under the "demon" entry: "The demon understands the six desires and is good at devouring people's hearts."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was suddenly alert, and his eyes cleared up. This demon was actually trying to seduce him, shamelessly!

\n\n

"Tsk," the demon shook his head regretfully. "You're young, but you have a firm heart. Letting you go is for your own good. I'll tell you something. This is the 'Thousand People Sacrifice’ ceremony. The sacrificial text is about to be completed. All that's left is the final 'living sacrifice'. Why don't you go find the one who started this and bother me no more?"

\n\n

"I'm afraid you'll bite me," Xuan Ji sneered, and looked at the sacrificial text on the wall through the "Thousand Demon Bestiary".

\n\n

The "Thousand Demon Bestiary" finally caught up this time, and the translation of the gloomy sacrificial text slowly floated between the pages of the book. With a quick glance at the translation, a thought came to mind, and his phone automatically flew out of his pocket, hovering to his ear and connecting to Xiao Zheng's phone.

\n\n

Before the half ringtone finished, Xiao Zheng answered: "Hey, are you still..."

\n\n

"I'm barely alive. Listen to me first," Perhaps because of his special talent, Xuan Ji spoke in Mandarin at five times the normal speed, so fast that it almost went out of tune. Only someone who had the ability to transcribe Mandarin rap could understand him. "I understand this sacrificial text. The sacrificial offerings listed on it are 'thousand people sacrifice', and the sacrificial ritual must be completed within the phase of one month. The first live sacrifice is offered on the 'day when the moon is new', and the last one is offered on the next 'day when the moon is new'. If I remember correctly, today is the day of the new moon!"

\n\n

Although Sheng Lingyuan did not understand Xuan Ji's rapid rap, he was extremely interested in the phone, staring at it fixedly.

\n\n

"The living sacrifice must die an unnatural death," the coldness seeped into Xuan Ji's lungs and even his breaths were not coherent, "one month...um...within a month, one thousand people must die abnormally. It is impossible for this to happen without a sound..."

\n\n

"Contact the Public Security Department and investigate the non-natural deaths that have occurred in the past month," Xiao Zheng quickly instructed the field staff beside him, then asked, "Are you okay now? How long can you hold on?"

\n\n

"I'm not okay at all," Xuan Ji gritted his teeth, shivering, "Why isn't there any heating in the south!"

\n","published_time":"2023-03-01T01:26:08.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:28:07.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":29,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":6,"chapter_title":"Chapter 6","content":"

By this time it was already past 7 pm and there were less than five hours left until midnight. In the midst of the Mid-Autumn Festival in October, each day seemed shorter than the last. Outside, the streetlights were already lit and the moisture in the air was getting heavier. The entire Chiyuan Grand Canyon was engulfed in thick fog, with weak artificial light struggling to shine through, resembling faint fireflies.

\n\n

If anyone were paying attention, they would notice that the entire Chiyuan area was unnaturally quiet. Not even a single bird chirped, and even the noisy autumn insects were buried in the soil and dared not move.

\n\n

"Director Xiao, the data has been retrieved, but this may not be possible to find."

\n\n

"What..."

\n\n

"Well, the conditions you gave were too broad. Every year, there are millions of non-natural deaths in the country, with two to three hundred thousand suicides alone. There are over a thousand unidentified corpses in the urban area of Yong'an every year. Even if the so-called 'thousand people’ is an accurate number, if these thousand dead people are scattered throughout the country, there won't be any issues that can be seen from the statistical data, and that doesn't even include the missing persons. If the killer is secretly killing people, it wouldn't be difficult to hide the bodies for a month, and the police department might not even receive a report!"

\n\n

The situation was urgent, and Xiao Zheng didn't have time to ask why Xuan Ji, a good young man, knew so much about obscure ancient sorcery. He turned to Xuan Ji on the phone and asked, "Is there any geographical restriction for these 'thousand people'?"

\n\n

"No," Xuan Ji's voice began to distort. It seemed like there was wind on his end, and the sharp air currents were swirling around the phone receiver, disrupting the signal and his voice, "All you need is the ritual text... as long as the ritual text is written correctly, it doesn't matter if it's in the whole country... you can even go to Antarctica to kill and sacrifice, no need for a visa, just swipe your credit card. But..."

\n\n

But what came after "but" was unclear due to signal interference.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng had put the phone on speaker when he asked the question, and Xuan Ji's words stirred up waves in his heart.

\n\n

"That won't be on a global scale? Director Xiao, this won't work, it's like finding a needle in a haystack." The logistics personnel from the external affairs department was the first to come out and say, "Besides, we need a basis and procedures for file transfer. The public security system also has confidentiality requirements. This...just listening to a colleague say it, isn't it..."

\n\n

"Director Xiao," the administrative department also came to add chaos, "Chief Huang called and asked what was going on, and asked you to go over and give him a briefing!"

\n\n

On the side of the Chiyuan Sub-bureau, not only did they not buy it, but they also blatantly shifted the blame. The operator reported back, "Director Xiao, the front-line of the Chiyuan Sub-bureau replied that there are still three mutated trees that have not been found in the Grand Canyon. He wants to confirm with you whether you mean to leave those monsters there and withdraw. How will the resulting losses be calculated?"

\n\n

The external security department of the headquarters pushed the responsibility to others, "Director Xiao, there may be some problems with mobilizing external personnel reinforcements near the Chiyuan area. The personnel dispatched from various sub-bureaus need the stamp of the headquarters’ external security department before they can act. You see, do you want to talk to Director Song of the security department first? Hey? Is Director Song on vacation?"

\n\n

The research scientist who was initially eloquent about "Sacrifice" felt the wind direction was not right and quickly changed his face, "Uh, Director Xiao, about 'Yin Sacrifice' and the 'heavenly demon' and so on, those are all unsupported legends lacking supporting materials, and there has always been controversy about them. Our ancient studies department only restores ancient books and cannot guarantee their authenticity. They cannot be used as a basis for action. Please be cautious... very cautious."

\n\n

Like a group of frogs holding a meeting, everyone was chattering in Director Xiao's ear, and the scene was chaotic beyond measure. Everyone was hindering him, and no one was cooperating with him.

\n\n

Director Xiao had no idea how angry and frustrated he was, and he had become an unpopular "bun that even dogs ignore." What was the reason for this? It's a long story- this summer, the head of the Bureau of Paranormal Control retired, and the newly appointed Chief Huang was an outsider, not to mention an ordinary person.

\n\n

Appointing an ordinary person to head the Bureau of Paranormal Control and manage a group of special abilities that can fly and vanish, isn't that nonsense?

\n\n

\nNo one believes there isn't anything fishy going on. It has been nearly a quarter since the new director took office, but not only is he not accepted by the arrogant special abilities, he doesn't even have any real management authority. In response, the headquarters set up a new department called the "Central Dispatch Office," composed of personnel drawn from the former front-line field agents, serving as a communication bridge between the ordinary director and the special abilities.

\n\n

The administrative level of the Central Dispatch Office is half a level higher than other departments. In an emergency situation, it can temporarily bypass other functional departments, coordinate resources, and issue direct orders. Thus, the person in charge of the Central Dispatch Office, Xiao Zheng, has become the "one person below and ten thousand people above" in the Bureau of Paranormal Control.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng used to be the leader of one of the three elite field forces, "Thunder." Wherever there was danger, he went there, and everything he had was earned with solid military achievements. At that time, everyone admired him, even his lack of social skills was touted as "the true nature of a master."

\n\n

However, being "promoted" by the Chief Huang was like promoting him from a "provincial governor" to a "chief eunuch." Overnight, Xiao Zheng offended the entire field security department except for the special forces.

\n\n

Some people say that he was blinded by officialdom, willing to climb up at the expense of his dignity, even willing to be a lapdog for an ordinary person. Others say that he is arrogant, with his nose in the air, pretending to be above it all, with his petty behavior now revealed since he has achieved some power.

\n\n

Everyone is an adult, so although they talk behind each other's backs, they usually remain courteous to each other on the surface, except when something happens. When something happens, the opportunity for settling scores arises, and people will come up with words to make "betrayal by the masses" four words to be engraved on his face.

\n\n

As luck would have it, just at this moment, "click," the sound of a busy signal came from the phone, and contact with Xuan Ji suddenly stopped.

\n\n

The hallway of the hospital where Xuan Ji was located had turned into a giant refrigerator, and his phone couldn't handle the low temperature, so it went black in the middle of the conversation.

\n\n

"Done talking?" Sheng Lingyuan was very interested in the lively "message box," and although Xuan Ji deliberately sped up his speech and spoke vaguely, he didn't understand a word but still listened with relish. When Xuan Ji stopped speaking, he asked, "Did you manage to figure things out?"

\n\n

The face of contemporary technology could not be lost. Xuan Ji cursed in his heart while pretending to be calm, letting the phone fly back into the inner pocket of his chest, trying to keep it warm a little longer. The doors and windows of the hospital hallway were shattered, and the TV on one of the floors was still on. At this time, the sound of the TV in the hallway could be faintly heard, and the ending theme of the news broadcast played, which meant that it was at least 7:30.

\n\n

People in the hospital were quickly moved onto various ambulances and government vehicles. The noise downstairs was loud, but this floor was quiet enough to hear a pin drop, with only Xuan Ji and the Big Boss Sheng Lingyuan at an impasse. Xuan Ji stood by the window, blinked off the frost on his eyelashes, and swept a glance downstairs. Some of the patients in the hospital were not easy to move, and even with high efficiency, the field agents still needed to spend some time. He had to delay as much as possible.

\n\n

With lightning speed in his mind, Xuan Ji slowly squeezed out a smile. "This... uh, senior, it's not even midnight yet, and since you're new here, there's no urgent matter, right? Why don't we have a chat?"

\n\n

In the Bureau of Paranormal Control, Xiao Zheng was surrounded by a group of people, with countless pairs of eyes watching him. He was angry, but his face didn't show it. The angrier he got, the paler he became, and his lips were pursed into a straight line.

\n\n

"That Director Xiao," an administrative staff member tentatively raised the phone. "Chief Huang..."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng looked up at him, and the administrative staff member felt as if lightning flashed in his eyes, startling him. The phone slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground.

\n\n

Under the incomprehensible gaze of the crowd, Xiao Zheng reached out and caught the administrative staff member's phone, pressed the speaker button, and focused his mind. "Chief Huang, this is Xiao Zheng. Based on my 12 years of experience as a front-line field agent, I judge this to be a major emergency. If you trust me, please give me authorization. After the matter is resolved, I will report to you immediately. If there are any problems, I will take full responsibility."

\n\n

Chief Huang was silent on the phone, and everyone around fell silent with him. The previously bustling control room became deathly quiet.

\n\n

At this moment, another abrupt ring of the telephone broke the silence. A staff member stepped forward to answer it and unconsciously lowered his voice due to the quietness around him. "Bureau Dispatch Room, please speak... What? Um... Okay, I will relay the message immediately."

\n\n

The staff member who answered the call hung up the phone and said, "The head of the Chiyuan Sub-bureau called again and said the situation has changed. An external team stationed at the Chiyuan Hospital reported that the source of the abnormal energy in Chiyaun is likely located at the hospital. The sub-bureau is requesting reinforcement and... Director Xiao's further instructions."

\n\n

"But doesn't reinforcement require Director Song from the Ministry of Public Security...?" someone asked.

\n\n

"Not necessarily. They're already here," a somewhat unprofessional voice came from the entrance of the dispatch room. The person who spoke was a young man who looked no more than twenty years old. He was wearing a dark grey uniform with the words "Wind God" embroidered on the collar. He had a stopwatch around his neck and looked like a physical education teacher. With a rosy complexion and white teeth, he smiled when he noticed everyone's gaze and lifted his heels. "Wind God Special Forces, First Team, Zhang Zhao, good evening to all the leaders. Our leader...no, our commander-in-chief happens to be out of town today, and upon hearing that Chiyuan needs support, immediately sent an authorized fax to be delivered to Director Xiao. I am also here to report to you that the Wind God team closest to Chiyuan is already on their way."

\n\n

Wind God was one of the three special forces teams under Xiao Zheng's "family" at the Bureau. The other two teams were Thunder and Storm, collectively known as "Fenglei Yu" or "Wind, Thunder, Storm." Although they were nominally assigned to the Ministry of Public Security's External Operations and Security Department, they had a high degree of autonomy.

\n\n

Especially the Wind God team.

\n\n

Any anomalous energy events that cannot be handled within the entire region are usually referred to the Wind God team. This special forces team has the strongest mobility and is often on business trips around the country, so they have a somewhat "disobeying superior orders when far away" meaning. Any team leader or above can directly ignore superior opinions and take autonomous action if they deem it necessary.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng never expected that their brother team would openly stand on his side. He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say for a moment.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao walked in, smiling as he scanned the various expressions on their faces. He handed a printed document to Xiao Zheng and took a step back to salute, saying, "Director Xiao, our leader said that you are representing us, 'Wind, Thunder, and Storm,' and if others don't support your work, can we still move forward? We'll wait for your instructions!"

\n\n

After a long silence on the phone, Chief Huang finally spoke, "Xiao, you represent me in handling the Chiyuan matter."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng gritted his teeth and gave Zhang Zhao a look that spoke volumes without saying a word. Without hesitation, he said, "Find a way to contact the aftermath department's Xuan Ji. He's on the front lines, and the phone just got cut off."

\n\n

Xuan Ji, who was on the front lines, was getting cozy with the heavenly demon.

\n\n

"I think someone like you, who can only be summoned by the gloomy ritual, has such an extraordinary appearance... um, 'appearance' means distinguished and with great origin." Xuan Ji attempted to imitate the heavenly demon's accent and tone, but unfortunately, this ancient dialect was like a foreign language to him - he could understand it, but not speak it. Plus, he didn't have the heavenly demon's amazing ability to repeat words, so his imitation sounded strange and off.

\n\n

Although Sheng Lingyuan was bound by iron chains, his posture was relaxed and his smile deepened as he watched the little demon in front of him change faces like flipping a book.

\n\n

Xuan Ji had a thick skin and sang off-key to the South Pole, but he still dared to speak loudly, "In this capitalist era, there are usually many ways to solve problems. Those who resort to witchcraft at the drop of a hat are generally foolish... um, delusional people with holes in their brains. Don't you think it's beneath you to respond to such a person's call?"

\n\n

"The ritual is a way to communicate with heaven and earth. Since I was awakened by this person, there must be a connection between us. Otherwise, his blood wouldn't have flowed into my coffin," Sheng Lingyuan said slowly, "Besides, what does it matter if it's a matter of status or not? It's all just a superficial reputation. I've long forgotten about it."

\n\n

"Well, that's true," Xuan Ji had seen all sorts of difficult clients before. He changed his tone and flattered, "The status that mortals give you may not be important, and it doesn't matter whether you remember it or not. But your demeanor and bearing are still here, aren't they? I'm not blind."

\n\n

"Oh? Such bearing?" Sheng Lingyuan suddenly leaned forward, and the iron chains that bound him suddenly tightened with a clear collision sound. The dark and gloomy ritual markings crawled out of his collar and spread all over his face, black and white, making his handsome face suddenly look sinister.

\n\n

Just then, Luo Cuicui, who had already run out, received a phone call from Xiao Zheng and was ordered to bring a phone to Xuan Ji. After mustering up the courage, she finally made it to the stairs, but when she saw the scene from afar, her legs went weak and she knelt down with a "thud."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't even glance at her and waved his hand lightly, saying, "No need for formalities. Since the sacrificial text can bring me back to the world, it naturally has constraints on me. I have finally seen the light of day, why ruin it for myself? It's just a human wish, a small gesture is enough."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's eyes twitched.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan smiled and said softly, "It's almost past midnight, right?"

\n\n

"L-lea-leader..." Luo Cuicui couldn't even complete a sentence, stuttering and stammering, and kept saying "L-l-lead" with his mouth, too scared to come over. In the end, he had a bright idea, put the phone on the floor eight feet away, pushed it forward with all his might, and slid it to Xuan Ji's feet, saying, "Director Xiao, I can't help you here, and I'm only hindering your performance. I'll withdraw as ordered!"

\n\n

With that, the coward turned to run, but was caught by Xuan Ji's ankle with a lock chain and fell flat on his face. "Wait," said Xuan Ji.

\n\n

Tears streamed down Luo Cuicui's face. "Leader, us plant-types are highly flammable and cannot go to the front line. Please just treat me like air and let me go!"

\n\n

"What's going on? I thought you had become a martyr...the phone froze...I can't believe it! Come back, and I'll buy you a new box!" Xiao Zheng was holding the phone, scolding Xuan Ji on the phone, and striding into the conference room.

\n\n

"Director Xiao, the agents from all over the region are already in position."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng nodded and said to Xuan Ji, "Take a picture of the ‘Yin Sacrifice' text that you saw, the more complete the better. I will have someone compare the pictures to investigate. If it is a sacrifice, there must be sacrificial text on the sacrificial offering, just like putting a stamp address on a letter, right?"

\n\n

"Smart," because Luo Cuicui threw her phone too far, Xuan Ji could only shout to speak now, "Luo Cuicui, before you run away, please do me a favor! Take a picture of the words on the wall and send them to Xiao Zheng. - Old Xiao, listen to me, summoning this demon is a one-time thing, not a long-term contract..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan understood the words "one-time" and "not long-term" and narrowed his eyes slightly - this brat was actually using his own words, so bold.

\n\n

Xuan Ji spoke quickly, "The reason why witchcraft is considered witchcraft is because the people who do this kind of thing usually don't have a good ending. It's such a hassle to summon a big demon that can only do one thing for oneself. Based on my experience, eight or nine out of ten times it's for revenge. And it's likely that the person behind it is in a desperate situation and lacks support. The Yin Sacrifice is not some street vendor's trick, your elite field agents in the security department have never even heard of it. This person not only knows how to operate it, but can also kill a thousand people unnoticed within thirty days. With such ability, why go through such a big circle to kill someone? What could be their target?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng narrowed his eyes suddenly, "An important figure under tight protection, or an unshakable power."

\n\n

If someone can operate the Yin Sacrifice, even if they are not a special ability person themselves, they must be deeply involved with special ability people and must know about the "Special Ability Court" of the Bureau. If this person is fighting alone against some heinous private force, they could come forward and report it, but they haven't. So, it's very likely that they know they can't get official support.

\n\n

Either the person manipulating the Yin Sacrifice is a wanted special ability criminal, or...

\n\n

The two of them fell silent for a second and then almost said in unison.

\n\n

"Leader... cough cough cough..." The one who ran up was unexpectedly the girl with a "fear of people" - Ping Qianru.

\n\n

The hospital's cool mist seemed to be spreading, and taking a breath from afar felt like a cold knife scraping from the throat to the lungs. With more than ten meters away from Xuan Ji and the others, Ping Qianru couldn't catch her breath and couldn't get any closer - who knows what kind of ability she had, but judging from her lung capacity, she not only had no combat power, but she might not even pass the school physical education test.

\n\n

The fire on the iron chain that bound the demon in Xuan Ji's hand was already quite weak, and several times it was almost frozen out, but then he swayed and stood up. He was already at his last gasp, but he refused to let go. The great demon was waiting for the midnight hour and was not in a hurry, patiently playing with the little demon in front of him.

\n\n

The place where they were was almost like an ice store, in Ping Qianru's view, Xuan Ji was covered with thick ice and didn't move at all, as if he had become an ice sculpture. So she cried out with a sobbing voice, "Uh... they found a forum post that was just posted and deleted... can Director Xuan say something? I'm scared..."

\n\n

"Why do you have to be so tragic?" Sheng Lingyuan said somewhat helplessly to Xuan Ji. "I see that you are young, and if you were an ordinary little demon, you might not have awakened your spiritual wisdom yet. Not only have you fully transformed, but your true form can't be seen at a glance. Presumably, you are a naturally-born spirit creature. Before the internal upheaval amongst the demon race happened, almost all of the innate spirit creatures had already disappeared without a trace. Each one is a treasure, and it would be a pity to lose one. Listen to me, hurry and leave."

\n\n

Xuan Ji took a deep breath and said word by word, "Don't cry, there is still air. What post? Read it."

\n\n

Ping Qianru choked, "Oh... A plea for help: I feel like my son is not my son anymore."

\n","published_time":"2023-03-01T22:41:24.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-31T22:28:08.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":37,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":7,"chapter_title":"Chapter 7","content":"

Xuan Ji felt a bit familiar, and then he remembered he had seen this post on the plane, so he quickly glanced at it but couldn't find the follow-up before he had to leave.

\n\n

Ping Qian had a naturally thin and gentle voice, but afraid that he wouldn't hear her, she pressed forward against the unbearable cold and trembled while reading the post aloud, saying, "Later the original poster replied once, but the post was deleted shortly after it was posted. The content of the reply was probably about how she was a failed mother, her child didn't tell her anything, and she could only sneak into his things while the child was at school. During this time, there were always a few strange symbols in her son's diary. At first, they were just doodles with a ballpoint pen. She saw them but didn't think much of it. However, recently, those symbols have become more and more dense. Yesterday, they were even drawn with blood, filling the entire book. The child's behavior has also become increasingly strange, and she even took photos of those pictures...I...hiss..."

\n\n

Ping Qianru tasted blood and her nose felt hot, and when she reached up to touch it, she realised her nose was bleeding. The cold was too much for her and she collapsed to the ground, pushing the laptop hard, and the laptop slid to the smooth floor behind Xuan Ji.

\n\n

Before Xuan Ji could turn around and see, Sheng Lingyuan had already spoken up.

\n\n

He "recited" the sacrificial text lightly, then exclaimed, "Ah, this is interesting."

\n\n

"What?" Ping Qianru didn't understand what he said, but when she heard the voice, she felt like a small animal facing its natural enemy, and instinctively shivered, "Did he, did he just speak?
\nCan he talk? Is he chatting or cursing me?"

\n\n

"Tell Old Xiao," Xuan Ji pried open his teeth, "The demon said that the blood lettering says 'save me'."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng heard the narration, and his hair stood up: "Find the boy, and let the local branch immediately take control of him, no matter what method! Quick!"

\n\n

If the so-called "thousand people sacrifice" is not a rough estimate, if calculated according to "one thousand people", in a one-month cycle, more than thirty people need to be sacrificed a day, and even a slaughterhouse may not be so efficient.

\n\n

The "living sacrifices" must die of non-fatal causes, and the behind-the-scenes killers are unlikely to commit crimes in one place, as this is not a small number. In a short period of time, an increase in the number of abnormal disappearances and deaths in the same area will definitely attract the attention of various security departments. Moreover, the sacrifices must die in a very concealed manner, and they must look infinitely close to normal death, or accident, suicide and other methods of dying that are not suspicious.

\n\n

The most feasible way is to curse, poison or parasitize.

\n\n

There are too many ways to operate, such as the killer can stay at a transportation hub, such as a railway station or international airport, randomly "dropping" the victims, and the victims will unknowingly be hung with a death countdown card, take a means of transportation to all parts of the world, and then unknowingly die in the place. Or, simply manipulate the living sacrifices by some means, so that not only can the time and manner of death of the living sacrifices be controlled, but also they can act as claws and attack more and more victims in a wider range before they die.

\n\n

The drastically changed boy, the dark and gloomy incantation he had written out of control, and the blood-stained incantation seeking help... It seemed like he was being controlled, and his weak personal will was still struggling for its life!

\n\n

"Call people from the Archives department, the Research Institute, the Ancient Studies department, and the Special Ability Medical Menter!" Xiao Zheng roared, "Give me a list of all the known dark arts that can control others!"

\n\n

"Director Xiao, the possibility of poisoning can be basically excluded. There are toxins that can cause hallucinations and be easily suggested, but to control the victim for a long time and make them write so many unknown words, we haven't heard of it."

\n\n

"Curses are probably difficult too. There are some obscure charms that can control small animals, but the nervous system of humans is too complicated. The Ancient Studies department has read all the documents and materials within two thousand years, but has not found any relevant records."

\n\n

"Report, Director Xiao, the Special Operations Training Center said that the spiritual system is mainly used for auxiliary purposes in combat. To completely control others, it must be the best elite, but even the strongest spiritual system must maintain close contact with the target during the control period, and long-term or remote control is impossible, and the whole process is quite energy-consuming. It is likely that the target has not died, and the murderer has already had cerebral hemorrhage himself."

\n\n

"Sir, wait a moment, the Archives department staff are looking up all the files related to 'parasitism'..."

\n\n

"Locked the poster's location!"

\n\n

At nine thirty-five, the Bureau of Paranormal Control locked the identity and location of the strange poster through the network. It was found that the poster was a single mother, with a son in the second grade who lived in the suburbs of Dongchuan City.

\n\n

The local branch's outposts moved in droves.

\n\n

"Director Xiao, there are a total of thirteen dangerous species known to have parasitic abilities, most of which are mutated plants, but these plants usually do not have thinking ability, and after parasitism, they will quickly absorb the host, and then look for the next target after the host's death. The only species of parasites that basically conform to your description is a butterfly... "

\n\n

"I've got it!" At the same time, Ping Qianru, who was the first technical geek in the Aftermath Department, showed her powerful search ability with a tablet computer, and used the intranet account to turn the Bureau of Paranormal Control's archives upside down first.

\n\n

It is a type of butterfly, scientifically known as "Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly", and its eggs look like sesame seeds. If someone accidentally ingests them, the eggs can enter the human body and mature within 24 hours. After parasitizing, the butterfly secretes a special substance to control the human nervous system.

\n\n

"Once the butterfly is successfully parasitized, it will be completely invisible and cannot be detected by technical means. But if an fMRI scan is performed on the infected person's brain, it will be found that the activity of the amygdala is significantly enhanced, and other evidence also shows that the infected person's brain still has its own consciousness, but the generated neural impulses can no longer be transmitted to the relevant effector organs.

\n\n

Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly has no wisdom of its own, but it has a high imitation ability and is good at using people around the infected person as templates to control the body to do 'normal things'. After the infected person's brain dies, the butterfly completely replaces the infected person's brain and can survive and reproduce for a long time in this identity, and even be unnoticed by the people around for decades - then... Does this mean that you can watch your own body being controlled by something else?”

\n\n

Those who were parasitized knew everything, as if they were imprisoned in their own body, forced to watch but unable to do anything.

\n\n

What was even more desperate than this helpless chronic death was that no one around, even those close friends and family members who were around them day and night, noticed anything wrong with the flesh husk. They chat mindlessly with the rebellious butterfly and come and go with no thought.

\n\n

If it was really this butterfly, then in the one thousand sacrifices, only one mother had a suspicious feeling—and she was a pathological mother with a strong sense of control over her son!

\n\n

At ten o'clock. In Dongchuan City, more than a dozen low-key black off-road vehicles surrounded an ordinary residential building, and the members of the task force rushed upstairs in several batches.

\n\n

In an ordinary family home upstairs, the anxious mother was sitting in the living room with a laptop, desperately searching the Internet for the contact information of some so-called "masters". Her online shopping cart was full of items with the words "enlightenment" and "warding off evil spirits". Her hair-raising son was in his bedroom and the door was not tightly closed. Through the crack of the door, his back was seen—he was wearing headphones and playing mobile phones while doing his homework, no different from a "normal" teenager.

\n\n

The mother clenched her hands tightly, her shoulders tightened. Everyone said that her son had recently been "normal" and sensible, but she was still uneasy. That indescribable fear was only understood by a mad mother who had for part of her life parasitized on her child...

\n\n

At this moment, the doorbell of her house rang. The mother trembled: "Who, who is it?"

\n\n

"Hello, we are here to check your water meter, as the property notified yesterday."

\n\n

"Oh... it's here."

\n\n

The woman murmured in her heart. She hadn't seen the notice, but it might have been overlooked because of her heavy thoughts recently. She got up to open the door, but there was more than one person. The woman was stunned by the gray uniform. She subconsciously wanted to close the door. A gray uniform person quickly blocked the door frame and the other pressed her throat with his hand, making a gesture of "shush" to her. The woman only felt that the fingers pressing her throat were icy cold. She was terrified and stepped back, covering her neck. She found that she couldn't make a sound!

\n\n

The gray uniform people sneaked into the house like cats, with no sound under their feet. However, the "boy" wearing headphones seemed to have a pair of ears behind his head. When they broke in, he didn't even turn his head and ran away as soon as he jumped up.

\n\n

"The target is jumping out of the window!"

\n\n

The woman screamed–this was the eighth floor!

\n\n

In a flash, the "boy" had leaped out of the window, and something flashed behind him--it was like a pair of huge butterfly wings, translucent and flashing phosphorescently, flying off into the night sky.

\n\n

The next moment, a whirlwind suddenly appeared out of nowhere, sweeping over the large "butterfly", and three gray-uniformed men on the roof leapt down, pulling out a big net from the air and firmly trapping him in the middle!

\n\n

Ten o'clock.

\n\n

"Report, Director Xiao, we have controlled the target! The boy is fourteen years old, and after examination it is confirmed that he is infected with a Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly. Please instruct on the next step to be taken!"

\n\n

Before Director Xiao could speak, a worker suddenly ran in anxiously, and attached to his ear said: "Director Xiao, there is an emergency situation that needs to be reported to you."

\n\n

"Say it."

\n\n

"Well, just now when we were viewing the relevant information on Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly in the archives, we found that the number and inventory of Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly pupae in the 'Dangerous Goods Archive Center' on the twelfth floor of the underground did not match up...there was one less vat."

\n\n

Director Xiao lifted his head incredulously: "Say it again?"

\n\n

"The twelfth floor underground has a great magical array for protection, there is no abnormality, and no traces of intrusion. The archives also cannot explain why there is one less vat..."

\n\n

"The Dangerous Goods Archive Center stores first-level dangerous goods, and according to regulations, it must be counted and checked every day. What is the Archives department doing? This is dereliction of duty!"

\n\n

Director Xiao's face was really too ugly to look at, and the worker swallowed his saliva, not daring to make a sound.

\n\n

"Isolate all the relevant personnel from the archives. Go through them one by one and investigate this!"

\n\n

There was no time for calculations, and Director Xiao squeezed out a word from between his teeth, barely suppressing his anger. "Have the scene cleanup team sent over."

\n\n

"Leader," at the Chiyuan Hospital, Ping Qianru asked Xuan Ji while holding the phone,

\n\n

"Director Xiao contacted us, asking if you know how to crack the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly?"

\n\n

"Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly..." Xuan Ji repeated the word in Mandarin, imitating the tone of a little girl, and then glanced at the picture on Ping Qianru's laptop. He then smiled with a mixture of misfortune and pleasure, "Oh, it's the 'Human-faced Butterfly', not good, the Human-faced Butterfly is not easy to deal with."

\n\n

Xuan Ji glanced at the image of the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly. This time, the "Thousand Demon Bestiary" responded in time, prompting: Once the Human-faced Butterfly detects external invasion, it will perish with its host. This butterfly is not cold-resistant and will hibernate in cold temperatures.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "Low temperature!"

\n\n

"You don’t say!" Xiao Zheng's voice flew out from the mobile phone, "Low temperature treatment will make the butterfly lose its activeness, and this process takes at least one day. Look at what time it is now, where can I go to steal you a day?"

\n\n

"There is a way. Let me teach you a trick," Sheng Lingyuan may have understood a few sentences, and he spoke casually, maybe because the ritual was about to be completed. A little blood appeared in his pale eye corners and lip cracks, but this blood did not add any life to him, but it was like a layer of red ocher on white paper, which was shocking and even more terrifying. "The last sacrifice must die at the stroke of midnight. If the death time is wrong, the caster will be in trouble. Since the sacrifice has fallen into your hands, you can't save people, so why not kill him before the stroke of midnight?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng: "Who is talking? Is that demon summoned by the Yin Sacrifice ritual? What did he say?"

\n\n

"He said," Xuan Ji lifted his eyelids, and his beautiful phoenix eyes were soaked in moisture, but there seemed to be firelight in the pupils, "As long as you catch the caster before the stroke of midnight."

\n\n

"Director Xiao, the boy who was parasitized by the butterfly started to draw the ritual sixteen days ago. If we push back one day, it should be the time of infection. That day, he was in the Internet cafe and mixed up for a day. We just got the monitoring record of the Internet cafe and found this person!"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng quickly walked to the video, only to see the blurred screenshot of the video, which showed a person with a small mustache holding a cigarette: "This person is..."

\n\n

"Yes, it's one of the people we just rescued from Chiyuan, and he's also the leader!"

\n\n

Ping Qianru heard this from the phone, suddenly covering her mouth: "They have been transferred to the county hospital... It's over, Big Sister Bi! Big Sister Bi is with them!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan looked at Qianru inexplicably, then turned his head to look at the thick fog outside the window, curling up the corners of his eyes: "There is still a moment, Little Demon, remind you again, after a moment, no matter how much I like you, I won't be merciful."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was stunned, thinking that it was not more than ten o'clock, how could it be... He suddenly became agitated–no, the "stroke of midnight" is the concept of midnight at twelve o'clock, which was influenced by the modern Western calendar. The "Midnight" in ancient times started at eleven o'clock!

\n","published_time":"2023-03-03T00:22:33.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:28:20.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":40,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":8,"chapter_title":"Chapter 8","content":"

Xuan Ji's first reaction was: "Fat girl, go out and notify the field team downstairs."

\n\n

Ping Qian answered plainly: "Director Xiao should have notified them already. The outside personnel at Chiyuan are now being directly commanded by the headquarters. You can rest assured."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

There was still less than fifteen minutes left. In case Xiao Zheng and his waste of a field team didn't catch the curse-caster, this would be the first line of defense in the face of the heavenly demon.

\n\n

The two of them were like guarding a bomb. The emphasis of what Xuan Ji said just now was "go out", not "notify". In order to prevent a "you should go quickly" and "no, I can't leave you" type of melodrama, he deliberately arranged a task for her as an excuse, so that she could have an excuse to flee.

\n\n

If this girl was a little smarter, she should know that she should hurry up and run quickly.

\n\n

But this fat girl was a little dull, and didn't understand the leader's good intentions at all. She still worried about Bi Chunsheng who was with the suspect, and comforted herself half-heartedly: "Sister Bi has been working for almost thirty years and is still in the second line of the Security Department. Well, she is experienced and will definitely be fine! Stay calm, we can win."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

Stay calm my ass! Video games have ruined the youth nowadays!

\n\n

"I'm telling you to go out!" In desperation, Xuan Ji didn't beat around the bush. "Don't bother me here!"

\n\n

Ping Qianru was a little aggrieved and a little afraid when she was yelled at by him. The young girl with her social fear did not dare to refute her boss. She lowered her head, picked up her tablet computer, and turned around to the stairs. The thick white fog outside the window poured into the broken window, and the broken glass stuck to the window sill shook, covering Qianru's footsteps.

\n\n

At this time, several "tourists" who illegally broke into the Chiyuan Grand Canyon were on a minibus. After the intern of the local branch, Xiao Li, withdrew, he began to help evacuate the people in the hospital and was escorting these people to the nearest county hospital with Bi Chunsheng. They still need to stay in the hospital for one night to make sure that their memories are all gone.

\n\n

The driver drove very steadily. Xiao Li was drowsy in the copilot. When he received the call, his eyes were still closed.

\n\n

The injured were sleeping in a mess in the back car. Sister Bi Chunsheng was energetic and was still knitting. Her last sleeve was at the closing and was about to be completed.

\n\n

Xiao Li rubbed his face dazedly, rubbed his eyes, and glanced at the incoming call display: "Hey, captain, uh... We are almost at the county hospital. We will be there soon..."

\n\n

The field team leader on the phone interrupted him: "Xiao Li, listen to me quietly."

\n\n

Xiao Li closed his mouth, put his ear close to the microphone, and after a moment, he was so awake that he couldn't be more awake.

\n\n

The car lights swept across them as a car passed by in the opposite direction. The young intern held the phone stiffly and glanced at the rearview mirror. In the pale car lights, he met a pair of eyes -- in the back seat, the small-mustached leader, who woke up at some point, was looking at him with three white eyes, and Bi Chunsheng next to him was still counting the knitting buttons on the wool without noticing.

\n\n

Sweat slid down from Xiao Li's forehead.

\n\n

Over the phone, the young team leader felt the intern's tension and lowered his voice: "Don't show it, walk forward normally, the placement point at the county hospital has been communicated, our people will ambush at the door, don't panic, don't scare the snake out of the grass."

\n\n

Xiao Li bit his tongue and tried to act as if nothing had happened: "I know, captain, you can rest assured."

\n\n

Unfortunately, the field training did not teach acting skills, and Xiao Li was a mess as soon as he appeared, his voice was tense and his tone was exaggerated, and he even broke the tone at the end!

\n\n

Oh no!

\n\n

At this moment, Bi Chunsheng suddenly raised his head, looked at him faintly, and asked kindly: "Xiao Li, is it cold?"

\n\n

Xiao Li had not finished his internship and had just started working. First, he almost had an intimate contact with the big demon, then he was forced to stay in the same car with the vicious suspect, and he didn't know what kind of luck it was. His calf began to twitch, and he showed Bi Chunsheng a face uglier than crying.

\n\n

"Hey, look at you, I said what, just close the window, but you didn’t listen! Got a cold now? You kids now, if you don't listen to the elderly, you’ll suffer losses without making money!" Bi Chunsheng's mother-like words scolded him endlessly, "Ah, later, after sending these people off, you can go home quickly - I said, how far is it from the placement point?"

\n\n

While speaking, Bi Chunsheng raised her eyelids imperceptibly and exchanged a glance with Xiao Li through the rearview mirror.

\n\n

She noticed something was wrong!

\n\n

Xiao Li's heart fell back into his stomach with a "thud".

\n\n

"Ah, soon!" Xiao Li cleared his throat and said to the team leader over the phone at the same time, "There is a corner left, I can see the building."

\n\n

"Just a few stitches," Bi Chunsheng snorted, her face showing no clue, while slowly collecting the wool, he also woke up the few "tourist friends", "Wake up, we’re almost here."

\n\n

Then she took out a bag of wet wipes from her pocket and divided them among several people: "Wipe your face quickly, wake up, don't get blown on by the wind and catch a cold."

\n\n

At 10:52, the car slowly drove past the intersection and entered the placement point. Xiao Li looked at the plainclothes officers standing at the door with his eyes wide open, and his sweaty palm made him almost unable to hold the phone.

\n\n

"Get off slowly," Bi Chunsheng stood up and pushed out the girl with broken legs who had the most inconvenient movement first. "Let the seriously injured go first, Xiao Li, give someone a hand and help them."

\n\n

Xiao Li was tense all over, and he clenched his teeth tightly as he snatched the girl away like she was a kidnap victim.

\n\n

"Ouch!" the girl with the broken leg stumbled as he dragged her away, "What are you doing, be gentle!"

\n\n

"Gently," Bi Chunsheng's gaze shot out from behind the mirror, and she said to Xiao Li with a deep meaning, "Don't be in a hurry."

\n\n

Then, she quickly helped the others get off the car, either intentionally or unintentionally blocking the little mustached man. At the same time, Xiao Li's gaze caught a glimpse of the plainclothes agents from the reception center approaching this side.

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng pushed the last person off the car, and only then seemed to have noticed the little mustached man: "Hey, there's still one person here, hurry and get down."

\n\n

While speaking, she was about to jump off the car, as if to make room for the little mustached man.

\n\n

The plainclothes agents had moved–

\n\n

Somehow, the little mustached man suddenly sensed something, and his face showed a fierce expression. Just as Bi Chunsheng was about to jump down, he grabbed her neck from behind and lifted the thin middle-aged woman onto the car, tightly grabbing her neck.

\n\n

"Don't come over here!"

\n\n

"Don't move!"

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng's flower mirror was smashed, forcing her to raise her head while standing on tiptoe. The little mustached man had a fierce expression on his face and large patches of text began to appear on his bare neck and face. It was ten fifty-six.

\n\n

He lifted Bi Chunsheng up and blocked his head and neck with his body, only exposing a crazy eye.

\n\n

The two sides were in a stalemate.
\n
\n"I'll strangle her... I'll strangle her! If you dare... dare!" The little mustached man mumbled incoherently, his cheek muscles twitched, as if he was having a seizure. He dragged Bi Chunsheng into the car, and Bi Chunsheng opened her mouth with difficulty, trying to say something, but the little mustached man suddenly twisted her neck, blocking her windpipe. Bi Chunsheng's breathing became difficult, her face turned red, and her feet struggled.

\n\n

The little mustached man roared: "I know what your special ability is, shut up!"

\n\n

"Where's the sniper?"

\n\n

"No good, can't get an angle, the hostage is blocking him!"

\n\n

Xiao Li anxiously said: "But the mithril bullets are able to dodge ordinary people, right?"

\n\n

"Dodge what! Didn't you see that the female receptionist is also a special ability? The mithril can't distinguish between them!"

\n\n

10:56:59... 57.

\n\n

Every second that the second hand moved forward was like a countdown.

\n\n

57:10, 57:20–

\n\n

"Director Xiao, the field commander asks if you... "

\n\n

Xiao Zheng's eyebrows pressed heavily on his eyelids.

\n\n

"If... er... if..." The plainclothes agent stuttered many times, unable to say the sentence, but everyone understood– would he decide to sacrifice a common employee, to break up this desperate and dark ritual?

\n\n

The Bureau of Paranormal Control’s headquarters was brightly lit, in the conference room, all eyes turned to Xiao Zheng again, and at the same time, the heads of all branches around the world were waiting for his command.

\n\n

They all wanted him to oversee this "big picture," but they all felt sorry for him.

\n\n

10:58:50–

\n\n

"Director Xiao, one minute left!"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng had no choice but to accept his fate.

\n\n

Though the goal of the Yin Sacrifice was unknown, the extent of the damage to be caused by the demons was unknown, and the ancient studies department couldn't give a reliable explanation; though the "thousand people sacrifice" is questionable as to whether a thousand people were really killed, and the the horrifying legends and murals need to be discussed...but the fourteen-year-old infected with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly is real, the boy's brain is already controlled by the butterfly, and if the caster is not resolved, he will become a sacrifice under the gaze of the entire Bureau in one minute.

\n\n

"In order to ensure the safety of the hostages as much as possible," Xiao Zheng felt that his voice was cold, he didn't know if it was his speech or his heart that was cold, "immediately execute the suspect, no matter the cost."

\n\n

In the Chiyuan Hospital, Sheng Lingyuan seemed to have smelled the arrival of midnight, he slightly raised his head, glanced at the dim sky, and suddenly asked Xuan Ji: "You are from the Qingping Division?"

\n\n

"The Qingping Division disappeared over seven hundred years ago." Xuan Ji's heart moved, and he asked in return, "You...know the Qingping Division? You said you couldn't even remember who you are?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's expression was a bit blank for a moment, his gaze spread out from the foggy mist, as if searching for some very faint memories, which made him look a bit human. But that little bit of humanity was thin, it disappeared in a blink of an eye, then he lazily smiled: "Vaguely remember something, when I saw you, a word suddenly floated in my heart — you were raised by someone since you were little, otherwise why would such a pure-blooded creature be so devoted to mortals?"

\n\n

"What pure-blooded or not, it's all in the past," Xuan Ji replied vaguely, seemingly acknowledging the words "pure-blooded" and "raised by someone", then he asked again, "You said 'mortals' one moment, and demons' the next, so what are you? Not human, not a demon — a god?"

\n\n

"Childish talk," the heavenly demon was amused by him, "where do the gods come from in this world?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "......"

\n\n

He never expected that the heavenly demon would be an atheist.

\n\n

"Gods are just people's projections." Sheng Lingyuan paused and after a while, he said softly, "Me? I'm probably a delusion of the people...what happened before my life is too long ago, I can't remember."

\n\n

He said this, the smile on his face faded, a cold disdain flashed, as if suddenly feeling a little bored: "Forget it."

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt something, his pupils slightly contracted, and then, all the locks tying up the heavenly demon broke, metal fragments like bullets flew in all directions, Xuan Ji was pushed back by the force and smashed into the ice wall behind him.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan raised his hand towards the window, and half of the wall of the hospital responded with a sound and shattered, he swept away the smoke, about to go out from the window. The wind flew from behind him, Sheng Lingyuan waved his hand without looking back, the coins thrown at him strangely curved collectively and passed him by.

\n\n

10:59.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng's command was passed to the front line in an instant, the sniper who held the mithril bullet felt a heavy burden on his shoulders, and the intern Xiao Li opened his eyes incredulously, as if he could condemn the cold-hearted command with his eyes.

\n\n

Just then, as Bi Chunsheng struggled, he suddenly hooked two fingers together and made a subtle gesture outside the scene, signaling for assistance.

\n\n

“Wait! Big Sister Bi gave a signal that the target has been caught.”

\n\n

At 59 minutes and 20 seconds, the girl with the broken leg who had been cowering in fear behind the assistant suddenly shook twice before collapsing to the ground. Soon after, the other "tourists" also fell down one after another, unconscious.

\n\n

Xiao Li widened his eyes - he remembered, before they got off the car, Bi Chunsheng had given them a pack of wet wipes!

\n\n

Xuan Ji, from the Chiyuan Hospital, frowned and reached back to touch his own back. Just then, a burst of electric sparks crackled in mid-air, and a huge electric net descended from above, enveloping Sheng Lingyuan's head. The electricity collided with the black mist surrounding him, creating a burnt smell in the air. Sheng Lingyuan was momentarily halted and lightly landed on a shattered window. Seven or eight figures dressed in deep gray uniforms, each with "Wind God" written on their collars, sealed off every possible escape route for the demon. The reinforcements from the special forces had arrived!

\n\n

Xuan Ji paused and wiped off the water on the back of his neck with his hand before lowering it.

\n\n

“Wind God Two, Gu Yuexi.”

\n\n

The leader of the reinforcement team, a pretty girl with slightly drooping eyelids and a somewhat listless look, called out to Xuan Ji, carrying a rocket launcher that had taken over the high ground of the opposite building.

\n\n

"Is the person inside the director of the Post-Disaster Relief Department? Are you okay?"

\n\n

"Thanks, alive and well, tail and whiskers intact!" Xuan Ji replied.

\n\n

The "Wind God" team was truly the ace of the Bureau of Paranormal Affairs. In the time it took Xuan Ji to reply with just eight words, the Wind God team had already launched three waves of attacks. First, the climbing ivy downstairs in the hospital erupted and quickly "sewed" the wall that had been breached by the demon shut. In an instant, a dense and intricate net was woven. The black mist around Sheng Lingyuan took the shape of a big sickle, slicing through the vines more than half a foot thick. Meanwhile, the mithril bullets that covered the sky also arrived. Although the demon was not afraid of "mithril," he was momentarily dazzled by the rain-like bullets and slightly turned his head, giving the opportunity for the Wind God team to launch an attack.

\n\n

What came out of the barrel was not fire or powder, but a water ball, which had a miniature "Penrose Triangle" inside

\n\n

As soon as it was fired, the water ball shattered into countless water droplets, dispersing and attaching to the dense mithril bullets, which were scattered all over the black mist on the demon's body. As those small water droplets dispersed, every brick and stone in front of Xuan Ji began to twist and distort rapidly. He immediately realized that it was a space-folding array that was tailored to this demon's high attack and defense, almost entirely immune to physical attacks.

\n\n

At this moment, it was already 10:59:30.

\n\n

On the other side at the safe house, the small mustached man also stumbled visibly. Despite seeming to have no strength left to retaliate, Bi Chunsheng suddenly curled herself up and fiercely bumped backward.

\n\n

The small mustached man grunted in pain, grabbing Bi Chunsheng's hair and wrestling with her in the cramped space.

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng hoarsely shouted, "You have no strength left!"

\n\n

As her voice fell, the small mustached man instinctively loosened his grip, and then he roared and contorted his features almost beyond recognition as he fiercely seized Bi Chunsheng's throat. At this point, there were only ten seconds left until midnight!

\n\n

Ten, nine, eight…

\n\n

Not enough time!

\n\n

At that moment, the truck suddenly started up, and a field agent who had snuck to the front of the car suddenly grabbed one of the wheels. This was a special ability of the power type. His neck veins bulged as he yelled loudly, and he held onto the several-ton minibus with one hand, causing it to shake violently.

\n\n

Little mustache, who was already at the end of his rope, suddenly lost his balance.

\n\n

Five, four…

\n\n

At the last moment, Little Mustache held onto the door and struggled to death.

\n\n

He used his last remaining strength to lift Bi Chunsheng!

\n\n

Two…

\n\n

At this moment, a knitting needle flew out of thin air and pierced Little Mustache's wrist. Little Mustache screamed.

\n\n

One!

\n\n

A silver light tore through the night sky, Bi Chunsheng fell to the ground, rolled and coughed, unable to catch her breath - Little Mustache had a mithril bullet in his eyebrow.

\n\n

It was time!

\n\n

The mithril bullet exploded instantly, and Little Mustache's whole body was swallowed by the blinding silver light.

\n\n

At Chiyuan Hospital, Sheng Lingyuan quickly flew out. The figure flashed, and he had already arrived at the opposite building where Gu Team Leader was hiding. However, it was already late, and when he was just a hair's breadth away from Gu Team Leader, he inexplicably returned to the original point.

\n\n

The spell folded the local space into a higher dimension, infinitely looping and infinitely extending, trapping the heavenly demon inside.

\n\n

For a moment, all sounds were quiet.

\n\n

Until a voice broke the silence of the Bureau headquarters.

\n\n

"Director Xiao, the child is alive, the vital signs are stable, prepare to send him into the cryotherapy room for surgery."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng swayed on his feet.

\n\n

He had made it just in time and the dark ritual was interrupted!

\n\n

At the scene, Xiao Li's feet softened - his special ability had always been very useless and he could only move some small objects through the air. Although he was an agent, he could only do some auxiliary work in the local area.

\n\n

The knitting needle that flew up just now was the first time he had successfully attacked someone in his life. He was so nervous that he was sweating all over and he had no strength left.

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng hadn't breathed out yet when he was lying on the ground and couldn't say anything. She just gave Xiao Zheng a thumbs up from afar.

\n\n

In the Chiyuan Hospital, a "Wind God" special forces raised his electronic watch at eleven o'clock exactly.

\n\n

Although the demon was successfully captured, Gu Team Leader's eyes stayed on Sheng Lingyuan's body. Her expression was puzzled and solemn, as if she had seen something incomprehensible from the demon.

\n\n

Before Xuan Ji had a chance to take a breath, he heard a faint voice from the corner of the stairs: "Director Xuan! The placement point sent a message, they’ve successfully killed the caster!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji stumbled: "What are you still doing here! Didn't you say to let you not be here to get in the way?"

\n\n

Ping Qianru was confused and said: "But... But you are here, where should I go, Director Xuan? Even Old Luo is waiting downstairs."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "You... "

\n\n

For some reason, Xuan Ji always felt that there was something wrong with her sentence, but before he could think about it carefully, an inexplicable sense of crisis suddenly flashed through his mind.

\n\n

The next moment, he heard a light laugh.

\n\n

At the same time, the Gu Team Leader changed color in shock: "All retreat!"

\n\n

Only to see that in the space folding array, the white robe stained with blood on Sheng Lingyuan's body suddenly crawled with sacrificial text, and the dense sacrificial text made him look like he was wearing a black robe.

\n\n

Even the air seemed to tremble.

\n\n

On the top of the hospital building, a huge black vortex rose from the sky, engulfing all the faint stars, thick clouds covering the top, lightning flashing and thunder striking. Everywhere eyes could reach, all the street lights seemed to be like candles swept away by the wind, and the silence fell in large areas. The hibernating birds in the canyon could no longer bear it, fleeing into the sky in groups.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan smiled lightly and looked at Xuan Ji from a distance: "I wanted to let you go, but you don't know your place."

\n\n

Before the words fell, the array that pinned him seemed to faintly appear, and all the things in the space of the array were distorted, like a kneaded clay, a sound of glass shattering, and the space collapsed!

\n\n

Immediately afterwards, the thick black fog suddenly dispersed in the Chiyuan Hospital, swallowing all the lights and all the lives - the lawns, plants, and even the snails that had just emerged on the walls were all silently submerged in the black fog and quickly decayed and withered.

\n\n

"Heavenly demon" is equivalent to flood, plague, war…

\n\n

The heavenly demon's descent is like a disaster.

\n\n

The local field team guarding the periphery of the hospital and the ace of the special forces, in the face of such power, suddenly became helpless ants.

\n\n

The ants ran frantically in great fear, and strangely, a mysterious smell entered Xuan Ji's almost frozen sense of smell, accompanied by a chilling sense of murderous intent.

\n\n

It reminded him of a warm palace on a snowy night.

\n","published_time":"2023-03-04T00:42:33.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:28:22.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":68,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":9,"chapter_title":"Chapter 9","content":"

Intense lightning flashed across the Yong’an West Mountain, some of them directly hitting the Bureau's building, being absorbed by lightning rods and lightning-proof arrays. The scene outside the window was a pale white. After a moment, thunder followed and reverberated in the hall. The tiles trembled slightly and then the thunder suddenly exploded deafeningly like a suppressed roar.

The golden dragon, who was lying on the tiles near the doorway, was so scared that it swam to the corner of the wall, sticking to the wall like a lizard, not daring to move.

\"What's going on, a sudden thunderstorm?\"

\"Shouldn’t there be a lightning-proof array at the foot of the West Mountain, shouldn't there be...\"

\"Wait, what is that? Is that...\"

Another dazzling lightning flashed, and all the people and objects in the Supreme Bureau building became overexposed silhouettes. When people adapted to the strong light, they found something moving on the four walls.

\"Blood... is it blood?\"

The thick liquid that was similar to blood flowed down the wall, its trajectory was strange, and gradually people could see that it seemed to be outlining something... No, it was a handwriting.
The bloody words quickly spread to all directions. A rotten smell spread everywhere, and someone murmured, \"The text, this, this seems to be the Yin Sacrifice text...\"

\"But the last sacrifice didn't die, didn't we kill the suspect in time and rescue the victims?\"

\"Isn't the Yin Sacrifice' already broken?\"

\"Nevermind if it's the same one or not. Why is the Sacrifice Text appearing in the Bureau building!\"

\"Director Xiao,\" a staff member from the dispatch room broke into the meeting room, \"It's not just us. All the branches are reporting similar situations! Ahhh... Dr. Wang, the danger level hasn't been assessed yet, what are you doing here!\"

In the chaos, Dr. Wang, who had been moving slowly, suddenly appeared from somewhere and came trembling to the wall, almost pressing his face against the blood words. Hearing a sound, he turned his head, and his already large and protruding eyes were magnified by the spectacles, looking like an old dragonfly specially dressed for mourning.

\"Blood words sacrifice,\" Dr. Wang said in a dull voice, \"This is a blood words sacrifice!\"

\"What?\"

\"Director Xiao, the Yin Sacrifice succeeded! A thousand people have been offered as a live sacrifice, the blood words have been successfully formed, and the caster has summoned the legendary 'heavenly demon'. The heavenly demon has descended, and has regained its full power at the stroke of midnight, and tonight he must fulfill his promise. This... the place where the blood words appeared is the heavenly demon's target!\"

Xiao Zheng was stunned for a moment, and his pupils shrank: \"Xuan Ji!\"

The Gu Team Leader watched helplessly as Xuan Ji, who was at the forefront, was completely swallowed up by the black fog, and there was no time for any emotion, because it would soon be her turn.

The smell of death quickly reached her, and the Gu Team Leader almost clearly felt her blood cooling quickly, and her life flashed quickly in her mind…

Just then, she heard a sound like striking a match, \"Sizzle\" -

A small flame emerged from the dead silence of the black fog, like an arrow of light, piercing the black fog in an instant, and the Gu Team Leader rolled away, and the cold air rushed into her throat. She turned her head abruptly, and her pupils were shrunken by a sword light.

It was seen that Xuan Ji, who had been swallowed up by the dead air, did not die. His eyes, raised up, had a ring of flame-like light around the pupils, and a totem-like fire-red pattern in the middle of his eyebrows. The frost wrapped around him was directly sublimated. Xuan Ji held a heavy sword in his hand, about two palm widths wide, with flames painted on the sword body. A sword broke the Demon's thick fog, and the fire light swept towards all directions, suddenly breaking open the death field.

In a trance, the Gu Team Leader leader thought she saw the legendary ancient Demon King.

In the dark clouds condensed over the hospital, a shocking lightning split the fog, illuminating half of the sky. Sheng Lingyuan was caught off guard and had no choice but to catch the heavy sword with both hands - the Yin Sacrifice text on his two sleeves seemed to have encountered an enemy, quickly dissipating, revealing the pale color of the sleeves.

Xuan Ji pressed the heavy sword down fiercely, smashing the Demon's head into the hospital building, directly smashing two floors from the third floor, and the Demon's head, together with the stone, smashed into the first floor outpatient hall.

He wielded his sword with an aggressive style, swinging it widely and arrogantly, completely unlike his usual smooth and gentle demeanor. He no longer resembled the timid quail he had been during the intense struggle just moments ago, gritting his teeth and holding on with all his might.

\"As the 36th generation clan leader of the Nanming Fire-Keepers, I didn't intend to reveal my life-bound sword in front of mortals, not because I was intentionally trying to hide it,\" Xuan Ji exerted downward pressure, pushing the heavy sword two inches forward. The flames almost reached Sheng Lingyuan's face, and he smiled, \"I'm sorry, senior.\"

With a \"crackle,\" the heavy sword actually slightly burned Sheng Lingyuan's hands, which were normally impervious to fire and water.\"

The heavenly demon's calm and gentle expression cracked, replaced by a sinister look. \"How dare you!\" he exclaimed.

Black mist rose from under Sheng Lingyuan's feet, forming the head of a beast that roared and lunged towards Xuan Ji.

Xuan Ji did not dodge or avoid the beast's fangs. Flames surged on his heavy sword, aimed straight at Sheng Lingyuan's throat. This time, neither of them showed any mercy. It was a battle of who could kill the other first.

The chilling black mist had already swept up to Xuan Ji's hair, and his heavy sword collided with the heavenly demon's collar.

Just then, Xuan Ji's invisible ring suddenly appeared. Before he could even make sense of it, the ruby on the ring's surface cracked, and countless fragments sprayed out like a scarlet light.

Xuan Ji felt a sharp pain in his chest. It was as if he had been pierced through the heart by an invisible blade. He didn't even have time to groan before he collapsed to the ground, completely powerless. This time, he really fell to his knees, with no pretense.

At the same time, the beast's head formed from black mist let out a painful howl and disintegrated in mid-air. Sheng Lingyuan staggered back five or six steps, as if he had been hit by something. The palm of his hand was covered in the crushed fragments of the ring's gemstone, which had burnt it black.

For a while, they both stood there in silence, each with a strange feeling that there was some kind of secret connection between them that could not be violated.

After a while, Sheng Lingyuan pressed down his trembling injured hand, covered his mouth with his sleeve, and coughed up some blood. His face grew paler.

Then he looked deeply at Xuan Ji, leaped out of the window behind him, and disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Xuan Ji did not pursue him - he really couldn't, this time it wasn't an act. He struggled to get up with his heavy sword, but failed three times. Finally, he half-knelt on the ground for a while before he could catch his breath. When he looked down, his invisible ring had become visible. All that remained was a shabby ring band and the ring's setting. He gently pulled the ring, and the ring slid off his finger, feeling as though a part of his finger had inexplicably disappeared with it.

It seemed to have been clinging on to him for many years, just to betray him at the critical moment.

Xuan Ji was both embarrassed and puzzled, \"What's going on? Did the Yin Sacrifice ritual summon our ancestors' creditors?\"

But the sacrificial victim possessed by the butterfly was not dead, and the caster had already been killed...

Xuan Ji suddenly realized that the little mustached man might not be the caster after all!

The illegal visitors who broke into Chiyuan entered the Grand Canyon after the mutation tree riot.

It was said that the demon picked them up and had seen the little mustache! If the little mustache is the caster, he will keep a safe distance from the summoned devil until the contract is established because no one knows what will be summoned, and monsters are capricious. If the contract is not complete, and he is disturbed by the sacrificial text, he might get angry and kill the caster before the ritual is completed.

And why could the boy infected by the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly use sacrificial text to seek help? Why not just shout out loud or write in plain words?

Assuming that the reason why the boy, who became the sacrificial victim, could not control his body to shout or write freely and could only communicate with the outside world through sacrificial text was that he did not understand something, why did he choose to write a plea for help in his diary? A diary is something only you read, so what's the point of writing a plea for help there?

From start to finish, someone has been misleading them step by step! If no one knew about the Yin Sacrifice ritual, the caster could naturally complete the \"sacrifice of a thousand people\" without being noticed.

However, because the summoned person or demon was random and the Yin Sacrifice ritual could alarm them, the demon might not be willing to cooperate with the caster's desire to be low-key, and if the demon made too much noise, it would alert the Bureau. If they did not have enough information, they would first try to search for the sacrificial symbols, and then fall into the trap set by the caster - the unfortunate child infected with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly would be a \"firewall\" to lead them to the wrong suspect.

The little mustache himself is the final sacrificial victim!

The demon who watched the show also knew that they were being misled!

The caster needed to ensure that the little mustache died at the exact time of midnight, so he must have been present at the capture site and had close contact with the target.

And this person's special ability is very special. It can make others... even the living dead who have been infected with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly obediently follow their pre-written script.

Xuan Ji suddenly realized that the reason why something was off about what Ping Qianru said earlier was because her original words were \"But if you're here, where should I go, Director Xuan? Even Old Luo is waiting downstairs\" - the three people in the aftermath department all came out with him.

When the Bureau's field personnel were in a state of chaos, everyone's first reaction should be to follow their immediate superiors and wait for instructions.

This was a natural reaction.

Ping Qianru was not a normal person. She was probably the same as the little mustache, being controlled by the caster, and everything she said and did was part of the script. But who was the caster? And what was their ultimate goal?

The chubby girl has been squatting at the door, and even Old Luo, who was scared to sprout, is waiting downstairs, but why hasn't one person appeared?

She knew very well that the focus of their mission this time was the Abyss, but when she arrived at the hospital, she didn't even take a glance and immediately threw herself into \"intense\" work. Afterwards, she took it upon herself to escort the illegal tourists for transfer, and even left without saying hello to her new boss - this is a major taboo in the workplace, and even a slightly sensible intern would not do such a thing.

It's not that her emotional intelligence is low, or that she's not afraid of offending her superiors, but she knows that Xuan Ji is confronting the demon and is afraid of meeting him early and revealing her plans!

\"Director Xuan!\" At this moment, there was a \"whine\" from behind, and Luo Cuicui stuck his head out from behind the broken glass window of the hospital's pharmacy. He looked around warily before crawling out on all fours, covered in green leaves and stems like a trendy potted plant. He helped Xuan Ji up.

\"Where is Bi Chunsheng?\" Xuan Ji grabbed her.

\"Sister Bi? Didn't she go to the hospital placement point with them?\"

\"Give me a specific location, quickly!\"

\"Oh... okay.\" Luo Cuicui quickly pulled out her phone and used the navigation software to search for the placement point's location. \"Here - are you looking for her? Should I try to get a car?\"

\"It's too late.\" Xuan Ji snatched his phone and quickly grabbed the map of the planned route on the navigation app out of mid-air with a powerful move. Luo Cuicui had never seen this kind of ability before, and looked up at him dumbfounded with his mouth agape.

Xuan Ji lifted his heavy sword and quickly drew a symbol in the air, sparks flying everywhere, causing Luo Cuicui to exclaim in surprise.

The next moment, he took him out, and they quickly passed countless blocks. Old Luo clung tightly to Xuan Ji's arm, and he heard the sound of the navigation app fast-forwarding like a cassette tape. He rolled around like a fireball, his mind blank with extreme fear, and he even forgot to scream.

Before he could catch his breath, he heard the navigation app say: \"...You have arrived at your destination.\"

Luo Cuicui’s eyes rolled and he passed out.

At this time, the field team at the placement point had just killed Little Mustache, and had not had time to clean up the scene. They saw a fireball rushing in from the sky, and they were frightened and ready to fight.

Xuan Ji carried a heavy sword with one hand and carried Old Luo with the other. He walked out of the firelight. \"I’m in charge of the Aftermath Department.\" Xuan Jin waved away the fireball and threw both Luo Cuicui and his work permit to the person in charge. \"Where is Bi Chunsheng?\"

\"Oh, Director Xuan, you can rest assured that Sister Bi is fine. She just...uh, where is the person? \"

Bi Chunsheng had disappeared at some point.

\"Don't give me that 'rest assured' crap!\" Xuan Ji snapped, flicking a coin out of his hand. In the instant the coin left his hand, it turned into a small fire wheel and rolled along the ground, burning a gloomy sacrificial text into the stone ground as it passed.

\"Arrest Bi Chunsheng,\" he said, and he was already out the door before he finished speaking.

","published_time":"2023-03-06T00:38:52.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:28:53.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":70,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":10,"chapter_title":"Chapter 10","content":"

"Arrest who?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng received Luo Cuicui's call and was silent for five seconds. Then he couldn't help it, and raged.

\n\n

Since he issued the order "to kill the suspect regardless of the cost", "Bi Chunsheng" has almost become his trauma.

\n\n

Luo Cuicui made a phone call that left everyone baffled, saying that Xuan Ji suspected Bi Chunsheng and this perfectly hit Director Xiao's nerve, causing him to explode: "Say it again - I'll arrest that temporary worker with the surname Xuan first! No, Old Luo, he just arrived and doesn't know anything. But are you so irresponsible when you talk? What is Bi Chunsheng's background? She has risked her life for most of her life and was awarded third-class merit. After being injured, she retired to the second line. Was that temporary worker even born when she joined the field team?"

\n\n

"I'm just relaying the message, don't be mad at me," Luo Cuicui said aggrievedly. Wrapped in a small blanket that someone gave him, she sat huddled in the trunk of the field vehicle, sniffled, and continued to say in a muffled voice, "Our leader asked me to say this, and I'll say it to you like this, Director Xiao. To tell you the truth, I can't even find north anymore. I've been doing clean-up work for so many years and I've never encountered something like this...sigh, can I ask the organization to transfer me to a rear position? I had a slight arrhythmia in my physical exam last year, and I...Hello? Director Xiao? Oh..."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng hung up the phone before he could finish.

\n\n

It was already the middle of the night, and the lights of the Bureau headquarters were still on. The field agents had almost called in all the purification equipment and were spraying the walls with all kinds of substances to remove the bloodstains. The bloodstains were quickly washed away, but before they could even breathe a sigh of relief, new blood started trickling down from the walls.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng threw his phone aside and leaned on the table in the meeting room, bowing his head deeply.

\n\n

Suddenly, for no apparent reason, he thought of the last time he saw the former bureau chief. The previous bureau chief was one of the founding elders of the Bureau, who had just retired in the first half of this year at the age of ninety. He had dedicated his life to the bureau and after leaving his post, he seemed to have suddenly lost his purpose in life. His once strong body suddenly collapsed, and he fell ill and passed away a month later.

\n\n

Since he had just retired, all the department heads in the bureau had gone to visit him, but none of them had seen him. In the end, only Xiao Zheng was allowed to enter the sickroom.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng still remembers that sickroom to this day—the floor, walls, and even the ceiling were filled with ancient secret spells that ordinary people could not see. As soon as he entered, he felt as if countless eyes were going through his life frame by frame, trying to uncover his slightest evil thoughts and drag them out for judgment.

\n\n

In a cold sweat, he saw the old bureau chief struggling to open his eyes and say a few words to him.

\n\n

The first sentence was: “There will be a big mess in the bureau.”

\n\n

The second sentence was: “Old Huang was brought here after I filed a report. The bureau needs him and it isn’t easy for an ordinary mortal to stay rooted, so I’m leaving you with him. I know you’re still clean.”

\n\n

The last sentence was barely audible, and Xiao Zheng had to lean in close to the old man’s mouth to hear him repeatedly saying: “The waters in the Aftermath Department run too deep.”

\n\n

Xiao Zheng didn’t have time to ask what these words meant. Just like he still doesn’t know why the old bureau chief chose him—after saying these few last words, the old man closed his eyes and never woke up again.

\n\n

Not long after that, they received an anonymous tip letter accusing Former Aftermath Department Head Gong Chenggong of corruption and bribery. The letter vaguely mentioned the causes and consequences of Gong Chenggong’s bribery, but it clearly described his methods of collecting payments, accounts, and money laundering processes. Before the bureau had finished its investigation, Gong Chenggong suddenly fell into a coma, attracting a group of experts for diagnosis, and the cause has yet to be identified.

\n\n

It was then that Xuan Ji joked and asked him which position was the easiest to get, and Xiao Zheng answered him “Aftermath Department” without thinking.

\n\n

The waters in the Aftermath Department run too deep…

\n\n

“Director Xiao?”

\n\n

Xiao Zheng snapped back to reality and closed his eyes tightly. In a deep voice, he ordered, “Help me check the file of Bi Chunsheng from the Aftermath Department.”

\n\n

"Xuan Ji is probably a human-shaped broom star. Wherever he goes, there is trouble. He was sent out to maintain stability temporarily, but he caused so much trouble that he almost blew up the entire Bureau. What's the use of such talent in logistics? They would be better off working in sabotage behind enemy lines!

\n\n

"Bi Chunsheng was born in 1963 in Yong'an. After graduating from nursing school, she worked as a nurse at Beicheng Second Hospital. She got married in 1985 and had a son in 1987. She did not show any special abilities before this."

\n\n

"In 1988, due to our bureau's negligence, two mutated pythons that were under custody escaped and collided with a moving train while on the run. At the time, there were more than 2,000 passengers on the train in imminent danger. Fortunately, the former field agent in charge, oh, the old chief, reacted promptly and controlled the situation, saving the people on the train from disaster."

\n\n

"At the time, the statement we released to the public was that the 'train derailed.' When Bi Chunsheng's parents, husband, and son, who were on the train, heard the news, Bi Chunsheng, who was on duty at the hospital, became emotionally excited and exhibited special abilities, which were captured by the bureau's monitoring network."

\n\n

"After training and passing the political review in September 1989, she was absorbed into our bureau's security department. Because she was grateful to the Bureau for saving her family, she has worked hard and made outstanding achievements for so many years - she was awarded the third-class merit once, and was named 'outstanding field agent' for seven consecutive years. She only applied to transfer to the logistics department last year due to injuries."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng asked, "Is that all?"

\n\n

"Yes, Director. That's Bi Chunsheng's resume."

\n\n

The more Xiao Zheng listened, the more he felt that Xuan Ji was talking nonsense. This Bi Chunsheng's story could easily be included in the bureau's official propaganda brochure - her family was saved by a hero, she was grateful and inspired to follow the path of a hero, and eventually became a hero herself.

\n\n

From small love to great love, from "for the small family" to "for the big family," is there anything more positive than this?

\n\n

"Director Xiao, um... the comrades from the Chiyuan Sub-bureau asked if we should cooperate with Director Xuan?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng replied impatiently, "Cooperate with what? Are you capable of cooperating with that guy?"

\n\n

"Uh..." What does that mean? Does he agree or disagree?

\n\n

“Send a team of emergency investigators to Bi Chunsheng’s house. I will apply for a search warrant immediately.” Xiao Zheng took a breath and said, “If the family has any objection, just say that this is a special period, please ask Bi Chunsheng and her family to understand, and this matter must be kept strictly confidential. It is related to the reputation of the old hero. No one is allowed to talk about it outside - if Xuan Ji is wrong, I will personally make him kowtow to her.”

\n\n

“Director Xiao,” At this time, another investigator ran over, whispering in Xiao Zheng’s ear, “We traced the lost butterfly eggs… Can I have a word?”

\n\n

The investigator pulled Xiao Zheng aside and whispered as if he didn't want anyone to see, “Director, this matter is a bit strange. The jar of butterfly eggs was lost 30 years ago, and a record was left when it was lost, but then it was somehow canceled.”

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was stunned - could it be so long, thirty years ago? And why did the suspect keep the butterfly eggs for so long, only for something to happen now? Were they using it as home decor?

\n\n

"What did you mean when you said that there was a record of this?"

\n\n

"You know that the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly is a level one dangerous material. When the inventory was taken, one can was found to be missing. The files department was in panic. After the inventory, they immediately reported it - at that time, we did not have an electronic database, only paper files. But the butterfly eggs were not found, and the records mysteriously disappeared. The only thing left in the files was a letter that erased the record...Gong Chengguo from the aftermath department had signed it, and the old chief approved it."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng's mind buzzed and his palms were cold with sweat. He looked up at the four walls that kept oozing out blood words, feeling that the entire building was covered by a huge shadow. Under the pale lights, the shadows floated, as if there were many monsters hidden.
\n"Let me...let me think first."

\n\n

The air at the county hospital's placement point was full of the rotten smell of blood and the smell of the Yin Sacrifice from the great demon, which was almost choking - it was the smell of the person who had been cursed by the Yin Sacrifice. The coins that Xuan Ji had shot out were rolling towards the smell of the Yin Sacrifice, and after he hastily instructed Luo Cuicui, he began to chase after the coins.

\n\n

The group of field agents were struck by his dramatic departure and instinctively followed him. They chased the coin to the inpatient building of the county hospital, where it hit the building and sparked like a firework, shooting up into the sky. The agents followed Xuan Ji's lead and looked up, following the sparks with their eyes all the way to the rooftop.

\n\n

Standing on the roof of the hospital building was a person.

\n\n

The coin with fire was like a small lantern, flying to the roof and then hovering at a distance of about five or six meters from Bi Chunsheng. It illuminated her face, and people saw the sacrificial characters crawling on her face. She seemed to be a great criminal, had been branded, and was about to be sent to the underworld.

\n\n

It was Bi Chunsheng.

\n\n

"I thought they would let me take over from Gong Chenggong, but I didn't expect someone new to be parachuted in," Bi Chunsheng combed her hair and said in a low voice. Her words echoed from the roof, as if they were ringing in everyone's ears. "When I heard the rumor, I knew that this paratrooper must have a background. I wanted to settle this matter before you came, but I didn't expect it to be one day too late...it must be fate."

\n\n

Xuan Ji raised his head with the heavy sword: "People who lose usually say 'fate'. Sister Bi, why are you stealing my lines?"

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng's hair swayed in the murky night breeze, her pink sweater gleaming strikingly in the darkness. She still looked the same, her hair done up in the most voluminous of “Teddy curls”, her face dotted with yellowish freckles, all the marks of a weariness worn by time. She was a living embodiment of the stereotypical image of an “Auntie,” reminding one of square dances, scarves and matchmaking, not to mention her loud and inappropriate volume.

\n\n

But strangely, when she stood atop the winds of the night, draped in funeral wear, she seemed to have transcended these mundane descriptions. Perhaps, it was only when these seemingly soulless bit-players ripped themselves bloody, would one be surprised to realize that within those prop-like shells lived a full range of emotions.

\n\n

Xuan Ji caught something in her peripheral vision and, upon closer inspection, saw a few of the men on the mission, who had followed him, had clambered up the side of the building behind Bi Chunsheng, ready to ambush her.

\n\n

Xuan Ji’s scalp tingled. Those fools! Bi Chunsheng had been doing field work for nearly thirty years, how could they not know her field techniques?

\n\n

By this point, the few field operatives had already reached the rooftop, and had each produced their weapons, pointing them at Bi Chunsheng.

\n\n

“Don’t move!”

\n\n

“Put your hands where we can see them! Don’t speak!”

\n\n

Xuan Ji yelled: “Back off! Don’t come near her!”

\n\n

Unfortunately, the few field operatives sent to bring her back had not heard him—Bi Chunsheng’s special ability was her voice and the few field operatives had on soundproof earmuffs, probably to prevent being mesmerized by her at the last minute.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: “......”

\n\n

Which genius had come up with this idea, unbelievable!

\n\n

The next moment, the few field operatives suddenly froze in place. It turned out that the rooftop had been filled with Yin Sacrifice text—it was so dense it seemed pitch black, and was hard to make out at first glance. The moment the few lively field operatives stepped onto the rooftop, it was as if a fat raccoon had fallen into a trap, immediately bound by the sacrificial text, the temperature around them dropping by ten or so degrees, nearly reaching freezing point. Then, with Bi Chunsheng as the center, the familiar thick fog began to spread outwards, Xuan Ji's heart sinking.

\n\n

Sure enough, the next moment, a man with long hair slowly stepped out of the fog, looking around curiously. This heavenly demon marveled: “This street is so wide, and the walls of the courtyard so grand, is this the imperial capital? Why are there only a few people from the Qingping Division?”

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng suddenly turned around, and gradually, an ecstatic look appeared on her face, she muttered to herself, almost incoherently: “It’s true, it’s actually true!”

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan heard this and turned his gaze, studying her for a moment, before muttering: “Ah… it’s a Human Candle, no wonder.”

\n\n

Because of his old-fashioned manner of speech, only Xuan Ji could understand his words: "Human Candle?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan shot him a glance but didn't answer. He then switched to Mandarin, which he learnt hastily from television and his recent experiences, and asked Bi Chunsheng gently: "Was it you who woke me up? What happened? Who bullied you?"

\n\n

His speech was already slow, and his Mandarin was not fluent, hesitating between words and seeming wary, making people feel as if they were being treasured by him.

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng seemed to have been reminded of her lifetime grievance by his words, and her eyes reddened abruptly.

\n\n

"It's okay," Sheng Lingyuan smiled at her, "You can talk as long as you like. No one will interrupt you."

\n\n

"Bi Chunsheng," Xuan Ji reminded her coldly, "If I were you, I would be more careful. The one you called out is not an angel who grants wishes."

\n\n

"Then there's no need for you to worry," Bi Chunsheng turned to him and suppressed the fragile expression that flashed across her face. She sneered, "The contract between him and me has been established. I've paid the money, but the goods haven't been delivered yet. He won't touch me until he's settled the debt, or he'll suffer a thousandfold retaliation from the curse."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan stood with his hands in his pocket, his expression calm, as if he didn't understand what she said.

\n\n

At the same time, Xiao Zheng avoided everyone and went to the chief’s office.

\n\n

Chief Huang was informed of the situation in Chiyuan and hurriedly rushed from home. Unlike the old chief with an active field background, it’s much less easy for an ordinary mortal like him. He can rely on experience to deal with administrative work, but when it comes to the current chaos, he doesn't understand what those special abilities people are doing.

\n\n

"I was just looking for you," Chief Huang stood up, "What's the situation outside now?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng didn't answer, but closed the door. He whispered, "I'll explain to you later, Chief Huang. I have a search warrant here, requesting to investigate the home of former field agent Bi Chunsheng who has now retired to the second line. I'd like to ask you for approval."

\n\n

"Bi Chunsheng? Is she one of us? " Chief Huang only knew a few people in the department. He took the document and asked blankly, "Which department is it from? What's going on?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng slowly raised his head: "It has something to do with a jar of Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly eggs stolen from the bureau 30 years ago."

\n\n

Chief Huang suddenly stopped.

\n\n

"Chief," Xiao Zheng said in a deep voice, "It was the old chief who reported this in person and asked you to take over from him. Do you know of this matter?"

\n\n

Chief Huang was silent for a moment, then signed the search warrant and handed it to Xiao Zheng. He sighed and said, "In this position, I'm sitting on tenterhooks everyday. I wanted to handle it properly before this bomb exploded, but I didn't expect it to be so fast..."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng: "Do you know the reason why Gong Chenggong, the former Director of the Aftermath Department, was reported?"

\n\n

Chief Huang waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down, and lit a cigarette: "Ah...where should I start? Xiao, you are from the Field Operations Department. You guys hate the Fifteen-People Red Line, right?"

\n\n

"The first principle of the security department's field agents is to protect ordinary people," said Bi Chunsheng, on the roof. "The 'special individuals' must not harm ordinary people, and if any harm is caused to ordinary people, except for subjective intent or negligence, each field agent will be deducted one point. The person in charge will be penalized double, and if fifteen points are deducted, the person will be suspended. This is on the first page of the work manual. Director Xuan, perhaps you haven't had a chance to read the manual yet? Let me enlighten you. If any major problems occur during the field work or if fifteen points are deducted, the aftermath department must immediately produce an evaluation report."

\n\n

Xuan Ji frowned, not understanding why she was reciting the regulations of the Bureau of Paranormal Control.

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng's face bore a bleak smile. "Thirty years ago, two mutated pythons escaped. During the chase, the person in charge was careless, allowing the pythons to collide with a train as it crossed a bridge and the train fell into the river. The pythons took the opportunity to consume the life force of the passengers, and less than one-tenth of the two thousand passengers survived."

\n\n

"That's impossible!" a field agent shouted, taking off his earphones. "The Bureau has never had such a huge accident since its establishment! A disaster that killed over two thousand people could not be concealed from the news!"

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng spoke softly. "Yes, that's right. Then, where did those dead people go? Has Director Xiao found out where the jar of butterfly eggs went?"

\n","published_time":"2023-03-07T00:22:41.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:28:54.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":103,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":11,"chapter_title":"Chapter 11","content":"

The second batch of field agents rushed over after receiving Xiao Zheng's instructions. Before they had a chance to stand still, they were hit by this scene and their three views were shattered in a row.

\n\n

At that moment, everyone present was silent, and were chilled by the cold fog.

\n\n

The wind started to blow, thunderclouds began to gather in the sky, and ominous electric sparks flashed restlessly in the dark clouds. The distant thunder rumbled intermittently, like a secret and short curse.

\n\n

Only Sheng Lingyuan lowered his eyebrows, as if he was an immortal in a painting, looking at the strange and extraordinary things in the world without any surprise.

\n\n

Xuan Ji kept an eye on Bi Chunsheng while also being wary of the "dangerous object" behind her that was like a timed bomb. Perhaps it was a lingering effect from the exploding ring earlier. Whenever he saw Sheng Lingyuan, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe and causing him to squirm uncomfortably.

\n\n

He underestimated the danger of the Bureau. In total, he had taken on this broken logistics job for less than twenty-four hours, and his work permit was not even hot yet. His heart had already become so desolate that he didn't feel like doing anything anymore.

\n\n

“Let’s talk sense, Sister Bi,” Xuan Ji cautiously took a breath, trying to ignore the feeling of a hollow chest, and seriously discussed with Bi Chunsheng, “Assuming what you said is true, that a major incident happened 30 years ago, and the person in charge at the time covered it up by stealing the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly eggs and letting them parasitize the dead bodies, so that the dead could live on with their original identities - how did you know about this? Were you an eyewitness? If not, who told you and do you have any evidence?”

\n\n

As he spoke, he glanced at the heavenly demon out of the corner of his eye. Upon hearing his words, the heavenly demon lifted his elegant eyebrows and revealed a look of "I see" - it turned out that after all the commotion, he didn't really understand the formal language in the regulations that Bi Chunsheng had just mentioned.

\n\n

"What's going on," Xuan Ji's heart felt even more world-weary. "Am I being treated like a 'translator's note'?"

\n\n

"How would I know?" Bi Chunsheng looked at him with a compassionate gaze. "Director Xuan, you don't think this is a one-off situation, do you?"

\n\n

“How did the saying on the internet go? When you find the first cockroach at home, your family probably already had tens of thousands of them.” In the quiet chief’s office of the Bureau of Paranormal Control, Chief Huang’s voice was like dripping water at midnight, hitting people’s hearts with fear, “If this is the first time, who would dare put thousands of butterfly eggs in dead bodies? Little Xiao, you should be able to think of it, in fact, as early as 30 years ago, this was already a secret ‘normal’ practice for many people... sigh, the ‘Fifteen-People Red Line’ is for public safety and the original intention is good, but everything has two sides, it will also bind the hands and feet of our frontline comrades, because once deducted points, it is a ‘team problem’.

\n\n

"Among your comrades who have been through life-and-death situations, there may be more than one who have reached the red line and have run out of points. In extreme situations, some agents would rather risk their own lives than cause their comrades to lose points. In recent years, over half of the cases where our field agents have sacrificed their lives were related to this rule. As someone who comes from the field, you should understand this," Chief Huang said.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng couldn't say anything.

\n\n

"There is a very detailed 'professional guide' circulating among the field agents. Every intern who joins the field agent team will try to learn from the veterans, find out which team members under whose command have the fewest penalty points, which ones are more radical, and whose team members are 'disposable.' The height that a field agent can reach in the end, in addition to personal abilities, is ultimately determined by who has the fewest penalty points - some have even summarized the 'mystical' rules in it. For the first two years of work, one must not be penalized. Field agents who haven't gotten off to a good start in the beginning will not have a smooth career later on."

\n\n

"Fifteen-People Red Line" is the thin ice beneath the feet of every frontline field agent, the rope around their necks, and the tight curse on their temples.

\n\n

"So there are some people in the field work, when they encounter difficult incidents, casualties over the line, they will go to Gong Chenggong to 'think of a way'. ”Chief Huang looked at Xiao Zheng’s numb face, and continued, “That is, with that butterfly egg, the dead ‘did not die’, the field agents were relieved, the victims’ families felt grateful, and the aftermath was covered with a facade. Everyone was happy.”

\n\n

Xiao Zheng struggled to find his tongue: “Who are there...”

\n\n

“I don't know. Since the establishment of the Bureau, the waters of the various departments are too deep. I haven't found any clues yet. But ... in the Security Department, you can think of some, um, old leaders of high moral standing, most of them know this thing, even if not for themselves, sometimes in order to protect some good seedlings...” Chief Huang looked deeply at Xiao Zheng, and the words behind him did not continue.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng did not react at first, and then he shook fiercely, and his blood was frozen.
\nHe was a rare Lightning-Fire type, and possessed the rarest “Pure Lightning" special ability.

\n\n

The current special ability spectrum and the traditional "Five Elements" theory are somewhat similar. "Water controls fire", generally speaking, lightning-fire will be relatively disadvantaged when facing ice and water, but Pure Lightning is an exception. Xiao Zheng entered the Bureau as a privileged person. During the internship, he was directly admitted to the special forces. He had a smooth journey all the way and even had better luck than others–more than a dozen years of field work, from the most junior member to becoming the commander of the “Thunder” special forces team, countless battles of all sizes, accompanied by countless meritorious services, only three points were deducted, which can be called a great miracle.

\n\n

Is this really luck?

\n\n

Or was someone secretly protecting him all the way?

\n\n

The old bureau chief's last words "I know you are still clean" was to praise him for keeping the rules, or the sigh of the "bureau insiders" to the protected person in the dark?

\n\n

Is he really... "clean"?

\n\n

At this time, his phone rang–the investigation team sent to Bi Chunsheng's home has arrived at the destination, asking him about the progress of the search warrant.

\n\n

Chief Huang asked him to fax the search warrant to the office, and listened to the investigator’s report: “Bi Chunsheng and her parents live together. His father died not long ago, and her mother is still healthy. Her lover used to be a middle school teacher. Already retired, in order to save more downpayment money for the child, he is now teaching tuition outside. The couple has a son who is single and has just graduated and is trying to go for a postgraduate... Chief Huang, Director Xiao, we are at her door. "

\n\n

Chief Huang interjected, “Excuse me, I have a question. If a person has been possessed by the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly, and the person is already dead, meaning the body is just being manipulated by the butterfly, is there any way to detect it?”

\n\n

“It’s difficult, Chief Huang. What it is, our instruments can only detect the possession before the infected person’s brain has completely died by detecting inconsistencies between brain activity and body reactions. If the person’s brain is already dead, the butterfly will completely take control over the infected person’s nervous system, and it will merge with them. So you could say that the person has grown a brand new nervous system and our instruments can’t detect it. Unless…”

\n\n

“Unless what?”

\n\n

“Uh…Well, open it and have a look.”

\n\n

A person’s personality, outlook, and habits are constantly changing. The phrase “you’ve changed” is a common one seen in various literary works. It is a normal thing for “the calm surface of the pond to be disturbed by ripples”, and what’s often followed is an overly melodramatic plot rather than “opening up the skull to have a look.”

\n\n

When Xiao Zheng heard this, he suddenly had a bad premonition.

\n\n

Chiyuan and Xuan Ji stared at Bi Chunsheng and suddenly noticed that the thick fog surrounding the rooftop was not only emanating from the big devil, but also a small part from Bi Chunsheng!

\n\n

Her outline was already blurred in the fog, as if she was about to dissolve into it. Her originally slightly dark and yellowish skin color had unknowingly turned deathly pale, displaying a waxy texture.

\n\n

“Human Candle”?

\n\n

Did she really kill a thousand people? How did she do it? What were the identities of these thousand people, and how did they die without anyone knowing?

\n\n

“Eight years ago, my field team was assigned to capture a suspect using dark magic. At that time, the suspect was hiding in a small community with a high population density. Afraid of affecting innocent bystanders, my partner and I carefully planned an ambush. Unexpectedly, an accident still occurred. Just as the suspect was about to be caught, one of the juniors in our field team was too nervous and revealed our plan. The suspect then escaped into the community garden. He had the lives of dozens of people in his hands. Knowing he would die if he was caught, he found himself surrounded and had no way to escape, so he jumped over the wall and blew himself up. We had no time to evacuate the garden and eight people died. My partner and I were both responsible, and he was going to be held twice as accountable. He was directly crossing the red line, and I couldn’t think of anything at that time…My partner told me not to be afraid and that he would think of a way.”

\n\n

"It was then that I first learnt that these heroes, who had only military merit and no fault, had such a way of operating - using butterflies to parasitize in the bodies of the dead, as if nothing had happened... I will never forget the expression of my partner consoling me: 'Such cases are not uncommon.'

\n\n

"Do you know how I felt then? I didn't rejoice for having escaped a disaster, nor did I have trouble sleeping from a guilty conscience. I... I was scared. How many 'survivors' were no longer human? My whole family were 'survivors'! Were they... were they really, or just an illusion?

\n\n

"From that day onwards, I was paranoid like a madman; whenever my family spoke to me, I would frantically think if they used to be like this, if they said it with this intonation, if they had already changed without me noticing. My son came back from school and ordered a dish he didn't usually like - I couldn't sleep for half a month because of that small thing.”

\n\n

Everyone in the room was chilled to their bones, for Bi Chunsheng's special ability was 'language'. The same words, even if meaningless, would be believed unquestionably when said by her. By just a few words, everyone was almost brought to a state of terror and despair.

\n\n

Xuan Ji suddenly furrowed her brows. If Bi Chunsheng's psychokinesis had such a strong hypnotic power on others, then... what about on herself? Would her special ability worsen her obsession and confusion when an uncontrollable thought kept looping in her mind?

\n\n

"For the past eight years, I almost drove myself mad with these thoughts... I wanted to know the answer, yet I was afraid to. When I had a chance to retreat to the second line, I instinctively chose the Aftermath Department... Hah, what good would that do - Gong Chenggong was too cunning and had too much influence in the bureau; how could I find out anything?

\n\n

"I became increasingly agitated, until recently, Gong Chenggong was suddenly investigated and disappeared. My suspicions were proven true, then... my father passed away at this critical juncture.” Bi Chunsheng's sunken eyes suddenly shed tears of blood; her face started to deform and collapse, like a melting wax figure. "Eighty seven years old, a long life, dying from heart failure, without any sin at his death; his relatives and friends all envied his peaceful passing. What about me? I sent them off like a walking corpse, and then... then I couldn't help myself, I snuck back in the middle of the night and opened my father's skull before the cremation, and I saw... I saw..."

\n\n

The moment the old man's skull was opened, all her nightmares became true.

\n\n

It had been thirty years, and the family she had been living with all this time were nothing but puppets manipulated by the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly.

\n\n

"Why? Why do I have to watch this?!" Bi Chunsheng screamed in a sharp, desperate, animal-like roar.

\n\n

"Shh..." Sheng Lingyuan crouched down and gently cradled her warped face, wiping away the blood from the corners of her eyes, and letting out a sigh of "Poor thing."

\n\n

He then switched back to his ancient, elegant voice and softly said to Xuan Ji: "The human candle, an intermediary between the evil and the yin of the world, must discard their human body, sever their nature, and give up everything to be a demon. Little demon, do you know what 'everything' means?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was taken aback.

\n\n

At this moment, a security guard ran over and handed him a phone: "Director Xiao is looking for you."

\n\n

"We...just sent someone to search Bi Chunsheng's house," Xiao Zheng's voice sounded strained over the phone, "and we found three corpses, Bi Chunsheng's mother, husband, and son, and their heads...were all open."

\n\n

Xuan Ji widened his eyes, and Sheng Lingyuan stared at him from afar through the thick fog. The devil's eyes were cold and heartless, yet almost merciful.

\n\n

For a while, nobody said anything, only Bi Chunsheng's inhuman wail resounded through the fog, getting thicker and thicker. A young security guard was so overwhelmed by the shrill sound that he leaned against the wall and vomited.

\n\n

After a long silence, Xuan Ji suddenly raised the phone and asked: "Were all of her family members really parasitized by the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng: "No."

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt a cold stone in his stomach.

\n\n

"We found traces of the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly in her husband's brain, but none in her mother and son's. They were normal people, the true survivors..." Xiao Zheng paused for a moment, "...from back then."

\n\n

"Kill them all!" Bi Chunsheng grippingly grabbed Sheng Lingyuan's sleeve with a mumbling like that of an undead, "I want you to kill them all!"

\n","published_time":"2023-03-14T23:12:05.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:29:21.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":137,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":12,"chapter_title":"Chapter 12","content":"

The winds howled on the roof and the Yin Sacrifice text flew up, binding Sheng Lingyuan like shackles.

\n\n

At the same time, the thunderclouds that had been brewing for a long time finally erupted, a sharp clap of thunder tearing through the night sky and directly smashing into the hospital building. Everyone's faces were exposed in the pale whiteness, like a mural on the road to hell.
\nHowever, in an instant, the flesh and blood on Bi Chunsheng's face had melted away and she was left with a shriveled skin draped over her rugged skull.

\n\n

She knelt on the ground, like a withered corpse in a legend of despair.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan stopped smiling, bent down and stroked the top of her head. He asked, "Who do you want me to kill? Those who use the 'human-faced butterfly' to replace the dead? With them killed, can you be relieved?"

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng's lips could no longer cover her teeth, and two rows of teeth trembled.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan asked again, "Then, if we also bury those who know the ins and outs but remain silent, can you be relieved?"

\n\n

A ghost fire-like light appeared in Bi Chunsheng's eyes, and her fingers twisted his cuff.

\n\n

"Still not enough, right?" Sheng Lingyuan sighed, the withered small curls springing out from between his fingers, "What should I do with you?"

\n\n

"I want... the truth to come out..." Bi Chunsheng's voice sounded like the sound made when rubbing bones, "I want them to give me an explanation..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan nodded: "It should be."

\n\n

"No, the explanation is not enough, I also want... I also want them to taste my pain a thousand times..."

\n\n

"Hmmm," Sheng Lingyuan nodded, "It's not difficult, anything else?"

\n\n

Every time she said something, a line of rituals was added to Sheng Lingyuan, and Sheng Lingyuan listened very carefully, almost with a sense of treasuring.

\n\n

However, at this time, Bi Chunsheng forced out the last few words: "I also want... Chiyuan..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's face suddenly changed slightly, and he slowly raised his eyes: "Hmmm?"

\n\n

It could have been that this demon was not very good at Mandarin, and was naturally puzzled when hearing an unfamiliar word. But Xuan Ji was struck by his own intuition, and the "hmmm" inexplicably made him startled.

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, Xuan Ji struck the ground with the heavy sword in his hand, using its force, jumped into the window extended from the third floor, then stepped on the window sill with the toes of his feet, jumped to the roof, and fell next to the several trapped field agents.

\n\n

The Yin Sacrifice text on the roof of the building surged towards him, and Xuan Ji slashed towards the ground with a sword. The fire on the heavy sword instantly pushed the rituals back one square meter, and several field agents were temporarily freed.

\n\n

"I want... Chiyuan's fire to be reignited..." Bi Chunsheng was immersed in her own world, mumbling, the rituals on the ground suddenly turned blood red, rolled up into a bunch, drilled into Sheng Lingyuan's spine, "I..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji turned his head and shouted at the field personnel who were stupidly standing aside: "Why are you still standing there! Retreat!"

\n\n

The several field agents obeyed subconsciously, pulled up the protective devices on their bodies and jumped off the roof. Just before their feet left the ground, Bi Chunsheng suddenly jerked, and the violent wind rose from Sheng Lingyuan's feet and roared in all directions.

\n\n

Xuan Ji rushed toward him and was in time to grab Sheng Lingyuan’s sleeve, but the sleeve tore away immediately. He was swept away by the fierce wind and he fiercely wedged his heavy sword into the cement of the rooftop. Both hands clutched desperately onto the sword handle, turning him into a flag that was waving in the wind.

\n\n

He saw that the five fingers of Sheng Lingyuan, which had been tenderly caressing Bi Chunsheng's head, suddenly retracted with no warning and plunged into her skull. Bi Chunsheng's eyeball was squeezed out of its socket, and blood gushed out of her head. She was so shocked that her face was blank.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan straightened his back and looked down on the woman lying on the ground, "No."

\n\n

The Yin Sacrifice had come to an end. The "host" of the ceremony, the demon, tore up the "contract" of the Yin Sacrifice text on the spot and arrogantly killed the person who cast the spell. It was unknown if this had ever happened before, and even the offering document froze for a moment. Then, the Yin Sacrifice text was furious and floated from him, turning into a sharp blade that counter-attacked.

\n\n

The demon’s body, which was as hard as a stone sculpture, was instantly torn bloody, and yet his face still showed a smile.

\n\n

"Wait!" Xuan Ji instinctively spoke, "No..."

\n\n

A gust of wind shredded his words and a nauseating smell of blood rose in the fog on the rooftop. The only sound that could be heard was the "click" of the five fingers embedded in the skull.

\n\n

"I have always been afraid of being bound."

\n\n

The fierce wind blew Sheng Lingyuan's long hair. The crazy Yin Sacrifice text seemed to want to strangle him alive. His skin cracked and then his flesh and blood were peeled off layer by layer, revealing the veins and bones underneath... Yet, he seemed not to feel it, and the exposed bony hand still firmly nailed into Bi Chunsheng's skull, sinking inch by inch.

\n\n

Blood mist sprayed on Xuan Ji and his sword. Both him and his sword could not avoid it.

\n\n

The devil slightly tilted his head towards Xuan Ji. His originally handsome face was now unrecognizable, and the remaining patches of flesh and skin could not cover the white bones, but Xuan Ji could still feel that he was still smiling. His shoulder was still straight, and his collarbone was hooked on the broken cloth on his clothes. It was quite elegant!

\n\n

The devil, who had been cut to pieces by the Yin Sacrifice text, was like a nightmare. Everyone should have been happy, but Xuan Ji did not know why he could not bear to look, so he closed his eyes.

\n\n

The demon said slowly, "You dare to touch my reverse scale."

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng's face was full of fear. She squeezed out a few words with difficulty from her throat: "Aren't you afraid... of having your bones crushed and ashes scattered?"

\n\n

"Humph."

\n\n

Bi Chunsheng's voice became a mosquito-like buzz: "Aren't you afraid... of your soul flying away and your spirit..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan laughed and Xuan Ji felt a chill down his spine. The patterns of flames at his brows involuntarily emerged. Then he heard the heavenly demon say, “That’s something I could only dream of.”

\n\n

Before his voice had died away, the rooftop exploded with a loud “bang”, half the building was lifted up, Xuan Ji and his sword were thrown out of the building together. The bones of the man laughing wildly were scattered and at that moment, Xuan Ji seemed to hear thousands of people crying out in despair beside his ears. He was deafened for a moment and had no time to think, so he instinctively rolled off the rooftop and picked up a slow-moving agent when he landed, throwing him desperately towards the distance.

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, the lightning struck like a downpour and Xuan Ji, who was a step slow, was swallowed into the electric light.

\n\n

The entire Chiyuan area, consisting of three cities and seventeen counties, lost electricity on a large scale.

\n\n

Eighty-one thunderbolts struck at the same place simultaneously, and all the plants around it caught fire. Thick smoke and tongues of fire spread, human voices, car noises... All were extinguished in the angry divine punishment. Whether it was special ability humans or ordinary people, they were all like grains of sand in the flood, struggling to escape desperately. Heaven and earth seemed to turn upside down for several rounds. After a while, the shocking thunder subsided slightly, and before people's overloaded sight and hearing recovered, the sky leaked and a heavy rain poured down.

\n\n

The fire was extinguished.

\n\n

On the rooftop, the crazy woman and the even crazier demon she had summoned had both turned into flying ashes, without leaving a trace.

\n\n

The hospital building had almost become a ruin. Apart from Xuan Ji, there was no other living being.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was kneeling on the ground with a pair of huge flame-colored wings on his back, which enveloped him. After the thunderstorm, the wings flickered and then turned into tiny points of light, disappearing.

\n\n

The bloody heavy sword slammed to the ground with a "bang", and Xuan Ji's vision went black and he fainted.

\n\n

When Xuan Ji woke up, he was already in the hospital.

\n\n

He crawled up with gritted teeth, feeling that something was wrong all over his body, as if his bones had been disassembled and reassembled... His neck was also crooked. He pulled out the needle from his hand and tried to straighten his neck while remembering what had happened before, and at the same time he felt that something strange was missing from his body, as if something was missing.

\n\n

What was missing?

\n\n

Wallet?

\n\n

No, his wallet and accessories were almost the same, and shouldn't have such a strong presence.

\n\n

Is it the phone?

\n\n

Oh, right, his phone was frozen to death by the demon in Chiyuan Hospital, and he hoped the bureau could reimburse him.

\n\n

Although it was inconvenient not to have a phone, but... This strange feeling seemed not to be caused by a mere phone. Xuan Ji moved his shoulders uncomfortably. He always felt that when he woke up, his whole body bones were lighter by a few catties, and he felt unstable.

\n\n

What was missing?

\n\n

It was not his phone, but something else. Xuan Ji struggled to get up. He felt that he was missing something, something important.

\n\n

At that moment, the door of the hospital ward opened, and Xiao Zheng walked in carrying a one-meter-long cloth bag.

\n\n

Xuan Ji straightened his neck and groaned in pain, "Ah!"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng threw the cloth bag onto his hospital bed, and the single bed creaked in despair, almost collapsing from the weight.

\n\n

"Hey, you ungrateful grandson!" Xuan Ji quickly dodged away in surprise, "What's this?"

\n\n

"Your stuff."

\n\n

Xuan Ji opened the cloth bag and was shocked to see his sword, which was stained with blood and hadn't been wiped. Xuan Ji was stunned and then twisted his neck, suddenly understanding why he had that strange feeling of lightness in his lower back– his spine was empty!

\n\n

This sword was his life-bound sword, which was inserted into his spine every time he summoned it. After killing the enemy, it would automatically return to his back. This sword had a very aloof temperament, as if it didn't want to be seen by any outsiders… so why didn't it return to his back this time?

\n\n

"According to the regulations, any objects with special abilities must be reported to the bureau. It's a small matter, but this thing is too eye-catching," Director Xiao pulled up a chair and slumped down. He had been busy at the headquarters all night and had flown over without waiting for the day to dawn. He rubbed his face tiredly and said with exhaustion, "But with all the chaos yesterday, I guess no one noticed."

\n\n

Xuan Ji wrapped up the sword and asked, "How is it?"

\n\n

"The Yin Sacrifice ritual text has now disappeared and we haven't found Bi Chunsheng's corpse."

\n\n

"Any casualties?"

\n\n

"The field agents outside the Chiyuan were seriously injured, and the others only had minor injuries. Fortunately, no one died."

\n\n

"When the building collapsed, there was an agent who was close by. I threw him out. Is he okay?"

\n\n

"Yes. He thought you had sacrificed yourself to save him and he was so upset that he was given a sedative and put to bed in the room next to yours."

\n\n

"That's not good," Xuan Ji gritted his teeth, "When he wakes up, I have to stay away from him and avoid him seeing my handsome and graceful self, otherwise he will insist on thanking me with his body."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng stared at him with a blank expression, not smiling or rolling his eyes at his inappropriate joke. He took out a cigarette box from his pocket, fiddled with it in frustration, then remembered the hospital didn't allow smoking and reluctantly put it away.

\n\n

Seeing this, Xuan Ji stopped joking and stretched out his arm. A coin flew out from his palm and landed on the door of the single bed room, forming the character "stop". He then extended his arm and opened the window next to the hospital bed: "No one comes in, you can smoke–Old Xiao, are you okay?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng threw a box of cigarettes into Xuan Ji's arms. The two of them, who were uncivilized, each spewed clouds and fog in the ward, and the room was instantly filled with human sorrow.

\n\n

"The Ji Qingchen shot dead by us—the one with the small mustache—was an ordinary person," Xiao Zheng said. "Because he was infected with a butterfly, he showed some abnormal energy features, so he could not escape the mithril bullets. Yesterday, although he was already completely controlled by the butterfly, the person was still alive. The real cause of death was being shot by bullets."

\n\n

Xuan Ji opened his mouth—causing the death of an ordinary person due to misjudgment was a serious dereliction of duty.

\n\n

"Deducted two points from me...It's nothing, I still have eleven points after deducting them. I don't think I'll have many chances to directly command battles in the future, so it's enough." Xiao Zheng waved his hand with a strong fatigue, "The most ironic thing is that I was wrong yesterday, bearing the torment and ordering Bi Chunsheng to be sacrificed, ensuring that Ji Qingchen was killed before the dawn of the night, and it turned out to be a 'correct command to minimize losses' and a reason for exemption from responsibility. Adding the fact that the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly was exposed, it seemed that other things were not counted, so I was just kept in office for investigation."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng seemed to be debating internally about something, furrowing his brows and taking two deep puffs of his cigarette. The cigarette crackled softly and then he exhaled a disordered cloud of smoke, continuing, "If a normal person witnesses an abnormal event, we have to erase their memory, usually with instruments and drugs, but it still causes some harm. Whenever Bi Chunsheng went on an external mission and saved a normal person, she never let the clean-up team take over, instead using her own special ability to alter their memory herself. Her spiritual-type special ability is much gentler than instruments, but it takes time, and it's troublesome... But she probably doesn't mind the trouble. I don't think these are tasks that she has to do, but rather the ones she likes to do the most."

\n\n

This is her belief, this is the meaning she once firmly adhered to.

\n\n

Xuan Ji sat cross-legged on the bed, holding the cigarette without saying a word, just listening. He pulled the bunch of flowers from the bedside and folded a simple ashtray with plastic wrapping paper, throwing it between the two.

\n\n

"Those who have been saved by her, have their memories modified, and have kept in touch with her for a long time. Bi Chunsheng specially made an address book for these people, that address book..."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng tried several times and couldn't say the rest of the words. Xuan Ji knocked off the ash, and said lightly to interrupt him: "The people in the address book have already become walking corpses controlled by the butterfly, right?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng’s gloomy mood was cut off by his official tone, and he could not help but pause.

\n\n

"It's not hard to guess," Xuan Ji slightly shrugged with indifference, "She spread the butterfly eggs?"

\n\n

"She sent out gifts with butterfly eggs mixed in them, and then sent an audio message telling the other person that the food would expire soon, asking them to eat it quickly. Her special ability was hidden in the audio message. Those people were all modified by her special ability and trusted her, so they were especially susceptible to suggestion. Even if they didn't like the food, they would open it and have a try after hearing the message. When these people were completely infected by the butterfly and lost control of their body, she would call them and tell them the truth."

\n\n

Many illusions were broken, and the victims understood that they were killed by the person they trusted the most.

\n\n

The immense resentment produced by this will become the nourishment of the Yin Sacrifice.

\n\n

Xuan Ji remembered Bi Chunsheng's blank face that gradually melted away: "Is her language special ability also effective for the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly?"

\n\n

"Yes, humans have their own emotions and instincts, if the target itself is very wary and hostile, it will reduce the effect of the spirit-based special ability. But Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly has no 'ideas' or emotions. It just controls the host's body according to external information, which is easier to be affected by the spirit-based special ability than humans. The Ancient Studies Department even thought that the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly might be the earliest tool of some malicious spiritual forces."

\n\n

Xuan Ji sighed: "No wonder she can control the boy to write with the Yin Sacrifice text."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was silent for a moment, then said: "When we found the bodies of her family, the bodies were quietly lying on their own beds, the bodies had rotted, and the walls and floors were written with sacrificial texts, which covered up the smell of the corpses, so the neighbors did not notice. Her lover died without rotting because he was parasitized by the butterfly... Maybe when his head was split open, the murderer was too excited and the sweater was torn at one corner."

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked vaguely while holding a cigarette: "Was the sweater seaweed-green in colour?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng didn't hear clearly: "What?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji shook his head wearily.

\n\n

"Her son and mother were in their respective rooms, covered with blankets. Her lover's body was in the master bedroom, and there were traces of someone lying down next to it. From that time... or maybe since eight years ago, she had already gone crazy."

\n\n

For eight years, she lived in a restless nightmare, suspecting that her loved ones were fake husks all the time. Until she found the butterfly parasites on her father's corpse.

\n\n

Nightmare became reality; she probably could no longer distinguish between illusion and reality.

\n\n

Her battle companions, who had been entwined in life and death, turned out to be the hidden masterminds. Then, what she had decided to fight for her lifetime was just a ridiculous scam?

\n\n

When she went mad and knocked open the heads of all her family, she found that her mother and son were not parasitized. What kind of feeling was it?

\n\n

How many layers were there in this underground hell? What level did one have to fall to for the voices to be heard by the evil spirits wandering the underground?

\n\n

For a moment, both of them were silent, until their cigarettes had burned to the end. Then, Xuan Ji remembered something and asked, "What about the child who was parasitized by the butterfly? Is he alive?"

\n\n

"Yes, the cryogenic surgery was successful. He should be able to recover back to normal after a while. We have isolated the butterfly that was taken out. However, this cannot be concealed anymore. This is the biggest scandal since the establishment of the bureau... Maybe that was her purpose. Chief Huang has been called away by the higher-ups, and they haven't returned yet."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "Are the child and the last offering also people saved by Bi Chunsheng?"

\n\n

"No," Xiao Zheng shook his head, "The two of them had no connections with Bi Chunsheng or the Control Bureau before. They didn't even know each other. The only common point is that they were both from Dongchuan. But Bi Chunsheng had never been to Dongchuan, so this is really strange. The investigation team is digging into their social relationships. In addition, where did the parasitized butterfly come from, and how did Bi Chunsheng know about the Yin Sacrifice ritual... All these are not clear yet."

\n\n

Xuan Ji extinguished his cigarette and raised his eyelids: "I originally thought Bi Chunsheng chose to retire to the Aftermath Department because of her special ability, but it wasn't, right, Old Xiao?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was shocked.

\n\n

"This isn't hard to guess," Xuan Ji lifted his eyelids to reveal a pair of cold eyes. Looking bored, he casually picked up the shaken-off cigarette ash, pinched it piece by piece and threw it into the plastic ashtray. His movements were slow, and his words came out slowly as well. "The one who conspired to manipulate the mortality rate with the 'Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly' should be my predecessor in the aftermath department, right?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng didn't make a sound and tacitly agreed.

\n\n

"You know that the Aftermath Department has deep waters, and it is difficult to get involved. Therefore, you deliberately brought me, an 'outsider' carp, to try to break the ecology of the Aftermath Department. I am a person who is afraid of trouble and death. If I had known in advance that this was a position with ‘little money, lots of trouble, and full of landmines’, I would have run back to my hometown with a debt on my back. So you didn't mention it beforehand, and you wanted to deceive me first... Old Xiao, time has passed and my old friends are gone. I, a homeless youth from the north, have had very few friends in these years. You cheated me like this. Can you bear it? It's too heartbreaking."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was speechless, looking up at Xuan Ji.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's eyes still twinkled with a smile, but upon closer inspection, the fullness of the smile seemed like a burden, hanging heavily on his droopy eyelids. His eyes were youthful and bright, but because the weight of the smile was too heavy, they carried a strange sense of weariness. In that moment, Xiao Zheng suddenly realized that Xuan Ji was like his smile - sincere but soulless, treating everyone as brothers but without truly connecting with them.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was usually very relaxed, his edges and corners all contained within the limits of an experienced social animal, as if there was no bottom line. Until he revealed his alienation to Xiao Zheng, who realized his boundary of rejecting people to a thousand miles away.

\n\n

"I...I really don't have anyone to trust." Xiao Zheng said somewhat embarrassedly, "I even suspect that there is a 'shadow of a butterfly' on my resume..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji smiled and thought to himself: "Do you still need to suspect it?"

\n\n

If everyone is mixed up very badly, only a few people have good luck, there is probably something wrong in it.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng could be considered a true " son of heaven." He came from a privileged background, and even more remarkably, his family was harmonious without any ridiculous "rich family feuds." Being an only child, he was showered with affection from a young age. When his family learned about his unique abilities, they didn't treat him as a freak but instead took pride in him.

\n\n

At the age of eighteen, Xiao Zheng officially joined the Bureau while simultaneously pursuing an undergraduate degree and training with the Security Department. After graduation, he directly entered one of the "Three Specials," Thunder, and climbed the ranks rapidly. Now, this young talent has entered the power core of the official organization for special ability people.

\n\n

Then his three views of the world were broken into slag.

\n\n

"It's okay, Little Xiao. If you float around in society, how can you avoid getting cut by a knife? It's just that you haven't been cut yet, so it's time to make up for it. At your level, being put on probation is basically just a formality, don't worry about it," Xuan Ji said.

\n\n

"As for that butterfly incident, since you had no idea about it before, there's no need to think too much about it in the future. Sometimes it's better to remain ignorant. Don't get too caught up in these Schrödinger's truths - isn't Bi Chunsheng a warning from the past?"

\n\n

Fate and history are like "second-order chaotic systems", intertwined with cause and effect.

\n\n

If Bi Chunsheng hadn't been so paranoid about those things, she wouldn't have been driven half-mad by her mental abilities and she certainly wouldn't have desecrated a corpse by opening her father's skull. She would have retired as a hero, with the glory that she deserved, and gone to dance in the square, travel and visit the Bureau during holidays to give lectures to the young people. Her husband may have been just a shadow of thirty years ago, but her mother and son were at least alive.

\n\n

Life is like a dream, and whether it's people or butterflies, who can say what is more real than the other?

\n\n

Xiao Zheng didn't accept this meaningless comfort.

\n\n

He said lowly: "I don't understand. In the end, why is there such a 'Fifteen-People Red Line' rule that eats people at its core?"

\n\n

"Why is it that people with special abilities can't see the light in this society? Why do they have to prioritize protecting ordinary people? Why is it that when in danger, people with special abilities are the ones who have to be sacrificed and abandoned? Are people with special abilities inferior to others? Should their lives be discounted and sold off?"

\n\n

As Xiao Zheng vented, Xuan Ji's gaze swept over his empty right ring finger. The spot where a ring used to be was now just a white circle. He deftly transformed a plastic ashtray, shaping the ash and cigarette butts in the center and folding the outer ring into a strange flower, which he then placed on Xiao's coat. Only then did he say, "Yong'an West Mountain is a nature reserve."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was stunned. "What..."

\n\n

"Twenty miles to the south, which is also our neighbor in the Bureau, is the West Mountain Wildlife Conservation Center. The 'Conservation Center' is surrounded by fences, and if wild animals are obediently 'protected' inside, they will have food and drink as 'human friends.'

\n\n

But if they break free and run around outside, then...sorry, 'friend,' they will be knocked down at best, and killed at worst." Xuan Ji got off the bed, and moved around as if partially paralyzed, picking up his heavy sword and swaying it toward the door of the hospital room.

\n\n

"The Bureau is just like the Conservation Center, and the 'Fifteen-People Red Line' is one of the fences that nobody is allowed to cross. Xiao Zheng, you're not a child anymore, how can you not understand this? That's why I, a wolf in sheep's clothing, only wanted to have a few scraps to eat, and didn't want to get mixed up with you all."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng thought he was going to run away on the spot, and stood up in a hurry: "Wait, where are you going?"

\n\n

"Ah–calm down, I'm not planning to resign for the time being. The devil summoned by the Yin Sacrifice ritual may have some origins with my family. I'm going back to my hometown to get some information, please give me a week off, Director Xiao."

\n\n

Xuan Ji pulled open the ward door and remembered something. He turned back and said to Xiao Zheng, "Remember to compensate me for my mobile phone, and if you dig any more holes for me, you have to pay more money."

\n","published_time":"2023-03-20T00:16:32.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:29:58.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":149,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":13,"chapter_title":"Chapter 13","content":"

After the thunderstorm, the air in the Chiyuan Grand Canyon was full of ozone. As the gloom dissipated, the mutated trees that were creating chaos everywhere also died, as if their vitality had been overdrawn. They turned into several piles of dead branches and withered leaves, and the fallen petals fell into the flowing waters. The Bureau still couldn't relax, and several field teams were still patrolling back and forth in the Grand Canyon - this was what Xuan Ji saw from a high place, and he was in mid-air.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's back wings, which had protected from the thunderbolts, were completely unfolded, with a wingspan of seven or eight meters and a height of more than one person when rolled up. However, although it was huge, it didn't seem too heavy. Every feather on the wings was condensed with flames, and it moved with the wind. The scorching fire roasted the air around him, folding the light and shadow, giving a feeling of virtual lightness, like a burning cloud passing by in a mirage.

\n\n

Anyway, airplanes could not fly in the sky above Chiyuan, and even the Bureau's special planes had to stop nearly a hundred kilometers away in the north, so he was not afraid of being seen.

\n\n

Xuan Ji claimed to be “free and unrestrained, loving freedom”, a “wild” special ability person, which was actually a lie.

\n\n

No matter how marginal, special ability people are still “people”, he is not.

\n\n

He didn't know what he was, so the demon summoned by the Yin Sacrifice called him "Little Demon". He had no objection.

\n\n

He never had a childhood, nor would he age. He was born with this face and seemed to never change. He looked at all beings with eyes that saw the Thousand Demon Bestiary, and could see their "orders, families, and species", but when he looked into the mirror, the blank paper formed by the white mist always had nothing, only a lonely line of words: Nanming Fire-keeper.

\n\n

As for what kind of species the "Firekeeper" is, whether it is a human or a demon, an imported or a local species... the useless Thousand Demon Bestiary knows nothing.

\n\n

Ten years ago, when he first came out of the mountain and into the world, he was staring at the magnificent mountain road and couldn't find his way north when he heard an ominous roar. Following the sound and flying over, he encountered a car accident - the tire of the car burst, and the driver handled it improperly, flipping off the mountain road. Xuan Ji rushed in before the car exploded and dragged the people out.

\n\n

The car was a father and son. The father was driving, and Xuan Ji gave him a breath. The child in the back seat did not fasten the seat belt in time, and died on the spot before rescue.

\n\n

Around him were wild mountains and ridges. When Xuan Ji first came, he didn't know how to save them or who to call, so he thought of a secret method called "Listening to the Corpse". "Listening to the corpse" means that within one or two minutes after the person just breathed, a feather is inserted into the ear of the corpse, and the feather turns into a ball of fire and drills into the corpse's brain. He can hear part of the deceased's memories before death, but how much he hears and what content he hears depends on what the deceased was thinking before his consciousness dissipated.

\n\n

Generally, people who die in accidents will instinctively try to seek help in extreme fear before death. Xuan Ji wanted to take a chance and see if he could find any clues on how to seek help. Unexpectedly, the teenager might have hit his head hard when the car overturned, and he passed away without any reaction. In his last moments, he was only filled with some mundane daily trivialities.

\n\n

Xuan Ji, in a daze, tried to save his unconscious father's life, and half-understood the mortal youth's longing for worldly matters.

\n\n

The teenager had just been accepted to university and was on his way to a school in another place when the accident happened. Home, school, the longing for the future, the longing for the girl he had a secret crush on, all these vivid youth flooded into Xuan Ji's ears, and in a very short time, disappeared with the corpse becoming colder.

\n\n

At this moment, the unconscious father opened his eyes briefly. Due to excessive blood loss, he mistakenly thought Xuan Ji was his child, tightly gripping his hand and mumbling "Don't be afraid" again and again, and covering Xuan Ji's hand with blood in the process.

\n\n

Sticky and warm, like a spiderweb, Xuan Ji was dragged into the mortal world.

\n\n

Xuan Ji followed the father's muddled instructions and, by sheer luck, managed to turn on their phones and fiddled with them for half a day, eventually successfully calling the police.

\n\n

Then he buried the teenager's corpse and, with a little sleight of hand, replaced the teenager's identity - not completely changing his face, but just changing his clothing and temperament according to the teenager's appearance, confusing people's senses and making people who knew the original owner feel that he had been like this before.

\n\n

"Xuan" was the original owner's surname, which he liked upon hearing it, so he kept it.

\n\n

"Ji" was what he changed when he understood the modern household registration system and went to the public security bureau. As his identity was over 18, the process was quite troublesome - but even though it was troublesome, it still had to be changed, because "Ji" was his real name, he didn't know who came up with it, and it was born with him. Ancient people said "names and fate are connected", and modern psychology also believes that names are related to the subconscious. He felt like he should be called this.

\n\n

Just graduating from high school is a major turning point in life, especially for teenagers who go to university in another place. After a semester, their character and habits often change a lot, and their family and friends won't pay too much attention. Consequently, "Xuan Ji" had an identity and became a person with a background story. Even the investigators from the Bureau hadn't been able to detect any problems with his resume.

\n\n

Xuan Ji swooped over the Chiyuan Grand Canyon from high altitude, flew directly into the depths of the canyon that the Bureau didn't dare to enter, and plunged into the depths of the dense forest. When he descended, he brought down a few leaves, and the bright leaves were instantly ashes before they even touched the ground.

\n\n

The eerie silence here allowed one to see the half-empty sky, the ground, and even the spiderwebs solidified in the bushes through the "Thousand Monster Bestiary"... All of them were ancient formations, layered upon one another, full of murderous intent.

\n\n

Xuan Ji flew through the canopy of trees blocking out the sky, landing and folding his wings. Putting on his shirt, he fastened the mother-of-pearl buttons as he walked in, each step precisely falling in the gaps of the formations, passing through the alarming clusters of them with ease.

\n\n

Following a intermittent stream, he arrived at the foot of a mountain deep in the Chiyuan Canyon. Xuan Ji mumbled something, and with that, a flame rose from his palm, quickly disappearing into the ground. Immediately after, the ground shook, a sigh coming from the depths of the canyon as if a barrier had been opened. The formerly silent forest suddenly became alive with noise, countless whispers of bird cries and bug hums. Vines like snakes dangled down, rubbing against Xuan Ji affectionately as the ancient trees slowly moved to the sides, making way for a path.

\n\n

Passing through the path made by the ancient trees, the view suddenly opened up. It was a hundred-zhang-wide canyon, lush with grass and trees and streams flowing. On both sides were steep cliffs, and in the middle of the canyon was a vast... ancient city.

\n\n

This was the Chiyuan Canyon where "all living things must stop and any intruder will be crushed to dust".

\n\n

This was the place of his birth.

\n\n

The ancient city in the canyon was like the Pompeii buried under volcanic ash, or the Atlantis hidden in the depths of the sea. It was full of deathly aura, and not a soul to be seen.

\n\n

In the center of the ancient city was a pitch-black stone carving of a giant tree, dozens of meters tall. Every branch and leaf was extremely realistic, as if they could sway in the breeze. South of the stone tree was the highest point in the whole valley, upon which a large hall stood facing south, with two wings each with a temple, engraved with huge flame totems. The totem was identical to the mark on Xuan Ji's forehead.

\n\n

Following the large hall and temples, there were large and small courtyards, corridors and bridges, stone monuments, and murals faintly visible.

\n\n

Like a specimen frozen in place.

\n\n

As soon as Xuan Ji stepped into it, the ruins-like ancient city suddenly "came alive". Black fog came out from the ground, cliffs, stone gaps and dense forest, dispersing into the air and taking various forms. Some were human-shaped, some were just bones, some were half-human half-beast... and some were just a bunch of limbs put together, circling him merrily.

\n\n

Then, a piercing neigh sounded, and from the black fog, a group of cavalry rushed out, galloping through the air and quickly arriving in front of Xuan Ji. The iron hooves of the warhorses were lifted high, and the riders on the backs of the horses, like ghosts, alighted and formed bodies, bowing to him.

\n\n

Xuan Ji waved his hand: “Don’t make it so grand every time, the times outside are no longer the same, you are making me feel like an old feudal lord.”

\n\n

The leader of the swordsmen stepped forward, pushing away his black mask on the face, revealing a face that could scare people to death—only one eye, the rotten skin on the face sticking the five senses together, and the left lower jaw revealing mottled white bones.

\n\n

He smiled at Xuan Ji with this face and made a hoarse voice from his throat: “Clan leader...back...home...safe?”

\n\n

“Oh, it's been a while since you’ve come back,” Xuan Ji responded, “Dao Yi, you’ve worked hard to take care of the family. Has that crazy person digging graves in the nearby disturbed you all?”

\n\n

“Not yet,” Knight “Dao Yi” said, “I was about to...dream...of you.”

\n\n

“What?”

\n\n

“‘Fu Qi’ and ‘Jian Shi Er’ want to...return their souls to the heavens and earth.” As Dao Yi spoke, the evil face showed a complex expression, both desolate and seemingly yearning, and two swordsmen stepped forward, taking off their armor and kneeling at Xuan Ji's feet.

\n\n

One of them had no head, his neck was empty and there were only some wafting mists; the other was blackened, and there were occasional red spots on his body. Looking closely, it turned out that those "red spots" were all sparks - he was like a charcoal in a fire pile, and when a gust of wind swept through, he would suffer from the pain of burning.

\n\n

Xuan Ji sighed. In his eyes, the "Thousand Demon Bestiary" that was not closed marked the identity of these "swordsmen" — "weapon spirits".

\n\n

It is said that the ancient battlefield in the Chiyuan area once left a large number of ancient cold weapons. One of them was a special weapon, which was called "Divine Weapon" in ancient books. In Xuan Ji's opinion, it should be called "Ghost Weapon". It greatly reflects the persecution of the people by the old society - they are all “refined” with living things.

\n\n

Using secret techniques to merge living creatures alive into the refining furnace, after the device is formed, there will be “weapon spirits”, these weapon spirits are imprisoned in the device body forever and ever, enslaved by people.

\n\n

In ancient times, smelting technology was limited, and even the "divine" knives would rust after years of use. Once the weapon that served as the body had a problem, the weapon spirit would almost be abandoned - some weapon spirits would rot with the weapon, and some wouldn't be rotted in time and lost their minds first...until the device body was completely rotten, these weapon spirits would follow suit.

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't know how powerful the "Divine Weapon" was at the time, but he knew how tragic these weapon spirits were.

\n\n

These weapon spirits abandoned in the ancient battlefield had no master, they were his neighbors, his people and his friends. From birth, Xuan Ji was only accompanied by them. He didn't know why, but all the weapon spirits spontaneously submitted to him, even those who had gone crazy, and could be quiet for a while around him.

\n\n

The spirits called him "Chief of the Fire-Keeping Tribe", and when they could no longer bear the torture, they would go to Xuan Ji for help to destroy their own bodies and beg for relief.

\n\n

"Alright," Xuan Ji said softly, "Then... let's go to the altar first."

\n\n

The altar was behind the great hall in the south, surrounded by thirty-five stone tablets, inscribed with the birth and death dates of the deceased. According to Dao Yi, they were Xuan Ji's previous thirty-five "Fire-Keepers", which could be roughly equivalent to "ancestors and ancestors".

\n\n

After the death of the previous Fire-Keeper, the next one was born, and Xuan Ji himself was "born" in this cemetery. His early memories were already blurred, he only vaguely remembered that he couldn't move at that time, and he seemed not to need to eat, drink, or defecate.

\n\n

Listening to Dao Yi's description, he felt that he might be a slow-growing sweet potato or potato - germinating on the corpse of his predecessor.

\n\n

The altar was spotless, and the bodies of two seeking relief spirits had already been arranged in the middle of the altar: a broken axe and an ancient sword corroded beyond recognition.

\n\n

The spirits were all very familiar with this matter, and they all stepped forward, bidding farewell to the Fu Qi and Jian Shi Er.

\n\n

Most of these crippled spirits could no longer speak, so they just silently gathered together to each send the other on a journey, and then dispersed to stand around the altar. Fu Qi and Jian Shi Er knelt down to Xuan Ji, and then their bodies flashed and disappeared into the broken axe and ancient sword.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was like a delicate craftsman, taking the white cloth from Dao Yi. He knelt on the ground and meticulously wiped off the dust on the two wounded soldiers. He didn't know how he knew all this. Suddenly, a cloud in the sky was blown away by the wind, and the brilliant sunshine fell on the altar. Just then, the rust on the sword was wiped off by the white cloth, and a corner of the sword engraving was exposed in the sun. The characters were not clear, only the head of the grass character was left.

\n\n

There were too many characters in the grass character, so it was impossible to guess. Anyway, it must not be "Moxie". The spirits of these weapons are all nameless and insignificant, neither beneficial nor harmful to the world. It seems that they were born just to suffer in this fate.

\n\n

After Xuan Ji wiped the body of the rusted weapons, he asked, "No regrets?"

\n\n

The wounded spirits were silent.

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked the same question three times in a routine manner, and after waiting a moment, the two spirits did not come out again, which meant they had no regrets.

\n\n

"Thanks for your care over the years. I'll send you off," Xuan Ji said softly as he pressed his hand to his chest and said, "Brothers."
\n
\nHe then pinched his chest as if plucking out a fireball. Xuan Ji held the fireball in his hands and the two broken weapons on the altar flew up by themselves, circling around him with a hint of reluctance before diving into the fireball.

\n\n

Xuan Ji closed his eyes.

\n\n

When the fireball touched the weapons, it immediately surged and swallowed the weapons cleanly. The flame suddenly turned pure white and could melt gold into jade. In the blink of an eye, the two broken weapons melted into Xuan Ji's palm.

\n\n

Two vague figures rose from the flames in mid-air. One was tall and the other was short. They were not the shadowy forms of dark spirits.

\n\n

The tall one was a thin scholar with patched clothes but neatly trimmed beard, looking poor yet dignified. The short one was delicate and petite, her hairstyle and posture vaguely resembling a young girl, a stark contrast to the blood and fleshy weapon spirits - this was what the spirits looked like before being refined into cutting weapons.

\n\n

Through the flames, Xuan Ji caught a few glimpses of their lives as living beings, but it was as chaotic and short-lived as “Listening to the Corpse”, and the scenes of the past disappeared with their figures in the flames.

\n\n

The other weapon spirits stared at the flames on the altar for a long time until it gradually dimmed and extinguished in Xuan Ji's palm. Then they dispersed like wandering souls.

\n\n

Every time, Xuan Ji found it hard to guess what the weapon spirits were thinking. At first, he was afraid that after watching the funeral, they would line up to borrow fire from him, after all, death has a demonstration effect. But later he found that it was worrying too much. Although the weapon spirits could not understand the joys and loves of life, they were still willing to continue living.
\nUntil they really arrived at the end of the mountains and rivers, they would carefully choose their own end and bid farewell to the world solemnly.

\n\n

Xuan Ji sat alone on the altar, his thick, smooth outer shell briefly peeling away. His expression was indifferent, and the brilliant sunlight revealed a hint of loneliness. He listened to the sound of insects chirping in the stone forest, suddenly feeling the urge to light a cigarette.

\n\n

At that moment, there was a "crack" sound in his ear, and Xuan Ji suddenly paused and looked towards the sound.

\n\n

A crack had inexplicably appeared on a stone tablet in the stone forest.

\n","published_time":"2023-03-26T20:58:45.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:04.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":156,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":14,"chapter_title":"Chapter 14","content":"

Divine beings cannot protect the people of the world, they are already rotten beneath the pear tree - Foreword.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had thought that he had been struck by the Heavenly Thunder, his body shattered and his soul scattered, and that he could finally rest in peace for a good ten thousand years. But he was unexpectedly awakened for the second time before he could even finish his nap. Last time, he was a bit grumpy when he woke up, but this time he was so numb that he couldn't even bother to show his temper.

\n\n

The backlash from the Yin Sacrifice was really unforgettable. Even though his body was already gone, his divine consciousness was still trembling with pain, and every thought was torture. Technically, he had no body left to play dead with...so what was going on?

\n\n

Couldn't these younger generations find another demon to worship instead?

\n\n

Chaotic sounds of drumming and gongs rang in his ears, with a man shouting and gasping inside, but Sheng Lingyuan couldn't make out what he was saying. He listened with patience for a while, but couldn't understand a single word, and his headache became even more intense. He wondered to himself, "What kind of monster is crying at the gravesite?"

\n\n

Just then, footsteps drew near, and someone helped him up. The lingering pain lingered in his consciousness, so Sheng Lingyuan's senses were very dull. It took him a while to realize that the person had a piece of cloth of unknown material and was rubbing him all over like kneading dough.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan suddenly opened his "eyes" and saw a face close to his, with the other person's nose almost touching him, every eyelash distinct and drawing a pair of beautiful phoenix eyes with clear amber-like irises. The only flaw was the dark circles under their eyes, which detracted from their appearance.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was stunned and saw the person exhale on him and then rub him again with the cloth, muttering, "Why can't I clean it?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "..."

\n\n

Audacious!

\n\n

He recognized this as the little demon of Chiyuan with many tricks, and didn't know how he had fallen into this guy's hands. He saw the little demon muttering to himself and backing away a little, and Sheng Lingyuan realized that his perspective was strange... it was as if he was lying in the other person's arms.

\n\n

The little demon had changed into a peculiar-looking garment, milky-white in color. It was made of some kind of material that was spun into fine threads, and its workmanship was exquisitely detailed. Even though he was living in the mortal world, his life seemed quite comfortable and well-to-do, or he wouldn't be wearing such a delicate outfit.

\n\n

Although he didn't understand why the little demon was dressed like a sheep, the soft fabric rubbed against him, and the feeling was very comfortable. The little demon's body temperature was transmitted through the clothes, warm and cozy. Sheng Lingyuan sighed silently, and the post-traumatic effects of being mutilated suddenly eased a bit, and his mind became clearer.

\n\n

He then tried to feel his body - it was subtle. He found that he seemed to be separated from his surroundings by a layer of something, able to "see" and "hear," but these sensations were not coming from his five senses.

\n\n

Is he attached to some kind of tool?

\n\n

"I've never seen this before," the little demon, Xuan Ji, picked up the small "flat box" that could transmit sound over long distances, and Sheng Lingyuan heard him command the "box," "Search the internet for 'how to clean blood stains off swords and knives.'"

\n\n

The small box emitted a flat female voice and replied, "This is a webpage related to 'how to clean blood stains off swords and knives.'"

\n\n

"The bathhouse can wash... what the hell! Oh, it's a gaming forum. Use a silk scarf to wipe...hiss, isn't that obvious?" Xuan Ji frowned, and after thinking for a while, he said to his phone, "Search the internet for...um, 'how to wash pants stained with menstrual blood.'"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "..."

\n\n

Although he didn't understand, his intuition was that it was nothing good.

\n\n

This small demon belongs to the fire element, but has at least one magical artifact made of gold on its body. Although they only briefly clashed, Sheng Lingyuan could tell that he was not as simple as he seemed on the surface. In terms of strength alone, he was equal to, if not surpassing, those ancient demons that had long since disappeared.

\n\n

What's strange is that his cultivation level is not very impressive - for example, he didn't want to show his hand in front of mortals at first, didn't even dare to draw his sword, and lacked common sense in many ways. He was like an ignorant child who held a treasure trove of gold but didn't know how to use it. Was it because he grew up among mortals without the guidance of elders?

\n\n

But if that's the case, where did he get this incredible power?

\n\n

Was he born with it? What kind of being is he exactly?

\n\n

As Sheng Lingyuan thought about it, he felt a bit uncomfortable, mainly because the little demon was too impulsive. One hand held a "small box" and kept chattering, while the other hand had nothing to do and was tapping along to the rhythm on his body... It was bad enough that he was tapping away, but after a while, he started singing along with the drumbeat, originally a male roar that turned into two people howling, but they weren't even in the same key.

\n\n

"Tsk," Sheng Lingyuan's thoughts were interrupted by the noise, and he came to a conclusion, "Maybe he's a donkey."

\n\n

Just then, something made a "ding-dong" sound, and the little donkey's singing was interrupted. He responded loudly and temporarily spared Sheng Lingyuan's ears, then got up and left.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was left behind, feeling that he was lying on something like a narrow and long bed, extremely soft. As he sank into it, he marveled at the room.

\n\n

The space was cramped, mainly because the roof was too low, with a square white roof that couldn't be seen through, like a coffin, but it was just barely enough, and ordinary people wouldn't hit their heads on it. The lighting inside was very good, with no walls on one side facing south, all windows, and a thin gauze curtain half-drawn in front of it. The large patches of sunlight freely flowed into the room, covering half of it. Like the place called "Hospital" earlier, the windows were also covered with luxurious "crystal stones", but they looked much cleaner and brighter than the hospital.

\n\n

In the middle of the ceiling was a "disc". Sheng Lingyuan guessed that it was for lighting, similar to what he had seen in the "Hospital", although the shapes were not exactly the same, but the hanging positions were roughly the same. The other furniture around was also very strange. At first glance, it seemed rather poor, with unknown pieces of rough wood pasted together, but upon closer inspection, it seemed like each one had some kind of mystery, which made him hesitant to make any conclusions.

\n\n

The room wasn't spotless, but it wasn't messy either, and it was very comfortable...just a bit noisy. In a corner cabinet was a square box, within which was a black disc spinning, some unknown evil object. From it, a man's voice kept continuously screaming.

\n\n

At this moment, a youth whom Sheng Lingyuan had never seen before walked in with the little demon. He greeted the guest familiarly: "Sit, what would you like to drink?"

\n\n

The guest was quite well-proportioned, wearing a dark blue "robe". There was some gloom between his eyebrows and eyes. Sheng Lingyuan carefully looked at him for a moment and thought, "Human, but seems to have a bit of the taste of a Thunder Beast."

\n\n

He suddenly had an epiphany and thought, "Right, the little demon said that the Qingping Division had been missing for nearly a thousand years. Those mixed-blood half-demons are probably only left with a faint trace of bloodline if they have descendants up to now."

\n\n

The guest was Xiao Zheng. Director Xiao looks exhausted and almost had a stroke when he entered the room and was hit by the loud death metal music. He painfully presses his temples and says, "Can you use your magic to turn off that terrible sound system? Are your neighbors deaf that they haven't complained yet... give me a bottle of water."

\n\n

"It's a workday, in broad daylight, and I’m on my day off. Everyone else is not at home." Xuan Ji took out a bottle of mineral water from the refrigerator and threw it to him, and then moved Sheng Lingyuan off the sofa and propped him up in the corner of the wall.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan felt the object he was possessing was more than half his height and quite heavy. It made a dull sound when it hit the ground.

\n\n

He suddenly had a vague guess, and when Xuan Ji left, the excessively clear mirror in the corner of the room reflected...

\n\n

Sure enough.

\n\n

He thought with a headache, "It really is the little demon's sword."

\n\n

The sword was over three feet long and very heavy. Sheng Lingyuan remembered that the little demon had pulled it out of his own spine, and it should be his magical weapon. The little demon seemed to belong to the fire element and naturally had a fierce yang energy. As the most incompatible with yin and cold things...

\n\n

And he himself was the most yin and cold thing. But the little demon's magical sword not only did not reject him, but seemed to be carefully nurturing him.

\n\n

Just as Sheng Lingyuan was trying to figure out the mystery, Xuan Ji sat down with his legs crossed and fished out a plate of nuts from under the tea table, asking Xiao Zheng: "Have you been working overtime for the past few nights?"

\n\n

"Mm, I have a general understanding of Bi Chunsheng's situation. I investigated the agent who first told her about the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly, and it was consistent with what she said. Our technicians checked her intranet account and found that she repeatedly and frequently browsed cases that your predecessor Gong Chenggong participated in and completed, and kept a close eye on all personnel above the squad leader and those who didn't pass the 'Fifteen People Red Line' score...including me."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was really thirsty, and looked rather embarrassed. He then chugged half a bottle of mineral water, squeezing the bottle and making a "gagaga" sound.

\n\n

"We also retrieved the surveillance footage near Gong Chenggong's residence. Bi Chunsheng had been following Gong Chenggong for a long time, but the whistleblower letter may not have been written by her—at least we haven't found any evidence yet. The letter clearly stated Gong Chenggong's bribery and corruption methods, and I personally think Bi Chunsheng didn't have enough time to check it out so clearly, and she also wouldn't have had the sanity to write a whistleblower letter, but would have started to torture Gong Chenggong directly."

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked, "So she only investigated and didn't take any action against Gong Chenggong?"

\n\n

"No, she didn't have the chance. Although Gong Chenggong was an ordinary person, he handled many people's memories in the aftermath department, and had too many of his own secrets. He was always very careful in this regard—he wore 24-hour shielding instruments to protect himself from mental attacks, and not just one.”

\n\n

Xiao Zheng shook his head. "Bi Chunsheng was always suspicious and disbelieving of the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly until she opened her father's skull and confirmed it. By then, Gong Chenggong had already been secretly controlled and had fallen into a coma.”

\n\n

"Where did she get the butterfly pupa?"

\n\n

"It was the one stolen by Gong Chenggong thirty years ago. We found it in her home, and there was still half a can left. Following her vehicle recorder, we found several properties—all of Gong Chenggong's, recorded under several shell companies. The companies were held by someone else, very concealed. We didn't know about them before, but it should have been found out by her during the investigation. One of them had recently reported a theft, and the police had gone, but since nothing was lost, the case was dropped. There was a very concealed secret room in the property, and there were traces of abnormal energy objects that had existed there before. It should have been the place where Gong Chenggong stored the butterfly pupa. The only thing that is still unclear is...where did she learn the Yin Sacrifice ritual from?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji grabbed a handful of pistachios and ate one after another without taking a break.

\n\n

Xuan Ji grabbed a handful of pistachios, eating one after the other without pause.

\n\n

Actually, there was another doubt in his mind, he didn't know if anyone had heard it...perhaps they thought Bi Chunsheng was just talking nonsense since the situation was so chaotic. After Bi Chunsheng summoned the demon, the demon was actually quite willing to help her seek revenge, and was quite friendly to her summoner. But suddenly it changed its attitude after Bi Chunsheng said “Chiyuan”.

\n\n

Why did Bi Chunsheng suddenly mention Chiyuan?

\n\n

What request did she make of Chiyuan that allowed her to pinpoint the demon's weak spot, so much so that it was willing to risk being struck by lightning and breaking its contract?

\n\n

“As for the case of the field agents colluding with Gong Chenggong to hide the casualty numbers, the Bureau has already officially opened a case.”

\n\n

Xuan Ji snapped back to reality with an “Ah”.

\n\n

“In theory, this case is only to assist the department, but this time it's the Aftermath Department that caused the trouble...”

\n\n

“Understandable, I understand.” Xuan Ji kept nodding his head. After all, he was new, so this had nothing to do with him.

\n\n

He figured that since he was getting paid without having to work while the investigation was going on, it would be like getting a vacation.

\n\n

Xuan Ji said contentedly, “The organization can rest assured, we will immediately put down our current work and fully cooperate.”

\n\n

“What the hell do you have to cooperate with?” Xiao Zheng waved his hand in anger, “What the Bureau means is that I'll take the lead for the self-investigation, but since this involves so many people, from field agents to logistics, I'm not sure I can do it so cleanly, so it's best to have someone who has no interests or ties with any department in the Bureau oversee it.”

\n\n

Xuan Ji reflexively flattered the leader, “The chief thought of everything, the leader really has the skills.”

\n\n

Xiao Zheng: “He's talking about you.”

\n\n

Xuan Ji was taken aback at first, then he raised his eyebrows in confusion.

\n\n

He did get into the Bureau on his own merit, but to say he was appointed as the director of the Aftermath Department on his own merit was shameless.

\n\n

He was just the outside help that Xiao Zheng had asked for to investigate the Aftermath Department – Xiao Zheng just didn't expect that the Aftermath Department that he couldn't find anyone for, after some investigation, would come back to bite him in the head. But to an outsider who didn't know all this, it seemed like the two of them were a team.

\n\n

What was the Bureau Chief's meaning in asking him to oversee Xiao Zheng? Did he trust his revolutionary will and selflessness?

\n\n

Xiao Zheng said quietly, “Yes, it's you. I was afraid he wouldn't understand, so I explained to him that you came to work in the Bureau, and that I was the one who recommended you, but he still...I don't understand what he means.”

\n\n

“Who are we to each other, don't act innocent around me.” Xuan Ji spat out the pistachio shell,

\n\n

“The Bureau's meaning is four words - ‘Don't make a big fuss.’”

\n\n

Xiao Zheng gave him a despairing look.

\n\n

"Okay, let me ask you," Xuan Ji said, "whether the butterfly larvae or eggs, or whatever they are, that your field operatives put on people, aren't you afraid that they will spread among the crowd?"

\n\n

"That won't happen," Xiao Zheng said, "the jar of butterflies collected by the bureau should have been specially processed. Once they parasitize, they stop reproducing. When the host dies, the butterflies die with them."

\n\n

Xuan Ji threw up his hands. "Well then, if it's not contagious and has no social harm, why investigate it?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng had known him for a while and had a hunch that he was about to see a live performance of "lies from a dog's mouth." His temples began to throb in anticipation.

\n\n

Sure enough, Xuan Ji said, "People who have been parasitized by butterflies live their lives peacefully, and their family and friends don't even know about it. Everyone lives a stable and peaceful life. What's wrong with that? If this matter is really investigated thoroughly, and it turns out that tens of thousands of people have been infected with butterflies, what are you going to do? Are you going to arrest them all and cremate them one by one?

\n\n

"Old Xiao, the Bureau is an institution that maintains social security and stability, not one that creates panic in society. It's like our sanitation department. We have to clean up even the most filthy messes with gentle toilet paper...even if we can't clean them completely, we can't use sandpaper to grind out people's lives."

\n\n

His tongue must have had some special function, as he nibbled on nuts while giving a long speech with proper intonation and emphasis, not missing a beat.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng had known that he was a person without any sense of values, but he didn't expect him to be so unscrupulous. He was almost enraged by his nonsense about "cleaning up messes" and slammed his hand on the table, snatching the nut dish away from him. "Is that what you call speaking like a human being? Why are you still nibbling on something! You parrot!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji remained emotionally stable and didn't engage with him. "The 'Fifteen-People Red Line' is a 'collective responsibility system.' Those who covered up deaths and injuries with butterflies back then, some of them did it out of self-interest, but I believe that some of them did it to protect their brothers. Now, digging up the past, even if some people have nothing to hide- like you- can you be sure that your former boss didn't use them?"

\n\n

The man's words made Xiao Zheng's pupils shrink as he lifted his eyelids with a smile that was not quite a smile. "If you've used it, how can you prove that you, as a beneficiary, were unaware of its effects?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng had no response.

\n\n

Did he really not understand what Chief Huang was implying? It was impossible. After so many years in the unit, even if he was straightforward, he was not a naive fool without any thinking ability.

\n\n

He just didn't want to think.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was a friend, a close friend, and in private conversations he didn't mind offending him. In just a few words, he had peeled away the layer of hypocritical gentlemanliness that Xiao Zheng had put on. His conscience was laid bare, leaving him feeling ashamed and embarrassed.

\n\n

"So, are we just going to let the living continue to suffer... and the dead die in vain?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was a person with a cold exterior but warm interior, and when he heard Xiao Zheng's lost words, he thought to himself, "Isn't that the norm?"

\n\n

After sending the lost and bewildered Xiao Zheng away with a bowl of toxic chicken soup, Xuan Ji skillfully cooked himself a meal of three dishes and one soup. Once he was full, he went to his study, holding his favorite sword, the blood stains on which he could never clean off. He put on gloves and carefully opened a small box, taking out a small stack of bamboo slips.

\n\n

These bamboo slips were all brought out from the ancient city in the depths of Chiyuan, and were said to be ancient texts collected by his predecessors. Due to improper storage, the protective talismans on them had long since lost their effect, and the bamboo slips had almost rotted away.

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't know what to say about this, except that "misfortune comes to the door". Of his first 35 predecessors, if even one of them was not a spendthrift and lazy person, they should have known to transcribe and back up these fragile items.

\n\n

This time, the only thing he brought back from Chiyuan were these slips, because Xuan Ji couldn't stay for long. One reason was that he had just started working and didn't have much vacation time, but another reason was that he was staying well, when suddenly a stone tablet next to the altar shattered - first cracking, and then not giving him any time to fix it before shattering into pieces.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's first reaction to the crumbling tablet was not "I should fix up the ancestral altar," but a kind of indescribable panic.

\n\n

It was as if his endocrine system had suddenly malfunctioned. There was nothing wrong, but his body was producing a large amount of hormones related to "fear," and a voice in his mind was urging him to run, as if if he stayed in Chiyuan any longer, there would be some kind of calamity.

\n\n

Xuan Ji only had time to hastily gather a pile of ancient books related to the "heavenly demon" and "lifebound sword" before fleeing. He returned to Yong'an three days ago and completed all the necessary procedures for his new job, and he now has a good understanding of the department's management system. Xuan Ji's most pressing need now is to figure out how to wipe the blood off the lifebound sword and return it to his back. He has found that the longer he is separated from the sword, the more restless he becomes for no reason.

\n\n

Since the lifebound sword left his spine until now, which is less than three days and two nights, Xuan Ji has reached the point where he cannot sleep without holding the sword. If he falls asleep and accidentally lets go, he will wake up within three seconds. Last night, he woke up more than twenty times because of this, and every time he closed his eyes, he was plagued by chaotic dreams. If this continues, he will surely suffer from nerve exhaustion.

\n\n

"Brother Sword," Xuan Ji rubbed the sword with his fingers and used its cold touch to calm his mind, "what's the matter with you?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan, annoyed by Xuan Ji's pestering, glanced around the study and noticed that there wasn't much serious stuff inside.

\n\n

Instead, there was a large crystal cabinet on one wall filled with rows of "sculpted dolls," all of which looked the same and had no spiritual power. It was obvious that they were all ordinary toys.

\n\n

He wondered to himself, "Did this little brat only just stop nursing?"

\n\n

After Xuan Ji "charged" the sword for a while, he carefully placed the lifebound sword next to his action figure cabinet and began to research. Although Dao Yi was loyal and reliable, he was really too old and sometimes confused, often unable to remember things. Xuan Ji suspected that he might have just grabbed everything with the word "demon" in it, regardless of whether it was relevant or not.

\n\n

The ancient books were difficult to read and many of the characters were unclear. They were already difficult to understand, so Xuan Ji had to hold a dictionary and read them word by word, even though progress was extremely slow.

\n\n

"Dongchuan...Witches book...it doesn't seem to be this one." Xuan Ji put that bamboo slip aside, "The 'Concentrating Mind and Dispelling Demons Scripture'...seems to be about physical training, not related...The 'Demon Stone Legend'...what a mess!"

\n\n

Recently his sleep has been really poor, and he just finished eating... Of course, he may not be cut out for research in the first place. Xuan Ji studied at his desk for a while and felt that the characters in the ancient books were becoming more and more blurry and his eyelids were getting heavier. Before he knew it, he fell asleep with his head on the dictionary.

\n\n

It was pitch black all around, and Xuan Ji realized he was dreaming. He had a feeling that this "lucid dream" was trying to tell him something, so he didn't try to break free, but continued walking forward to see what he would encounter in the dream.

\n\n

Suddenly, he bumped into something. Xuan Ji rubbed his fingers together, and a small flame appeared on his fingertip. He saw a huge iron door in front of him, covered in a bright red seal that seemed strangely reminiscent of the broken face of his ring.

\n\n

The surface of the iron door was uneven, as if it were engraved with something. Xuan Ji curiously moved the flame closer to one of the protrusions, and the iron door was illuminated by the flame. He was suddenly shocked - it wasn't an engraving at all, but a clear handprint!

\n\n

Xuan Ji subconsciously stepped back a few steps and looked up, only to see the entire iron door covered with handprints, footprints, and traces of who knows which part of the body being slammed against it, as if... something inside was repeatedly slamming against the door, trying to break it open!

\n\n

At this time, there was a loud "bang" from inside the iron door, and the flame in Xuan Ji's hand quivered violently before extinguishing.

\n\n

In the darkness, the sound of flesh slamming against the iron door kept coming, muffled and frantic, sending chills down people's spines.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's neck hair stood on end, but strangely, under such huge fear, the iron door felt like a black hole, exerting a strange gravitational force, and he couldn't help but reach out to touch it, instead of turning and running away.

\n\n

Just as his hand was about to touch the iron door, a sharp bell rang in Xuan Ji's ear, and a dazzling light rushed into the terrifying dream, and Xuan Ji's consciousness quickly separated.

\n\n

When he woke up, he heard a groan of extreme pain in the sound of the iron door slamming: "Your Majesty..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji opened his eyes in a cold sweat, blanking out for two seconds before reacting that it was his cellphone ringing. He rubbed the ridges pressed onto his face by the dictionary and exhaled a foul breath: "Director Xiao, did you have a new instruction or did you just wake up?"

\n\n

"Something is wrong with that parasitized boy," Xiao Zheng interrupted him. "The butterfly on his body is infectious!"

\n","published_time":"2023-04-02T03:01:31.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:08.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":162,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":15,"chapter_title":"Chapter 15","content":"

The lobby of the Bureau was in a mess after being struck by lightning summoned by the Yin Sacrifice ritual. The ground lobby to the tenth floor were all sealed off and under renovation. Even the trees were surrounded by a tight layer of protective steel plates.

\n\n

Xuan Ji had no choice but to take a detour and enter from the parking lot.

\n\n

The sixtieth floor underground of the headquarters building was the "Isolation Room", used to store all kinds of dangerous items that they did not yet have a method to to resolve, with three security checks at the entrance.

\n\n

Xuan Ji could not let go of his sword, so he unknowingly brought the heavenly demon with him into the headquarters. Sheng Lingyuan was forced to be scanned by the security scanner three times in the sword, and his temper nearly erupted.

\n\n

When Xiao Zheng called, the heavenly demon was in the sword, closing his eyes and meditating. He didn't originally plan to close his eyes, but the fragments of bamboo slips the little demon had a familiar scent that he was quite interested in. He hoped that after the little demon spread out the bamboo slips, he could have a suitable angle to take a look. Who knew that after looking at it for a few lines, he would fall down and sleep soundly.

\n\n

There may be some connection between the master of the sword and the original sword. As soon as he fell asleep, a strong drowsiness quickly came from the sword body, forcing the demon in the sword to take a nap.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng's call not only interrupted Xuan Ji's nightmare, but also woke up the heavenly demon in the sword. Upon waking up, Sheng Lingyuan felt cold in his heart. Because this sword body was like a top-notch cosy resort, it was too comfortable. After staying in it for a while, his sea of knowledge had already calmed down, and the unbearable pain from the Yin Sacrifice backlash had almost completely disappeared.

\n\n

There was something strange about this sword body.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan hated to look at beautiful things. Anything that did not bring pain, or even made him feel comfortable, would make him vigilant, because temptation often hides traps. The last time he was awakened by the Yin Sacrifice ritual, Sheng Lingyuan was in a daze and didn't understand what the summoner was saying, but the resentment and killing intent in the words were clearly visible. He could roughly guess what was going on.

\n\n

So who trapped him in the sword this time?

\n\n

The master of the sword, the little demon himself, was the most suspicious. Although he always looked like he knew nothing, and even showed his heartbeat and breathing, there was a dark spirit beside his bed. Did this kind of pure-blooded demon really have no suspicion at all?

\n\n

What is his purpose?

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't know that he was being plotted about by the sword in his hand. As soon as he entered the isolation room, before he had time to greet Xiao Zheng, he saw several people pushing a low-temperature cooler box quickly passing by him.

\n\n

"Who is this?"

\n\n

"A field agent. When looking for the boy, he was on the front line," Xiao Zheng stepped forward, "After coming into contact with the boy, several frontline agents have similar 'sudden change of sex' symptoms, but they are all manifested in some small things. If it weren't for the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly incident that made everyone in the bureau uneasy, these symptoms might have been ignored. The consequences can be imagined–it takes about fifteen to thirty days for Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly to spread from infection to death. We have secretly isolated all the people who have been in contact with the boy in the past month–come and see."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng said, while leading Xuan Ji into a room with a "danger" sign on the door. In the middle was a glass cover with three layers inside and three layers outside. Inside the cover was a butterfly, very small, about the size of a fingertip.

\n\n

"This butterfly was taken from the boy and is still alive."

\n\n

There was a magnifying glass on the glass cover, which was convenient for observation. Xuan Ji had never seen a Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly, so he went closer. He saw that the butterfly was shining with five-colored fluorescence, and there was a small face on each of its left and right wings. Looking closely, the "face" could even move. First, there was a pair of smiling faces. As soon as Xuan Ji approached, the "smiling faces" disappeared. The face on the left wing of the butterfly changed to fear... and the face on the right wing was crying.

\n\n

"Did I scare the butterfly to tears?" Xuan Ji wondered in his heart, "Am I so ferocious?"

\n\n

Before he could see clearly, the butterfly's wings flapped quickly in the glass cover, hitting the four walls repeatedly, and then suddenly disappeared.

\n\n

Xuan Ji unconsciously leaned back.

\n\n

"It's just invisible. Don't worry, it can't get out of the sealed box, it's still inside." Xiao Zheng paused and looked at Xuan Ji with a frown, "But usually Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterflies only become invisible after infecting humans. Turning invisible outside of the body has never happened before. Why did it become abnormal when it saw you?"

\n\n

"In ancient times, there were closed moons and shy flowers, sinking fish and falling geese," Xuan Ji touched his face, "How about it, Director Xiao, do you think my flowery moon looks were enough to make the butterfly a little shy?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng: "..."

\n\n

Why didn't the eighty-odd thunderbolts split this thing up?

\n\n

Xuan Ji found a chair and sat down: "What's the difference between this special butterfly and the ones that have been 'sterilized' before?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng opened his laptop and released an enlarged photo: "You see, the one on the left is the butterfly separated from Bi Chunsheng's husband's body. Look closely, there are three black lines on the butterfly's abdomen - the one on the right is what you just saw, there is nothing on the abdomen. According to historical records, these Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterflies were sealed by some ancient special masters. With fewer and fewer special people in the later generations, it was difficult to keep these dangerous items, so they were handed over to the bureau. We guess that when the ancients first sealed the butterfly eggs, they may have done something special to ensure that they would not spread in the crowd after infecting humans."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "What is the transmission method of this special butterfly?"

\n\n

"It looks like it's a contact transmission."

\n\n

"Great," Xuan Ji gave a thumbs up and said dryly, "Zombies in a biochemical crisis still have to take a bite – have you checked the butterfly eggs that Bi Chunsheng stole?"

\n\n

"The Research Institute is simulating an emergency hatching in a human environment to test whether these butterflies have reproductive ability," Xiao Zheng said, "The result has not come out yet."

\n\n

"What about that little mustache? The last sacrifice, what about the butterfly on him? "

\n\n

"The last sacrifice, Ji Qingchen, was shot in the head by a mithril bullet, and the butterfly on him was also killed by the bullet, so it can't be confirmed."

\n\n

"That's troublesome," Xuan Ji leaned back and said softly, "I don't know whether to hope that the investigation will find a problem or not. If it is confirmed that the larvae used by Bi Chunsheng have mutated, then... it's better that the butterfly on the child was released by her, otherwise it's over."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was scared by his midnight ghost story.

\n\n

"The things that Bi Chunsheng does have a time limit, clues, and traces that can be followed. It's not a problem if it takes a lot of work to investigate. But if the butterfly on that child's body was infected from elsewhere, then... who gave it to him? Before it was transmitted to him, how many people were infected? Is it possible that this thing is already spreading widely in the crowd - maybe now everyone in the world, except for the two of us, has become a walking corpse controlled by butterflies... Maybe even we are butterflies, but we just don't know it yet, and we're still playing the game of "cops and robbers". As Zhuangzi said, 'Am I a man who dreamt of being a butterfly, or am I a butterfly dreaming that I am a man?'."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng's face turned green from what he said: "Dreaming my ass, shut up!"

\n\n

"Director Xiao, let's embrace the optimistic spirit of revolution and think rationally," Xuan Ji slowly shifted the tone of the conversation. "Nothing in this world is new. If there is a possibility of a large-scale butterfly infection event, it must have happened before in the 5,000 years of our history. It wouldn't have waited until now to happen to you. And you are not the chosen child, either."

\n\n

"Get out!" Xiao Zheng first frowned and then slightly wrinkled his brows, hearing the meaning of the words, "Slow down, what do you mean?"

\n\n

Xian Ji said: "Have you ever thought that for this species of butterfly, been an 'eunuch' is the norm?"

\n\n

"You mean that these butterflies may not reproduce sexually..."

\n\n

"I mean that these butterflies don't reproduce at all."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng: "Don't talk nonsense, how can there be animals that don't reproduce in the world..."

\n\n

"Yes, there are," Xuan Ji retorted. "Isn't that what mules are for? Young master, you don't have to worry about farming."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was silenced by him.

\n\n

"I suspect that these butterflies, like mules, are the 'wisdom' of our ancestors - Comrade Xiao Zheng, do you really think that the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly is naturally born? If it really is like that, what is the difference between the human brain and the pig brain for parasites, why does this thing only parasitise humans?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng shivered, not knowing what he was thinking.

\n\n

Xian Ji pointed at Xiao Zheng's chest vaguely with a smile: "Monsters, demons, ghosts, and strange creatures, which one is more vicious than human hearts?"

\n\n

As he spoke, he used the back of his index finger to rub back and forth on the blade, his fingers were dexterous and dangerous, as if playing with fire. The sword was not put back into the "sheath", so it was hung outside, the body of the sword was thick and simple, with only two sharp edges that formed two lines, and the unclean blood stains on it were like some kind of ancient totem, adding a bit of dangerous atmosphere.

\n\n

As the pain from the backlah subsided, Sheng Lingyuan's senses became more and more sensitive. At this time, he could already feel the sound of blood flowing under Xian Ji's finger skin from the almost imperceptible touch on the blade. The heavenly demon was very patient and not afraid of being touched, but just looking at that small section of blood vessels hidden under the skin, a sense of hunger and thirst that had been separated for thousands of years suddenly surged up, almost making him unable to concentrate on what the two were saying.

\n\n

He found himself wanting to drink blood.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan calmed down and thought that he should not have had such an appetite before, although his memory was like a broken sieve, completely empty, he didn't think he had this kind of appetite before. He couldn't tell whether he simply wanted to drink blood or was only interested in the blood of this little demon. He savored the waves of heat and burning, feeling it was a bit novel.

\n\n

At this time, Xian Ji seemed to have sensed the danger, and his fingers shrank suddenly. He said to Director Xiao: "Do you still remember what the Bureau's archives said about the 'Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly'?"

\n\n

Before Xiao Zheng could answer, he recited it himself: "'Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly', parasitic organism, first-level danger, only parasitises humans. Larvae and eggs can hibernate for a long time. Once they grow into adults, they no longer have the ability to parasitise new hosts. When they leave the original host or the original host dies, the adults often die within a short time, usually within an hour."

\n\n

Xian Ji pointed to the glass sealed box behind him - the little butterfly appeared again as soon as he left, quietly lying on the glass wall: "Look at it, it has been taken away from the host for a few days, right? I see that it is still in good shape."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng took out a crocodile-skin wallet from his pocket: "From now on, I'll give you a hundred yuan for every minute you can speak human language."

\n\n

Rumour had it that Xiao Zheng was a rich second-generation and his family had a mine, and that he worked not for money, but for self-realisation. It seemed the rumours were true!

\n\n

"Okay, Dad!" Xuan Ji straightened up upon hearing the offer, and his tone immediately softened.

\n\n

Without a second thought, he composed himself, "The reason why people infected with the 'Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly' are not easily detected is also due to this aspect - think about it, if butterflies can survive outside the human body and reproduce inside it, what kind of scene would it be? After the infected person dies, a large group of colorful butterflies will fly out of the seven orifices of their corpse. Father, we may have already seen countless horror versions of 'The Butterfly Lovers' live on stage.

\n\n

Before he finished speaking, a researcher wearing a full isolation suit ran in, panting: "Director Xiao, the test results are out! The half-jar of insect eggs taken from Bi Chunsheng's house are all non-reproductive processed butterflies..."

\n\n

"So the question is," Xuan Ji stroked his chin, "what is so special about the boy from Dongchuan?"

\n\n

"We have investigated all of the boy's social relationships, and he has no direct or indirect contact with the Bureau. The only person he has been in contact with in this incident is the last sacrifice, Ji Qingchen," Xiao Zheng said quickly. "Ji Qingchen is nothing special either. He was also saved by Bi Chunsheng. He usually makes money by making videos and live streaming, but nothing decent. He disappears whenever there is an incident. He has been walking around at night and sometimes encounters 'real ghosts'. The carnivorous beast incident he experienced was handled by Bi Chunsheng."

\n\n

"He is the last sacrifice, so 'nothing special' is already very special," Xuan Ji said. "This little-mustached man has put out more than forty short videos and over a dozen live streams. I have gone through them all these past few days..."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was taken aback. He didn't expect Xuan Ji, who seemed like a layabout, to be so meticulous in his work. In shock, he asked: "You watched them all? In just a few days?"

\n\n

"Yeah," Xuan Ji shrugged inexplicably. "In my spare time. When I'm taking a bath, going to the toilet, eating... When I eat alone, I also 'eat streams'. What do you use to accompany your meals?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng: "Books."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was also shocked: "Are you sick?"

\n\n

The internet-addicted youth and the iron-blooded veteran looked at each other, both feeling that the other was incomprehensible.

\n\n

Director Xiao needed him, so he had to temporarily agree to disagree. He asked: "What's wrong with his videos?"

\n\n

"Most of the content in these forty-plus short videos are him solving 'paranormal problems' for others. He talks vaguely, and it's obviously a swindler's trick. A group of people follow him regularly, and they tell others how the 'master' saved them.

\n\n

"Is that what they call 'network water army'?"

\n\n

"It's not necessarily. The narrators vary in level, and each person has their own unique version. If it's a water army, the water is too real and sincere. Although the versions are different, the experiences they tell are similar—they encountered a master somewhere one day, the master calculated that there was a disaster, they didn't believe it at first, but after going back for a few days, they were 'possessed by a lonely ghost', with symptoms of 'clear mind but body out of control'. They desperately sent out a distress signal, but their family couldn't understand it, and in the end, it was the master who saved them. How about it, does it sound familiar?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng pondered for a moment: "You mean that Ji Qingchen might have come into contact with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly or something similar before?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji narrowed his eyes and smiled, looking like a dandy without a backbone. He raised his sword to shine on his face, then glanced at his watch and took five hundred yuan from Xiao Zheng's wallet without hesitation.

\n\n

"Five minutes and twenty seconds. Since we’re friends, I won’t count the twenty. Get the plane ready. I'm going to Dongchuan to investigate Ji Qingchen's eight generations of ancestors. " Xuan Ji returned the wallet to Xiao Zheng. In front of the researcher, he said nothing, only smiled meaningfully. "Don't worry."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was stunned for a moment and suddenly understood his meaning - rest assured, if this was the only butterfly mutation event, as long as it was investigated, the impact could be minimized and it wouldn't be a big deal.

\n\n

For some reason, Xiao Zheng was not relieved, but instead felt a lump in his throat.

\n\n

Xuan Ji picked up the heavy sword and left, and the person in the sword was still guessing the words he didn't understand: "Prepare what plane?"

\n\n

In the Bureau, everyone was in a panic due to the self-investigation, and the Aftermath Department was so busy that they wished they didn't exist.

\n\n

When Xuan Ji entered the office, he felt like he had stumbled into a botanical garden - everywhere were freshly cut green luo leaves, packed in plastic mineral water bottles and hung in a row in the corner of the wall.

\n\n

Luo Cuicui explained nervously: "Leader, when I'm nervous, my fingers and toes will grow crazily, and I can't control it, so I have to cut it off... Uh, do you have any instructions today?"

\n\n

The green was certainly eye-catching, but when he thought that some of them were grown out of Old Luo's socks, Xuan Ji felt that the whole office was filled with a strange smell, and his feet stopped and he stepped back: "Luo Cuicui, Ping Qianru, and... uh... forget it, I'm not familiar with them. You two find someone else and come with me on a business trip to Dongchuan. Other comrades can take care of the office when they are not busy."

\n\n

The staff management manual of the Aftermath Department had some rigid regulations, such as when the number of people in the business trip team was not less than four, the department's special plane could be used to save costs. Since Bi Chunsheng was not here, a young man in a hoodie was temporarily called out to make up the number. Thirty minutes later, he, Xuan Ji, Luo Cuicui and Ping Qianru got on the plane together.

\n\n

The man in the hoodie was called Yang Chao, in his twenties, with eight eyebrows, a neck that seemed shorter than normal, and a face of sorrow at a young age. He was carrying a stack of books.

\n\n

"This is our department's little Yang," Luo Cuicui introduced, "he is especially good at memorizing books, knows everything, you can ask him many things, faster than getting documents from the Bureau."

\n\n

Before Yang Chao could greet Xuan Ji, he sneezed a few times, making his facial features look like a pig and a dog.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "Uh... If you’re not feeling well, don't force yourself, it's not an issue to swop with someone else."

\n\n

"It's okay, Director, I have rhinitis, and I'm prone to illness when I'm nervous and anxious." Yang Chao took out a wrinkled mask from his pocket and put it on, and said in a muffled voice, "I can do it."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was not very relieved, feeling that this person was not very reliable, but he hesitated for a moment and still said nothing - let's go, after all, it's just to make up the number, and it's better than summoning a big demon.

\n\n

"Why do you bring a book on a business trip?"

\n\n

"To review for the exam," Yang Chao answered honestly, "in case I pass the exam, I have to resign, so I want to save some money. Our department has allowances and meals on business trips, so I can save one day's meal expenses. Thank you colleagues for giving me the opportunity."

\n\n

After listening to his thrifty words, Xuan Ji unconsciously thought of his bank card balance, and couldn't help but feel sad: "Ah, let's go then."

\n\n

"Qianyang." Thought Sheng Lingyuan, he "looked" from the sword, just as Yang Chao glanced this way, as if he had met the sword's gaze, he was startled and sneezed almost enough to make the plane fly. This amused the great demon, who remarked, "Despite having diluted bloodline, your perception is quite sharp."

\n\n

At this time, the plane began to announce takeoff.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was still thinking whether "takeoff" had any implied meaning, when the plane had already accelerated along the runway, and with a numbing roar, it left the ground and pulled towards the sky.

\n\n

The heavy sword that was not properly placed fell down due to inertia, and Xuan Ji subconsciously stretched out his hand to catch it. His palm was just on the sword blade, and this sword that was pulled out from his back cut his hand open - blood flowed down along the sword groove.

\n","published_time":"2023-04-09T01:02:22.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:41.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":169,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":16,"chapter_title":"Chapter 16","content":"

The two people inside and outside the sword were stunned. In theory, the life-bound sword should not be able to cut himself—otherwise, Xuan Ji would have been paralyzed a long time ago if he had inserted the sword into his back every day.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't expect that this iron "chicken" could run two steps and then take off. He was distracted for a moment, and the sword blade touched the human skin and flesh. The desire for blood overwhelmed his rationality. When he came to his senses, it was too late.

\n\n

The skin on the human hand is thin and the blood vessels are numerous. The heavy sword was embedded in Xuan Ji's palm, and the blood flowed like a fountain. The sword’s groove was filled in the blink of an eye. Luo Cuicui heard the noise and looked out. "Oh my God!" He was so scared that she sprouted. The green vine grew panickedly and circled around her neck. He said greenly, "Blood! My mother! So much blood! Quickly stop the car... no, that... hurry up and save your life!"

\n\n

Old Luo shouted hard, and he shrank so quickly as though he was afraid of being touched by the blood.

\n\n

Ping Qianru finally jumped up in a panic, forgetting to unlock the seat belt, and the chocolates and fish skins rolled all over the ground. Only Yang Chao was still calm. He was about to come and help when he just took two steps. This sneezing monster raised his head to the sky and prepared to erupt. Xuan Ji was afraid that the wound would be stained with a lot of mucus, so he quickly refused his kindness.

\n\n

The sword blade seemed to be embedded in his palm, greedily sucking his blood and qi.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had a "since it has come, then accept it" temperament. Since he had cut it, he simply sucked the blood to his heart's content. He seemed to have been hungry and cold for a long time, and he drank a bowl of hot meat soup. Even if his mouth was burned by the hot soup, he still didn't want to spit it out. More and more fresh blood poured into the sword body. His mind suddenly became much clearer, and his vision suddenly expanded. For a moment, he could even see all the people and things in the cabin through the heavy sword.

\n\n

In the noise of the plane, Xuan Ji seemed to hear a sigh of "how fresh..." in his ear.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's arm was trembling, and he didn't care about fire being forbidden on the plane. With the other hand dipped in blood, he quickly drew a complex rune on the sword body. The heavy sword burned. With a "bang", it fell off from his palm, and the voice in his ear hummed lightly, but it seemed to ignore this attack and hummed lowly and laughed.

\n\n

Before the fire alarm sounded, Xuan Ji stretched out his hand and gathered the flames on the sword body into his palm. When the fire swept past, he saw a pair of gentle and affectionate eyes in the reflection of the sword body. They were red from the fire, but still smiling, with a creepy gentleness.

\n\n

Ping Qianru finally broke free from the seat belt and ran over like a gust of wind. Xuan Ji was afraid that she would touch this dangerous sword, so he stepped on the heavy sword on the ground and pushed it under the seat. Sheng Lingyuan had just benefitted, and he didn't care about the honor or disgrace of being stepped on.

\n\n

"Director, are you okay, Director? Where did you cut it? "Ping Qianru was shocked by the blood on the ground and asked with a crying voice, "Is it the aorta?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji said helplessly: "Girl, do you expect me to be okay?"

\n\n

"Wait, we have a first-aid kit. I'll find it for you. You can hold on for a while." Ping Qianru ran around in a hurry and turned back to call, "Hold on for a while!"

\n\n

"Ah," Xuan Ji nodded helplessly to her, "Slow down, don't fall."

\n\n

After all, the life-bound sword was the life-bound sword. As soon as it left his palm, the wound began to heal on its own. In a few words, the severed muscles had begun to repair themselves. Xuan Ji supported his wounded hand and his gaze fell on the sword handle exposed under the seat. His expression was unfathomable.

\n\n

He was silent for a moment, and then he lowered his voice with the noise of the plane and said, "You are a bit ungrateful... this 'majesty'?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji began to doubt his life-bound sword. It was from the pile of classics that Dao Yi gave him before his noon break—it was from the tattered "Dongchuan Witches Book". It said that the heavenly demon is "a great power fallen, leading the demon qi of heaven and earth into the flesh, even if the flesh is destroyed, if its will arises again, there will still be the gathering of demon qi and the return to the human world. The name of the human demon cannot be spoken or thought of, and it must not be disturbed".

\n\n

In short, no matter what it was at the beginning, once it changed from "human" to "demon", it became another kind of existence. The original shell was like a bottle of water, and when the bottle broke, the water would definitely spill, but under certain conditions of time, place, and people, the spilled liquid still had a chance to gather together.

\n\n

Theoretically, demons can attach to other things with spirituality.

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't know if his sword counted as "spiritual", although it had never made a sound before and had never shown any potential to become a spirit, but Xuan Ji always felt that it was not a dead thing. Since he had memory, this sword had been with him all the time, it seemed to be able to catch every subtle thought of his, even those that he hadn't reacted to himself.

\n\n

And the mysterious and inseparable connection between man and sword suddenly disappeared after the sword was splashed with demon blood.

\n\n

The sword became colder and colder, and at the moment when Xuan Ji was awakened by Xiao Zheng's call at noon, he had a strong feeling - as if there was another person's breathing in the sword.

\n\n

What really made him sure that there was something wrong with the sword was actually the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly. When he approached the butterfly, the pair of smiling faces on its wings changed, one changed to a frightened face, and the other changed to a crying face - the fear was understandable, they all said he belonged to fire, fire was the natural nemesis of these things, and the butterfly seeing him was probably equivalent to seeing a large crematorium.

\n\n

But what about the little crying face?

\n\n

If the butterfly had no extra ability to evolve besides its extraordinary longevity, it could only be that it felt the existence of another person... or something else.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was born in the raging fire, and his life-bound sword should theoretically be avoided by all evils, and nothing evil should be attached to it. But if it was that heavenly demon... it was not impossible for such a strange thing to happen, after all, even the ring was protecting the demon.

\n\n

The demon head said something when he killed Bi Chunsheng regardless of the Yin Sacrifice contract, and only Xuan Ji, who was closest to him, heard it. There were two words in the sentence that made him pay attention, one was "I" and the other was "you all".

\n\n

"You" seems to imply that there is someone behind Bi Chunsheng, and "I" reveals more information.

\n\n

Before the great chaos – to be precise, before the first "Pingyuan War", "I" meant "I", theoretically anyone could use it. Later, when the emperor's ambition expanded and began to conquer the Chiyuan, he made this word something that only the royal family could use. People who said this out loud were either people born before the Ping Dynasty, or some emperors after that, or leaders of some minority ethnic groups imitating the Central Plains system. And the demon head said "Qingping Division" when he was in the Red Marsh Hospital. The Qingping Division did not exist before Qi Ping Emperor, it was an original institution created by Sheng Xiao, the son of Ping Emperor and the Great Emperor of Qi, so the demon probably belonged to the second group.

\n\n

Xuan Ji decided to be vague and pretend to try.

\n\n

Unexpectedly, as soon as his words fell, he heard a hoarse voice laughing low beside his ear: "So what do you want me to do to repay you?"

\n\n

This sentence was nothing, and then there was an even more shocking sentence - Xuan Ji heard the demon head in the sword say: "Want to cheat me? This little demon is not small in courage."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's mind was blank for a moment, and then his whole body's hair exploded: "Damn, he can hear what I'm thinking!"

\n\n

At the same time, Sheng Lingyuan in the sword obviously "heard" his swearing, and realized something.

\n\n

These two people belong to the type with thousands of tricks and fathomless eyes. Unexpectedly, one day they were forced to "understand each other's minds" with a stranger whose position was unclear.

\n\n

They were connected even more tightly!

\n\n

The reactions of the two were quite consistent. Almost at the same time, they emptied their brains and forced themselves to focus on one thing, cutting off all thoughts – Xuan Ji began to count Luo Cuicui's hair on his head, and Sheng Lingyuan in the sword recited an incomprehensible ancient scripture.

\n\n

People with deep minds can control their microexpressions, and some masters can even accurately arrange their body language, but who can control their own brains?
\nComrade Luo Cuicui was rather finite, Xuan Ji soon counted them all, and a thought still could not help but emerge: "I've seen a ghost, what broken situation is this?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan recited his ancient scripture with grinding teeth.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's thoughts ran wild: "The Bureau has pitted me, and they haven't paid my fourteen months' salary yet, this matter is not over."

\n\n

Although Sheng Lingyuan's scripture that he was reciting was incomprehensible to anyone else, Xuan Ji could tell from his intonation that he had repeated one sentence three or four times, and then he couldn't help but let out a sentence: "I will cut the one who initiated the Yin Sacrifice ritual into a thousand pieces."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's mind stirred: "So there is someone who initiated the Yin Sacrifice rituall? Is Bi Chunsheng really just a puppet on the surface?"

\n\n

He threw out a question, and two voices came out from Sheng Lingyuan's side at the same time.

\n\n

One was the unhurried and relaxed tone he used when he spoke, accompanied by a light laugh: "You guess."

\n\n

The other was cold: "Nonsense."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

Master Demon, you are so sharp.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's contradictory response was instinctive, and after he said it, he reacted: "What does 'sharp' mean?"

\n\n

"Sharp means..." Xuan Ji couldn't explain clearly for a moment, his mind was in chaos, and the noise in his heart gathered into a group, finally converging into a sentence, "I'm going crazy, what a mess."

\n\n

No one on the plane knew that in the blink of an eye, the calm and wooden Xuan Master and his sword had a chain reaction in his mind. Ping Qianru took out the first-aid kit and ran back: "How is it? Master, I've never used this first-aid kit before, do you know how to use it"

\n\n

"Give me a wet tissue first." Xuan Ji raised his injured hand for her to see, and the wound that had been bleeding profusely was now only left with a shallow white mark, "Then tell me, the carpet cleaning fee can be reimbursed, right?"

\n\n

Ping Qianru stared at his intact hand in a daze.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "Sorry, you came too late, you didn't get to see it healing."

\n\n

The good thing about the special world is that everyone's special abilities are not too similar, so when everyone finds that the other person has some incredible abilities, most of them are not too surprised. The last time Ping Qianru went on a business trip with this new boss was unforgettable - thunder and lightning, fire and ice, and two buildings were blown up. Compared with this, the wound healing quickly seemed not so shocking, so she just shocked for a moment, accepted the setting, and started to help him clean up the blood.

\n\n

Xuan Ji emptied his mind through the mechanical wiping work, and Sheng Lingyuan recited the classics and histories back and forth several times. After cleaning up the blood, the two finally calmed down from the chaos.

\n\n

Then Xuan Ji found that his "thirst for the sword" had relapsed, and the strong sense of anxiety was even more fierce than before. He was like a hungry ghost seeing steamed buns, and the craving of an addict broke all rationality. Xuan Ji endured with inhuman perseverance for five minutes, and then his rationality collapsed, and he "asked" the heavy sword out from under the seat with both hands, trembling and started "sucking the sword".

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "Impudent!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji avoided the sword edge, desperately rubbing the cold sword body: "I said, Senior, you don't want us to be like this, do you have any ideas?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was brief and concise: "Let me out."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "Do you think I don't want to? I don't even know how you got in!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't say anything out loud, but he thought darkly in his heart: "Once the owner of the sword dies, the life-bound sword will destroy itself."

\n\n

Xuan Ji forcibly suppressed the impulse to stick his face to the sword body, and said in despair: "OK, great lord, you’re welcome to try."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan looked at Xuan Ji's neck artery from the sword body, and his voice was very dangerous: "Little demon, I am parasitized in this sword, and I will be able to control the sword body in time. If you don't want to be headless in your dream one day, it's better to break the sword."

\n\n

Xuan Ji sighed: "But I don't have this skill."

\n\n

His "separation anxiety" with his life-bound sword was not only unbearable without touching the sword for a while, he couldn't even think of breaking the sword in his mind. As soon as he had this thought, he was in pain all over, as if his own body was smashed. Besides, his sword was immune to fire and water, and could melt gold and break jade. Even if he was willing to give up, he really didn't know how to break it.

\n\n

They were forced to be honest with each other and hiding was no longer an option, both of them knew what was going on. Sheng Lingyuan found out that the little demon was as he had guessed, completely clueless and ignorant. Xuan Ji found out that the big demon had no memory and his memory was like a fog, no beginning and no end.

\n\n

The two of them had exposed each other's shallow depths, so they could only stand side by side in a deadlock amidst the sound of the plane engine. While thinking of how to kill each other, they also had a hint of sympathy for each other in this strange tacit understanding.

\n\n

After a while, Xuan Ji started to actively solve the problem. He tried to put aside his grievances and negotiate with the big demon who was connected to his mind: "Senior, why don't we try to share information and be honest with each other? I think that in life, we can tell people everything, right?"

\n\n

Before he finished speaking, Sheng Lingyuan heard the little demon say uncontrollably: "Like hell."

\n\n

The big demon also chuckled and said: "That's right, what you said makes sense."

\n\n

Along with the thought of "like hell" that was sent back.

\n\n

Next, the two of them quickly exchanged insults with their minds. Xuan Ji saw that this was not a solution, so he fully demonstrated the glorious qualities of modern society, bending and stretching, and quickly adjusted his mentality: "Senior, although we both want to send each other to the end, no one can do it in a short time, right? You don't want to be so exposed either."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't explain, he understood the meaning of "privacy" according to the context. After a moment of silence, Xuan Ji heard him go through a lot of spiritual techniques that he had never heard of in his mind. Before he could "hear" clearly, Sheng Lingyuan said: "Unite the mind and enter a state of concentration, and you can eliminate distractions."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "You don't even know what entering a state of concentration is?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji did know what it was, the ancient books of his clan had detailed how to enter a state of concentration. People who enter a state of concentration do not need to eat or sleep, and are not affected by external objects – he understood the principle, but now it was working hours, his colleagues were discussing the case and waiting for him to assign tasks, and he was closing his eyes and meditating next to them, how could that be possible?

\n\n

What's more, he couldn't do it either.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan thought he had heard it wrong: "What can't you do?"

\n\n

Can't enter a state of concentration?

\n\n

How did you grow up then?

\n\n

Xuan Ji may have some physical defects, he couldn't even learn meditation. When he was working in the company before, the company's employee assistance program invited a psychological counselor to take the employees to do "positive meditation" exercises, which was similar to meditation. Xuan Ji didn't need much guidance, and he could easily enter that "body and mind as a mirror" state, but every time he was "awakened" by an inexplicable fear and panic for no reason, it was as if there was a mechanism on his body to prevent him. After trying twice or three times, he started to instinctively reject this activity, and he never participated in it afterwards.

\n\n

"This is interesting, I have never seen someone who can't enter a state of concentration before, it really is a big world, full of surprises," Sheng Lingyuan saw his memory, and then said very casually, "It doesn't matter, I will do it."

\n\n

"Wait a minute," Xuan Ji shouted to him, "Senior, you... you are knowledgeable, isn't there a better way? Entering a state of concentration is inconvenient."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan entering a state of concentration unilaterally could indeed isolate the two from each other's perception. This was equivalent to erecting a door in the unexpectedly connected sea of knowledge between the two. The only problem was that this door was "locked" - the big demon could open it whenever he wanted.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's voice carried a smile: "It can't be more inconvenient than it is now, so it's settled."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "No! I don't agree, this is unfair!"

\n\n

The big demon laughed out loud, without hesitation, in the blink of an eye, there was no sound from him. Xuan Ji could only vaguely hear the long and even breathing in his original sword.

\n\n

Damn it!

\n\n

The plane threw the broken negotiations and the bitter aftertaste behind, and flew to Dongchuan.

\n","published_time":"2023-04-15T14:34:06.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:44.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":176,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":17,"chapter_title":"Chapter 17","content":"

"Director, headquarters sent over the information about the last offering of the Yin Sacrifice ritual, Ji Qingchen," Ping Qianru carefully examined Xuan Ji's face, feeling that it was full of the numbness of despair from being strangled by fate, "Um... do you want to hear it?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji, whose privacy was now at risk, said with a gloomy face: "Speak."

\n\n

"Ji Qingchen, born locally in Dongchuan, was expelled from high school for fighting. After that, he worked for a while in a pyramid scheme organization, which was later disbanded by the police. He then worked in a folk shop as a casual laborer for a year. Perhaps inspired by this experience, he later became obsessed with "occultism" and began selling folk remedies, fortune telling, and other things, accumulating a lot of experience in fraud and deception. In recent years, with the development of the internet, he has been attracting attention by posting bizarre videos online, while also scamming people offline."

\n\n

"He's also a swindler who specializes in 'Internet Plus.'

\n\n

You young people may not know the tricks of these swindlers in the area, so let me tell you,' Luo Cuicui may have felt that his previous performance in front of the new leader was not heroic enough, and he was eager to show his presence and restore her reputation.

\n\n

She quickly added, 'First of all, you have to specifically target people who are rich, idle, superstitious, and imaginative.'

\n\n

"Are you talking about the boy who was infected by the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly?" Yang Chao joined the discussion. "I remember he lives with his mom?"

\n\n

"That child's parents are divorced, and the mother and son rely on the child support provided by his father to make a living. His mother doesn't have a formal job, and besides playing mahjong, she watches her child all day," Ping Qianru lowered her head and flipped through the information. "But the child's father is in business and is quite wealthy. He gives a generous amount of child support every month, so the mother and son can be said to have 'plenty of money and free time.'"

\n\n

Luo Cuicui said: "Yes, after investigating the background of the victim, the first step is to let the child go 'undercover', preparing a script like 'who are your family, what happened recently'... "

\n\n

Yang Chao hesitated and asked, "Are there still people falling for this kind of thing? Don't they have public service announcements on TV every day?"

\n\n

"The gullible ones don't watch public service announcements, and besides, there's the next step - 'acting mysterious.' First, talk about the past of the victim's family. If they don't believe it and suspect that I've investigated them, then I'll predict their future. Generally, I'll say something like 'you have a bit of financial luck this month' or 'you need to be careful in the next few days, someone's trying to trip you up.' Eight or nine times out of ten, it'll be accurate," said Luo Cuicui, spitting as he spoke.

\n\n

"For example, when your investment matures, your company gives you a bonus, or your stock goes up, that can be considered 'financial luck,' right? The scammers target people who have money, so it's normal for them to have some extra income every month. Or, if it's the end of the year, end of the quarter, or end of the semester, whether you're working or studying, you're busy, and it's normal to have a little problem in the midst of all that, which can be explained as 'usual bad luck,' or of course, it could be explained as 'someone trying to trip you up.'

\n\n

"If the scammer is really unlucky and the victim has no extra income or problems, then it's also easy to handle. They can find someone to throw five yuan in front of the victim's house or have a few hooligans puncture the victim's car tire, and then say that it was predicted - at this point, people who were a bit skeptical can believe it about seventy to eighty percent."

\n\n

Ping Qianru asked curiously: "How can you make the victim believe it completely?"

\n\n

Old Luo raised a finger and shook it: "Don't take money."

\n\n

"Don't take money?"

\n\n

"Yes, don't take money. As long as you’re not paid, you can say anything. The last step is to tell the victim 'you will have a disaster of blood and light at a certain time, my Taoism is too shallow, I can't save you', don't say it too clearly, be vague, for example, 'you know who you have offended', let the victim figure it out himself, and then run away before the victim comes to the door for the second time. If you don't take a penny and run away, the victim will be more and more afraid when he goes back, and when people are afraid, they will have no reason."

\n\n

Yang Chao rubbed his always red nose: "What if the victim is scared away and seeks help from others?"

\n\n

"No way, even swindlers in the jianghu have their own turf. Everyone knows each other in a certain area. If you want to stay here for a long time, no one will stop you.” Xuan Ji took over the conversation and turned to Ping Qianru, “Fatty, you make up an identity and leave a message under the video of that little mustached man. What were the symptoms of those who were cheated before?”

\n\n

“Oh, they said it was like epilepsy, and also like being possessed. They were babbling and raving, they knew what was going on in their minds, but it was like they were 'possessed' and couldn't control their bodies. They could only occasionally take advantage of the 'possession' when the ghost was tired and send a message for help to their families...except for the last boy, all the messages for help were written in ordinary words. Director, you don't think these jianghu swindlers are really using Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly to hurt people and swindle money, do you?”

\n\n

Xuan Ji's expression was somewhat solemn.

\n\n

According to the records in the Thousand Demon Bestiary, the typical host of a human-faced butterfly parasite does not have such a symptom of 'ghost possession'.

\n\n

When the butterfly first landed on a person, it would imitate the host in everything. Whatever the host thought, the butterfly would make the body do it. So at first, the host would not feel that their central nervous system and body circuits were cut off. After a few days, the host would find that there were some uncontrollable small movements, such as twitching and trembling, but most people would think that they were just too tired and wouldn't think too much about it, until the butterfly controlled the host unconsciously and suddenly removed the disguise and no longer followed the host's own thoughts. The host would suddenly 'lose' control of their body and be completely helplessly trapped in their body until their brain died.

\n\n

But the butterfly on that boy's body was already a mutant species. It was feared that these swindlers had somehow obtained the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly eggs and created a mutant species through their reckless actions. They had no idea how terrifying this thing could be and were just playing with fire.

\n\n

But then again, both the Thousand Demon Bestiary and the heavenly demon called the butterfly a 'human-faced butterfly'. The atlas did not write where the butterfly came from. Does the Demon Head know?

\n\n

Xuan Ji's gaze fell on the heavy sword in his hand, wanting to pull the heavenly demon out and ask.

\n\n

As soon as this thought arose in his mind, the originally meditating Sheng Lingyuan suddenly experienced a huge shock in his spiritual sea. He was startled awake and his divine senses were almost injured. A sound like the striking of a Huangzhong bell reverberated in his ears, asking "Where does the human-face butterfly come from?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's ear buzzed, and in that moment, Xuan Ji felt that the connection between him and the heavenly demon in the sword was re-established. Countless messy memories surged into the other's mind, and a few shocking pictures flashed by—the corpses on the ground, men, women, old and young, piled up in thousands, and all the dead eyes were looking at him.

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt a chill in his back, but before he could understand it, those messy pictures and thoughts were suppressed again.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's thoughts fell silent again, and he was forced to enter the state again.

\n\n

"Director?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was startled by Ping Qianru's voice: "Hmm...what?"

\n\n

Ping Qianru was very good at observing words and colors. She always felt that there was a hint of shock on his face: "Do you have any other instructions?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji waved his hand: "No, everyone should go and do their work."

\n\n

After a moment, a "high reward for help" post quietly hung under the video that Ji Qingchen would never update again.

\n\n

Ji Qingchen's place was where all kinds of swindlers and superstitious enthusiasts gathered, and not long after the fishing post was put up, they received various private message replies.

\n\n

The people from the Aftermath Department searched and collected various information separately. Xuan Ji pretended to browse web pages and slowly ran his fingertips over the sword. He thought of the scene just now and had a vague guess in his mind, deciding to conduct an experiment.

\n\n

He stared at the heavy sword, concentrated his energy, and thought in his mind: "Mr. Demonic Person who likes to float in wine, do you like to eat green peppers?"

\n\n

If Sheng Lingyuan had a physical body, he would have been driven crazy by Xuan Ji's interference - his meditation was interrupted again, but this time it wasn't a voice that broke into his consciousness. Instead, it was an unfamiliar plant scent, both spicy and strange, with a strong smell of grass and wood.

\n\n

Xuan Ji immediately felt the sword grow several degrees colder, and a surge of killing intent rushed towards him. He hid his face behind the computer screen, and the small mole in the corner of his eye rose up, revealing a wicked smile: "Oh, it looks like you don't like it."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had strong self-control and quickly suppressed his emotions: "What do you want?"

\n\n

"A new round of negotiations."

\n\n

"Say it."

\n\n

Xuan Ji crossed his legs and said, "You see, senior, you can activate and release the meditative state without my permission, which makes it very inconvenient for me. As the sword’s master, I can also knock you out of the meditative state without your permission, which will also make it very inconvenient for you. Why can't we agree on a way of getting along that is comfortable for both of us?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "For example?"

\n\n

"Knock on each other's doors, and let's all be polite, sir." Xuan Ji said, "You promise to give me a signal before and after each meditation session, and I promise to save up any questions and not bother you unnecessarily. How about that?"

\n\n

The heavenly demon was good at sweet talk. If he were in the business of telecommunications fraud, he would surely have a remarkable record. But in reality, he didn't like to waste words. As soon as Xuan Ji finished speaking, he felt a sudden movement in his heart. Then, a simple and elegant wooden door appeared in his consciousness. The door was propped up by a stone frame, and the two clean door panels had few decorations, except for the natural patterns on the wood itself. There was no door handle, and a pair of smoothly polished stones were inlaid where the handle would be.

\n\n

It looked like it could be knocked on.

\n\n

As soon as Xuan Ji thought of this idea, he heard a "ding" sound, like the sound of a silver bottle lightly colliding, and a long resonance emanated from the stone inlaid on the door.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan said succinctly, "This will be our signal.""

\n\n

After finishing speaking, the two door panels "snapped" shut automatically from the inside, representing that Sheng Lingyuan had cut off the contact between the two using a meditation method.

\n\n

Xuan Ji likes anything with a sense of design and has a collecting addiction– his entire bookshelf is filled with figurines. He usually can't resist antique furniture and old record shops, and because of his collection of odds and ends, he rented a two-bedroom apartment in a prime location and lived in poverty.

\n\n

As soon as he saw this door, he was struck by something and was fascinated by it for a long time. He regretted that the things that others had put in his consciousness couldn't be captured with his phone.

\n\n

What did this person, who called himself "Sheng Lingyuan," do before he became a demonic being? His taste is so good. However, the design of this door doesn't seem to be the style of the Central Plains people; it's more like that of an unknown ethnic group.

\n\n

Xuan Ji suddenly became curious about the identity of "Sheng Lingyuan."

\n\n

At this moment, Ping Qianru interrupted his appreciation of the artwork, "Director, look at this reply."

\n\n

Underneath their post, someone had sent a question: "Are these symptoms that appeared after the tenth of last month?"

\n\n

"This is a new account," Ping Qianru said. "The tenth of last month... isn't that the time we deduced the boy was infected with the butterfly?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji made a short-term agreement with the heavenly demon, his thoughts temporarily liberated, and his brain began to function again. He immediately focused his attention back and asked, "Ask him how he knows."

\n\n

Ping Qianru immediately replied as instructed, and the other party sent a private message after a while without answering and asked another question: "Where does your bewitched relative live?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji pulled up a map of Dongchuan and pointed to a certain area, and Ping Qianru replied, "In Beixiaoba."

\n\n

The "relative" that Xuan Ji and the demon king were talking about was not fabricated out of thin air- they had borrowed the identity of a real person. This person was a small-time thug who lived near the infected boy's home. He idled around all day, robbed children of their pocket money, and was quite despicable. He had a conflict with the infected boy after the boy was infected with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly, probably because he was particularly brave in his attempt to rob the boy. He appeared to be quite chubby and unfortunate enough to be chosen as a host by the butterfly, and he is currently being secretly quarantined by the Bureau of Paranormal Control.

\n\n

The other party responded quickly this time, "He's from Beixiaoba, so does he know this boy?"

\n\n

A picture was attached below, and it was the infected boy.

\n\n

Both sides exchanged a few words back and forth, and the other party was able to extract various pieces of information about their fabricated identities. Xuan Ji and the others could basically confirm that this was an informant who knew a lot and was likely the undercover agent of Ji Qingchen who never appeared in public.

\n\n

At the end, the other side said: "I know Teacher Ji. He recently went on a long trip and is not in the local area. Before he left, he left something with me, probably expecting someone with a connection to him to come and ask for help. I can try to help you, but don't expect too much, be prepared for anything."

\n\n

Finally, the other person said, "I know Teacher Ji. He's been traveling lately and isn't in town. He left something for me before he left, maybe for someone who's meant to find him for help. I can try to help you, but it might not work, so be prepared."

\n\n

Ping Qianru immediately replied, "Whatever amount of money you want is fine, as long as you can save the person."

\n\n

After hesitating for a moment, Ping Qianru quickly added a sentence under Xuan Ji's signal, "I can give you half of the money first. Whether it works or not, you don't have to return it as long as you can help me contact Teacher Ji."

\n\n

The other party, seeing that they were foolishly rich, responded quickly. As soon as Ping Qianru finished talking about giving the money, they immediately provided a time and location to meet, without any masterful aura.

\n\n

Xuan Ji said, "Let's go!"

\n\n

The plane flew through the clouds, and the emblem of the Bureau of Paranormal Control on the tail fin was edged in gold by the sun. It was a pattern of two vines tightly wrapped around a sword. It landed at Dongchuan Airport with a whistle.

\n\n

The field agents of the local sub-bureau were isolated because they were suspected of being infected with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly, but fortunately, the reception car and driver were still available. The people of Dongchuan were rich, and even the level of the public bus was two grades higher than that of the economically underdeveloped area of Chiyuan Grand Canyon.

\n\n

As the car drove on, the heavenly demon probably needed to take a breath. Xuan Ji heard a "ding" from the depths of his sea of consciousness and immediately collected his thoughts and prepared himself.

\n\n

Although Sheng Lingyuan had no conscience, he was really polite. As long as he didn't reach the point of turning his face and killing people, this heavenly demon was not stingy with his thoughtfulness. After "knocking on the door," he waited for a while, as if giving Xuan Ji time to straighten out his clothes. Then Xuan Ji's consciousness had a faint noise--another consciousness "woke up" from a state of concentration.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't come out to "take a breath". He wouldn't be so restless that he couldn't sit still for even a moment. For a cultivator who was able to go into seclusion and concentrate on cultivation for ten days or even a month, it was strange that he suddenly had a lot of distracting thoughts as soon as he arrived in Dongchuan.

\n\n

Has he been here before?

\n\n

He couldn't remember.

\n\n

Dongchuan was a big city with complex roads and bridges and towering skyscrapers. It was also the peak season for local tourism in mid-autumn, so the roads were congested with people.

\n\n

As they moved with the flow of traffic, they were close to dusk when they arrived in the city. Walking side by side with a red sunset tour bus, Sheng Lingyuan looked out through the sword blade standing vertically by the car window and saw a group of middle-aged and elderly people wearing small orange hats singing loudly at him, "Fearless and unyielding, brave fighting, until those opposing are completely eliminated!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "..."

\n\n

What kind of place is this, how can it be so noisy?

\n\n

After moving for about half an hour, they finally arrived at an intersection. The tourist bus turned a corner, and Sheng Lingyuan's view suddenly opened up. He saw the suburbs of Dongchuan City at a glance. The distant mountains were like black ink, the clouds were not flowing, and the stars of lights gradually rose from the foot of the mountain and dissipated between the clouds and mists.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's temples suddenly jumped inexplicably, and he felt a picture flashed in the sword's heart - under a huge pear tree, the petals were like snow, and several children with blurred faces jumped from the tree, and a few incomprehensible songs came from a distant place...

\n\n

That scene disappeared in a flash, and Sheng Lingyuan realized that his thoughts had leaked out, and immediately concentrated on eliminating distractions.

\n\n

Xuan Ji inexplicably floated a melody in his heart, which just matched the song just now.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan in the sword was stunned: "How do you know this song?"

\n\n

"Familiar," Xuan Ji scratched his face, "Maybe I heard it somewhere... Some shops like to play niche songs - what is this?"

\n\n

There was no sound from Sheng Lingyuan's side, not knowing whether he forgot or did not want to answer, Xuan Ji felt that he was looking at the scenery outside the window intently, emptying his thoughts, and unkindly began to loop a single song in his head.

\n\n

When they arrived at the agreed place with the criminal suspect, Xuan Ji's head had been washed clean and only this foreign language song was left.

\n\n

The place where they prepared to catch their fish was a small park rarely visited by people. Old Luo drove a van and pretended to be the poster, pulling Yang Chao along. After Yang Chao's protests were ineffective, he temporarily acted as the unlucky child who had been "possessed" and was tied up into a zongzi with layers of bandages, his face painted with bruises and swelling, creating a miserable "possession" effect, and was placed in the back seat of the van.

\n\n

Xuan Ji and Ping Qianru sat in another car and waited.

\n\n

Ping Qianru looked at Xuan Ji hesitantly, not daring to ask. Their department's mysterious new director was replaying the news broadcast of the day on his laptop computer, as if doing a "listen-only" listening test, occasionally quietly repeating one or two words, as if preparing to play translator to a foreign friend.

\n\n

Ping Qianru had always been afraid of others' gazes. After the third grade of elementary school, she basically lost the ability to raise her hand to answer questions in class. For the "fishing action," she could only provide technical support and was afraid that Director Xuan would improvise and give her a cameo.

\n\n

Suddenly, a "rustling" sound came from the walkie-talkie, and Luo Cuicui reported, "Director, someone is coming."

\n\n

Xuan Ji quickly closed his laptop with a "snap." He had excellent night vision and could see from afar a middle-aged man with a wispy beard. He walked to the agreed place with a bent waist, hunched back, floating steps, a heavy illness on his face, a vigilant and frightened expression, and moved around surreptitiously.

\n\n

Being interrupted while following the broadcast to learn Mandarin, Sheng Lingyuan said, "Hey," and interrupted, "What a fierce and murderous aura."

\n\n

"What does that mean?" Xuan Ji asked. "Does this guy kill people too?"

\n\n

"No," Sheng Lingyuan looked through the car window for a moment, "It came from elsewhere."

\n\n

Luo Cuicui got out of the car to greet the goat-bearded man and said something to him. Old Luo had a miserable expression, giving him the perfect image of the victim's family. The man looked at him for a moment, hesitated, nodded, and then pointed to the car next to him, indicating that he wanted to see the "possessed" person.

\n\n

Old Luo quickly opened the rear compartment of the bread car and took out Yang Chao to show him. The interior of the bread car was dimly lit, and Yang Chao's appearance was in place. There seemed to be a faint resentment floating above his head, which could be said to be quite sincere in being "possessed." However, Xuan Ji noticed that the moment the car door was opened, the goat-bearded man did not even glance inside the car, and his feet moved back a step.

\n\n

Wait a minute... Something is wrong. The other party has sensed something!

\n\n

Xuan Ji made a decisive move: "Catch him!"

\n\n

Luo Cuicui immediately grabbed the man's arm and said, "Master, where are you going? Don't leave!"

\n\n

The goat-bearded man pushed him hard, turned and ran, but was hooked by the overgrown green ivy at his ankle and fell flat. Before he could climb up, Xuan Ji had already stopped him. At that moment, a huge black hole suddenly appeared behind the goat-bearded man, and several white bone claws stretched out from it. One of them caught the goat-bearded man's neck, and the others grabbed Xuan Ji. Xuan Ji raised his hand and raised the heavy sword. The sword blade was burning, and when it hit the white bone, it made a tooth-aching sound.

\n\n

Xuan Ji and Sheng Lingyuan had a high degree of tacit understanding at this critical moment. Xuan Ji thought: "Take the opportunity to kill the demon in the sword!" Sheng Lingyuan thought: "If this little devil can die like this, wouldn't it be clean?" Xuan Ji ignored it and sent the heavy sword into the white bone claws. At the same time, he felt that the other end of the sword was stuck on his hand, and the sword body quickly transmitted the blood gas to him—

\n\n

The friendship alliance between the two was like plastic, and it broke just like one too.

\n","published_time":"2023-04-22T23:38:52.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:47.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":183,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":18,"chapter_title":"Chapter 18","content":"

The unlucky heavy sword weighed dozens of kilograms, and Xuan Ji's hand was stuck to it. His wrist was forced to twist in a very awkward position, and he couldn't use any strength. The black flames rushed towards him, and the sword was also stuck by several white bone claws, leaving him in a dilemma.

\n\n

Seeing the situation was not good, Xuan Ji immediately changed his attitude: "Senior, I was possessed just now. I am a jerk. How about we unite and face the outside world together?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was gentle and polite, and he replied, "Good."

\n\n

After that, they continued their efforts to break the sword and to use each other as a shield. They had a high degree of tacit understanding and were truly a pair of bad friends who had met each other too late.

\n\n

The white bone claws appeared out of nowhere and were incredibly powerful. However, the two of them were not afraid, as one could summon lightning and the other could repel evil spirits. Originally, they didn't take the strong fighting power of the white bone claws too seriously. Unfortunately, no matter how powerful one's fighting power was, it was no match for their internal conflict. The cold black flames greedily surged along the sword and quickly enveloped Xuan Ji's entire body under Sheng Lingyuan's deliberate guidance. At this time, the black hole that had extended its white bone claws emitted a powerful gravitational force and sucked in goat-bearded man, Xuan Ji, and Sheng Lingyuan, who were trapped in the sword.

\n\n

With a "snap," they disappeared, leaving only Xuan Ji's broken wristband and a stunned Luo Cuicui, who was watching the whole process up close. From his perspective, Xuan Ji was like someone who was trying to give himself to the white bone claws even though they didn't want him. He looked as eager as an old father who would throw pork belly into the bowl of his child who was trying to lose weight. He finally succeeded in being captured!

\n\n

Luo Cuicui was amazed by the concept of "leading the charge" and "unwavering commitment." He rushed forward with his green vines swaying in the wind, and grabbed Xuan Ji's lost wristband. Tears filled his eyes as he choked up and said, "This must be a martyr, right? He must be a martyr!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji, the "martyr," and his sword were dragged into the darkness. As they fell, the goat-bearded man had already passed out and was no longer conscious. In that instant, Xuan Ji quickly grabbed his collar, and at the same time, a pair of huge wings burst out of his back, tearing his clothes apart.

\n\n

Dazzling flames danced on the wings, cutting through the darkness. Sheng Lingyuan was caught off guard, and his breath - if he still had any - suddenly stopped as his eyes were burned by the wings. His vision was glued to the dazzling wings, and his head was struck by a sharp pain, as if someone had hammered his skull open.

\n\n

At the same time, all the sounds around Xuan Ji suddenly disappeared from his ears. Before he could even react, the heavy sword in his hand suddenly became scorching hot, and he felt a burning sensation in his palm!

\n\n

Xuan Ji was not afraid of fire, he would often test the temperature of the oil and fire when cooking, so he had never felt the sensation of being burned before. He initially thought that his palm had been pierced by something sharp, but then the sword seemed to change its nature, becoming denser than a neutron star, and directly pulled him down - the sword handle still stuck in his hand!

\n\n

The force of the fall was unstoppable, and Xuan Ji was like a moth trapped in a spider web. Even flapping his wings like an electric fan was of no use, and he was dragged down along with the sword.

\n\n

He could only curse Sheng Lingyuan's ancestors in his heart, while wrapping the huge wings around himself. With a loud crash, Xuan Ji slammed onto the ground like a fireball, and the flexible wings bounced him up and rolled him over ten meters away, leaving him feeling as if his shoulder blades were about to shatter from the pain. The wings suddenly disappeared, and his upper body, including his sweater and coat, became a dark beggar's attire. He saw stars in front of his eyes and almost passed out, struggling to catch his breath. After a while, he finally recovered and found that he had successfully let go of the sword handle, which was now lying beside him, and the heavenly demon inside was either dead or unconscious, without even a thought in his mind.

\n\n

The goat-bearded lay motionless next to him, and Xuan Ji quickly checked his breathing, thankfully finding that he was still alive. He breathed a sigh of relief, and then checked his own body for any broken bones.

\n\n

With a movement, he heard a crisp sound under his feet.

\n\n

"Hmm? What did I step on?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji hesitated for a moment before snapping his fingers, and a small flame rolled out from his fingertips.

\n\n

As he shone it downwards, he exclaimed, "Holy sh*t!"

\n\n

He leapt up, his wings unfurling once again, suspending him in mid-air. The burning light on his wings illuminated the ground, revealing that this eerie place was incredibly vast. Wherever the light reached, there were human bones covering the ground, stacked layer upon layer, as far as the eye could see. Bones of all shapes and sizes stared up at the sky, and from Xuan Ji's perspective, it seemed as if they were all fixated on him. The dark eye sockets glinted with an eerie light from the flames.

\n\n

"Senior...hello? Hey, senior, are you still alive?" Xuan Ji felt goosebumps all over his body, and his throat was dry. He reached out and his heavy sword floated up from the ground, accompanied by a swarm of reluctant white bones.

\n\n

Having learned his lesson from before, Xuan Ji didn't dare touch the hilt of the sword, keeping his hand a safe ten centimeters away from it as it hovered beside him. "Say something, this place is too creepy...hello?"

\n\n

For a while, the sword remained still, and just as Xuan Ji began to doubt the signal strength of this place, he heard Sheng Lingyuan say, "Don't make noise..." His voice had become distant, as if he was separated by something.

\n\n

Xuan Ji thought to himself, "Wait, why can't I hear what he's thinking anymore?"

\n\n

With no response from Sheng Lingyuan, Xuan Ji confirmed his suspicion: the door constructed by Sheng Lingyuan in their shared consciousness had disappeared.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had no time to deal with these issues. He felt cold, and the warm flames on Xuan Ji's wings only made him feel colder, like he had fallen into an icy abyss. He couldn't remember anything related to these wings, but he inexplicably felt that they were familiar... and terrifying.

\n\n

It was strange. He was a reckless person who feared nothing, so why was he scared now?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan simply couldn't remember anything, and under the watchful gaze of the bones, his head felt like it was going to explode. Many dusty memories were clamoring to be unearthed, all jumbled together without any rhyme or reason, wailing, screaming, and howling... and someone screaming shrilly, "Where are you? You fraud, where are you!"

\n\n

The sound was heart-wrenching, every word was like thorns and thistles, scraping past his ears as if it wanted to tear off his flesh. Just then, a hand suddenly reached out and tentatively grabbed the hilt of his sword. The hand was slender, not as thin and weak as a young person's, nor was it particularly thick and reliable, but it was dry, warm, and filled with vitality and liveliness. With a gentle grip, it brought Sheng Lingyuan back to reality.

\n\n

The screams and cries suddenly receded into the distance, and Sheng Lingyuan's ears cleared. He heard the voice of the little demon say, "Hey, it seems like our 'telepathy' is broken. Can you feel it?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "...yes."

\n\n

Really.

\n\n

He listened carefully and couldn't hear what Xuan Ji was thinking. But at the same time, the desire to drink blood emerged once again.

\n\n

This made Sheng Lingyuan suddenly have a vague guess: "Be careful not to get blood on me."

\n\n

Xuan Ji immediately reacted, "Do you think it's because of the blood that we were like that just now? What's the principle behind it?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't answer, but looked down at the pile of corpses beneath his feet.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was probably an adept at being two-faced and didn't feel embarrassed at all. He boldly suggested to Sheng Lingyuan, "Hey, you know, even though you tricked me, I tricked you too. So let's just call it even and I'll forgive you."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan sneered, "Your generosity knows no bounds."

\n\n

"It's all good," Xuan Ji flapped his wings and flew up a bit, "Since our main conflict is resolved and we're both in trouble now, and we don't even know where we are...let's rebuild our relationship, what do you think?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan thought it was a good idea. After all, they were both perfectly in sync when it came to being treacherous and deceitful. They could easily tear each other apart if something went wrong, without feeling any guilt. They got along easily and happily.

\n\n

"I know where we are," Sheng Lingyuan said, "Hold your breath."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "Huh? Why..."

\n\n

"Shh, haven't you heard it yet?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji shuddered and, along with Sheng Lingyuan, held his breath and concentrated for a moment. He heard a whispering sound - like a small group of people murmuring something together in a large auditorium that could accommodate thousands of people.

\n\n

At the same time, he noticed that the goat-bearded man he had thrown into the pile of bones was moving.

\n\n

"That person seems to have stood up," Xuan Ji told Sheng Lingyuan, but felt that something was wrong and flew up a bit.

\n\n

The fire fell on the goat-bearded man, who rolled his eyes and tilted his head to one side, clearly still dizzy. Like a puppet on a string, he stiffly lifted his legs and jumped around in place, giggling like a mischievous child with a "giggling" sound.

\n\n

Something was moving inside his loose coat, and Xuan Ji stared at it intently. As the goatee man danced, his movements became larger and a small piece of white bone slipped out of his sleeve and bounced on the ground twice before wriggling back into his pants!

\n\n

Beneath his clothes, the bones were controlling his movements!

\n\n

"What the hell is this..." Xuan Ji said.

\n\n

"This is the tomb of the witch people," Sheng Lingyuan said softly.

\n\n

Xuan Ji thought he heard a hint of weakness in the demon's voice.

\n\n

"What? What kind of tomb is this mass grave?"

\n\n

"Witch people, have you never heard of them?" Sheng Lingyuan was silent for a while, then whispered, "After thousands of years, even their names are forgotten."

\n\n

Xuan Ji frowned slightly. He had seen the words "Dongchuan Witches Book" on some of his family's old bamboo slips, and that was where he found records of "heavenly demon" incidents.

\n\n

Dongchuan... Witches – so witches weren't a sect, but a real race that had existed?

\n\n

Were they ancestors of minority groups?

\n\n

"My history isn't very good, what do you mean by 'witches’?" Xuan Ji asked.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan spoke a language that Xuan Ji had never heard before.

\n\n

"Hmm?" Xuan Ji said.

\n\n

"This is the language of the witch people," Sheng Lingyuan said. "Teach it to them."

\n\n

Xuan Ji hesitated for a moment, recalSheng Lingyuan Lingyuan's tone, and repeated the convoluted "gurgling" sound and the white bone movements.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan wondered, "Why do you suddenly trust me without asking what it means?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji shamelessly said, "Ah, I'm just a simple person who doesn't like to think too much."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan scoffed at this nonsense and didn't bother to mock him.

\n\n

After a brief moment of "heart-to-heart communication," the two of them probably had a better understanding of each other. Essentially, they were of the same kind, and their perspectives on things were actually quite similar. Although they wouldn't hesitate to fight to the death, they were both very good at creating a harmonious and friendly atmosphere when there was no conflict of interest. Since they could no longer hear each other's heartbeat, their main conflict had disappeared, and they were not in a hurry to get rid of each other for the time being.

\n\n

If Sheng Lingyuan wanted to come out of the sword, he would have to rely on Xuan Ji to figure out a way, unless he wanted to be trapped in the sword and be used as a javelin by the skeletons in this pit. Otherwise, it was really unnecessary to harm the sword's owner here.

\n\n

The white bones on Goatbeard's body "heard" this sentence of non-standard shaman language and slowly turned to Xuan Ji, "looked" at him, and then staggered forward.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "Follow me."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "Where are we going?"

\n\n

"Didn't you ask me where the human-faced butterfly came from?" Sheng Lingyuan's voice sounded somewhat distant. "The origin is here."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's heart jumped and he quickly followed. As they flew a few hundred meters with the staggering Goatbeard, there was still no end in sight, and he couldn't help asking, "How many bodies are there here in total?"

\n\n

"Forty-one thousand, six hundred and thirty-six," replied Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

"...What?" Xuan Ji was shocked for a while before saying, "How did you know, did you count their heads?"

\n\n

"Of course, I know," said Sheng Lingyuan calmly. "I killed them all myself."

\n","published_time":"2023-04-30T02:51:07.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:50.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":192,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":19,"chapter_title":"Chapter 19","content":"

If someone says "I have killed someone," then that person is definitely a murderer; if someone says "I have killed thirty-six people," then that person is a murderer who can be on TV and become the protagonist of a legal program. But if someone says, "I have killed forty-one thousand six hundred and thirty-six people"... then he is probably a web-addicted teenager who is obsessed with games.

\n\n

Xuan Ji first exclaimed in confusion, then his focus involuntarily shifted: "You don't even remember who you are, but you remember such a big number?"

\n\n

Is this heavenly demon an ancient accountant?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan ignored him.

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked again: "Or did you just remember something?"

\n\n

After a while, he heard the person in the sword make a vague "Hmm" sound.

\n\n

Xuan Ji immediately regretted it. He felt like a big idiot who had bought high before the stock market crash. When he was able to use the heavenly demon’s brain as a search engine earlier, the heavenly demon couldn't even remember his own name. Now that he was disconnected, that guy said his memory was recovering!

\n\n

However... someone whose memory is recovering must have a very confused mind right now, right? Can he take advantage of this opportunity?

\n\n

"Um... your Majesty," Xuan Ji turned his treacherous heart in his stomach and took the opportunity to test him, "did you have to calculate the number of heads after defeating a city precisely like this? Those who are bad at math can't join your team... Is the witch tribe your enemy?"

\n\n

"No," Sheng Lingyuan was momentarily absent-minded, and he didn't even correct the title of "Your Majesty," "The witch tribe has always been our ally. They consider themselves human... Look at the shape of those bones, they are exactly the same as human bones."

\n\n

The information in this sentence was too much for Xuan Ji. His pupils shrank, and in a flash of lightning, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

\n\n

What does that mean?

\n\n

What does it mean for the "witch tribe to consider themselves human, so they are allies"?

\n\n

Isn't war fought between people and people? Are they fighting against dogs?

\n\n

No...the war was not a human-to-human war, but the great Nine Provinces War three thousand years ago! The Emperor Ping, whose name was Jun, was a lover of war. According to ordinary historical records, during his reign, the southwestern ethnic minorities grew stronger, and there were many frictions between the border people and the people of the Central Plains. Unfortunately, Emperor Ping did not have "cocaine" or "weed" to keep him entertained, so he decided to personally lead his army with his two adult sons to conquer the rebellious region.

\n\n

The army marched mightily towards the Chiyuan, with the operation codenamed the "First Battle of Pingyuan", and succeeded in conquering the region. In the First Battle of Pingyuan, an emperor, two princes, and many nobles and military elites died, which put an end to the country's fortunes. Afterwards, the map was burned, the jade seal was shattered, the empress fled, and the capital fell. With no one to rely on, people from all over the country and different ethnic groups had to establish their own power and thus began a chaotic period of more than 20 years. This period is known as the "Great Melee Era" in history.

\n\n

As for the specific ethnic group of the "southwestern ethnic minorities", there are many hypotheses put forward by the academic community, but each has its own loopholes. After all, three thousand years is too long, and too many things cannot be investigated. The physical evidence that can be preserved is rare and scattered throughout the country. Even now, a single exhibition hall cannot be established, because most of the valuable cultural relics are in the Bureau's Ancient Studies Department, and they are all sealed.

\n\n

The Ancient Studies Department has a complete archive, which contains all kinds of relics from the Great Melee Era, all of which contain extraordinary energy. The truth is that the so-called "southwestern ethnic minorities" were not the ancestors of humans at all. They were non-human races that existed alongside the human race, separated by the Chiyuan Grand Canyon.

\n\n

In 1981, the Bureau successfully deactivated a formation in an outer area of the Chiyuan region and discovered a cave with the remains of a giant bird skeleton, weighing as much as 300 kilograms. There was a stone tablet at the entrance of the cave, which was inscribed with the words "Tomb Guardian, Bifang Clan Yan Ming."

\n\n

The stone tablet still retained traces of thunder and fire-based abilities. After careful detection and comparison, it was found to match the residual energy on the skeleton. Therefore, it is believed that the bird skeleton belongs to a highly intelligent bird with a considerable cultural level. In other words, this bone belongs to a highly intelligent bird with a relatively high cultural level. Its physique is very similar to the legendary 'Firebird Bifang'. The Ancient Studies Department believes that these non-human races are likely to be the prototypes of the 'monsters' in folklore.

\n\n

The Great War was actually the only calamity caused by a war between humans and non-humans in history.

\n\n

It ended with the succession of the Emperor Sheng Xiao, the successor of the last Emperor Ping, during the Great War.

\n\n

This Great Emperor of Qi is said to be the illegitimate child of Emperor Ping, born in the same year as the First War of Pingyuan, and he never had a good day since his birth, either fleeing or wandering, growing up in the chaos of war, and later suppressing the chaotic hordes of demons with his own power, beheading the Demon King, establishing boundary markers and the Qingping Division, leaving an indelible mark on the annals of history.

\n\n

In the later period of his rule, Emperor Wu showed an unusually cold and ruthless side, and eventually descended into complete madness... His remains were nowhere to be found when he jumped off the cliff of Chiyuan, and the mausoleum of Emperor Wu later generations found only contained a tombstone.

\n\n

This great demon was born during the Great War, his corpse was in Chiyuan, he belonged to the human race, and he was called "Your Majesty" as if it were normal...

\n\n

Could he be…

\n\n

Xuan Ji shook his mind– no, no, wait, how many races have been erased in the Great War and are still unknown today. There are also many allies attached to the human race, some of which worship the Chinese human culture, and have inherited the human cultures. Or some ancient ancestors who worshiped evil spirits and evil demons, inviting such an enemy to call him "Your Majesty", are also possible.

\n\n

In short, it can't be that one!

\n\n

Otherwise... That would be too ironic, the Emperor who saved the human race from disaster is not human himself - what is this?

\n\n

The gods can only be sacrificed and devoured by the demons. Can only a more violent demon suppress the demons?

\n\n

Xuan Ji firmly denied his guess and quickly regained his composure.

\n\n

He held the heavy sword and felt the coldness from the iron, remembering the language of the witches that Sheng Lingyuan had just taught him. Although he didn't understand what it meant, Xuan Ji always felt that the tone was very gentle... It's like an old friend who comes from afar, bowing down and asking the children playing at the door, "Can you take me to see your elders?"

\n\n

"What is a witch?"

\n\n

"The witches have lived in Dongchuan since ancient times, believing in the land and spirits of mountains and rivers, whether the wind is harmonious or disasters are continuous for years, they have never left their homeland, because this clan has always believed that people are like grass and trees, leaving their homeland is leaving their roots, which will bring disasters.” Sheng Lingyuan no longer spoke Mandarin that he was not very familiar with, and had switched to his own accent.

\n\n

Perhaps because he had been listening to it a lot lately, Xuan Ji found that listening to the ancient language was not as difficult as it was at first.

\n\n

When Sheng Lingyuan spoke, his voice seemed to be infused with the aura of time and space from another world, appearing distant, ancient, and solemn. "The witches are skilled in 'cursing'. You asked me about the origin of the human-faced butterfly. The human-faced butterfly is not a living creature; it is a kind of curse that was refined by the witches’ ancestors using secret methods. It was originally used at funerals."

\n\n

"Funerals?"

\n\n

"Yes, the witch people believe that the human-faced butterfly can communicate with the yin and yang," Sheng Lingyuan said softly. "Some of the deceased may have left in a hurry, and their families sometimes feel uneasy, thinking that they have something left unsaid. They would invite the great saint of the clan - the person who presides over the annual festival - to come to their home and conduct a ritual. The great saint would place the human-faced butterfly into the mouth of the deceased. In less than a day, the deceased would be able to open their eyes again, walk and talk with their family, meet the people they should meet, say what they should say. Then the great saint would remove the human-faced butterfly and bury the deceased in peace."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was stunned. "We always thought this thing was just a parasite...it's so magical?"

\n\n

"It is still a parasite," Sheng Lingyuan replied indifferently. "Funerals and condolences have always been the delusional wishes of the living. When a person dies, they are like a light extinguished. Where do all these endless ghost stories come from? It's just a ceremony. Even if it's the Witch Clan, if there is a dispute over the deceased's property, it will be left to the clan leader to decide. They won't use the human-faced butterfly to 'bring the dead back to life' and ask them questions."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

The persona of His Excellency, the atheist, remains unbreakable.

\n\n

"Dongchuan... Dongchuan is a treasure land. The land is fertile, the products are abundant, the spiritual energy is compelling, and the climate changes greatly. Sometimes it changes from cloudy to sunny to rainy to snowy in a day, and there are strange sights like the autumn moon illuminating spring flowers and lotus pond reflecting snow. Even the water is sweeter than in other places, so it also gave birth to many strange and precious treasures that are not found outside."

\n\n

Walking behind the wobbling goat-bearded man with a sword in hand, Xuan Ji felt increasingly strange listening to Sheng Lingyuan's words. Although Sheng Lingyuan's tone was light, his words were carefully chosen and full of nostalgic meaning, just like... he was describing his hometown.

\n\n

"So, it's only natural for them to be coveted by others. Throughout history, whenever living beings have been in conflict, it ultimately comes down to what grows in the land."

\n\n

"So, they use butterflies to protect themselves," Xuan Ji said. "Because besides being able to 'resurrect' the dead, these butterflies can also parasitize living beings. Does the Witch Clan have some kind of spiritual ability that can control butterflies, just like how people who raise Gu insects can make these insects obey them?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan sneered, "The Witch Clan has a long history, and their curses are vast and profound. The human-faced butterflies are just minor skills, unworthy of being used to protect their people."

\n\n

Xuan Ji listened with a mix of fear and trepidation. If the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly, which had caused chaos in the Bureau, was just a "minor skill", then what kind of powerful curses did they possess?

\n\n

"When the monster army passed through Chiyuan, the human race was like millet in the ground, lying there waiting to be harvested, unable to resist, and was almost annihilated by the monsters. Later, they were able to turn the tide with the help of the hidden Witch Clan. The witches, in the most perilous of times, revealed the secret of their curses to the human race... because they felt they were also human, and had an obligation to help."

\n\n

"In that case," Xuan Ji asked strangely, "The Witch Clan seems to be the heroes of the nation. Even if not many people in your era could read or write, and passing down documents was difficult, there should still be oral traditions, right? How come they died out so silently without leaving any traces?"

\n\n

"What childish talk... You little demon, what have you been eating to grow up like this? Do you really not have any clan prejudices?" Sheng Lingyuan first laughed lightly, then thoughtfully said without waiting for Xuan Ji's reply, "Well, now you're all mixed up, there's no more distinction between clans."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was confused: "Hmm?"

\n\n

"They think they are human, but humans don't think they are of the same kind," Xuan Ji said, stunned. "You mean..."

\n\n

"Human-faced butterflies..." he said, referring to what they call "Mirror Flower Water Moon" butterflies. "Now, if you mention them, isn't everyone filled with dread? In those days, it was just the tip of the iceberg of the witches' spells. I ask you, if it were you, in the same boat, would you believe the witches unreservedly? Do you think that 'people' with such a hidden power would be content to cower in the corner of Dongchuan and not compete with the world?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji understood his implication, incredulously saying, "Wait, are you saying that the witches were wiped out not by enemies in war, but by their allies!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan answered in a nonchalant tone, "Yes, so you have to be careful here."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's mind raced: "So then, what role are you..."

\n\n

Before he could finish, there was a pitiful scream from the goat-bearded man on the ground.

\n\n

The goat-bearded man, who was lucky to have woken up, opened his eyes to find himself in a "dream-wandering ghostly realm". His clothes were filled with jumping bones, and he almost died of fright. He frantically jumped and rolled on the spot, crying and flinging the bones off his body, and his pants were instantly soaked.

\n\n

Xuan Ji disdainfully wrinkled his nose: "How annoying...I say, are these guys a bit angry?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan coldly laughed: "Worry about yourself first."

\n\n

Before his words had finished, the ground began to make a faint "gurgling" sound, growing louder and louder. Xuan Ji lowered his head and saw that all the bones were shaking, as if they had been "awakened" by the urine. The skulls were bouncing and turning towards Xuan Ji, opening their mouths.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "Er...suddenly with so many eyes on me, I'm a bit embarrassed. I was just joking, but why are there really flashlights appearing?"

\n\n

He saw countless tiny lights flying out of the skulls' mouths, and a charming glow rising from the dense white bones, making the white bones look soft, as if they were smiling.

\n\n

That was countless Mirror Flower Water Moon butterflies flapping their wings.

\n\n

"Damn!" Xuan Ji cursed, and quickly dived down, using his blazing wings to disperse the terrible ghost butterflies. He didn't want to catch him with his hands, so he picked up the heavy sword and fished up the smelly goat-bearded man.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "......"

\n\n

This little devil is taking his life for granted!

\n\n

However, although the ghost butterflies were afraid of fire, they couldn't resist the large number of them. Burning one batch, another batch would come, and the glow became brighter and brighter, illuminating the witch's mound like a bright day. Xuan Ji wanted to fly up, but after flying twenty meters, he found that he had reached the top!

\n\n

He didn't know if this ghostly place was a tunnel or a cave, and didn't know where the exit was. All around him were Mirror Flower Water Moon butterflies.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was covered in goosebumps. Suddenly, he caught sight of a dark place - it looked like a cave, and the butterflies were avoiding it, making it stand out even more in the darkness. Without thinking, he thrust the goat-bearded man towards the cave and dove in.

\n","published_time":"2023-05-06T19:55:28.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:54.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":200,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":20,"chapter_title":"Chapter 20","content":"

Chief Huang was about to reach out and push the door, when Xiao Zheng, half a step behind him, quickly caught up: "I'll do it."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was wearing a plain ring, with a circle of runes inscribed in it. When the ring touched the door, a sharp white light quickly flashed through the runes, and the door made a "clicking" sound.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng's expression was unchanged, he stepped in first and opened the door for Chief Huang. He quietly said, "Don't touch anything here, it's not safe at the 'Penglai Conference'."

\n\n

Chief Huang's face grew serious, but he was not flustered. He patted Xiao Zheng's shoulder and stepped in - it was an old-style hotel's conference center, rented out in its entirety. There was a temporary sign at the door that read "Penglai Cultural and Art Conference".

\n\n

Chief Huang and Xiao Zheng, accompanied by several field agents, walked into the building and the door shut behind them with a loud "bang". At that moment, the sound from outside the conference building was completely silenced.

\n\n

The field agents warily surrounded Chief Huang, the only ordinary person present, with Xiao Zheng leading the way. The alarm lights of their special power monitors kept flashing. Suddenly, Xiao Zheng stopped in his tracks and looked up at a stone sculpture at the top of the stairs – the sculpture was originally an ornament of the hotel conference building, depicting a graceful little fairy, but the stone material was cheap, making it look a bit creepy.

\n\n

The stone fairy stood with a green-faced melon-seed shaped face, with a missing piece that seemed to have fallen off, as if to frighten someone.

\n\n

As they approached, the stone sculpture suddenly moved, making a sound as it turned half a circle, turning from side to face Chief Huang and them, then gliding towards them, almost close enough to touch them. The field agent next to Chief Huang stepped forward and stood in front of him, almost face to face with the gloomy stone fairy.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng raised his eyebrows suspiciously, thinking that the other party was deliberately trying to intimidate the ordinary Chief Huang.

\n\n

Although Chief Huang was an ordinary person who could not shoot water or fire, he was not an incompetent person to be able to reach this position. He kept a calm expression, raised his hand to press the shoulder of the field agent, and politely bowed his head to the stone sculpture: "Is this the legendary 'Jade Lady'?"

\n\n

The stone sculpture backed up a few centimeters, opened its mouth and spoke in human language: "Chief Huang, long time no see - Xiao Team Leader... No, it should be called Director Xiao now, you’re still as energetic as before. "

\n\n

Xiao Zheng nodded with great care and said nothing.

\n\n

"Please come with me." The stone sculpture looked deeply at Chief Huang, dragging its heavy stone body and sliding towards the elevator, "Your old friends have arrived."

\n\n

The Bureau is the only official agency for special power management, but not all "special abilities people" are official personnel.

\n\n

Due to the hereditary nature of those with special abilities, there are many special ability families and sects. They have a deep source of knowledge, are trained from an early age, and the secret techniques of each school are not disclosed publicly. There are many special ability masters with strong individual capabilities. These well-known masters often look down on the so-called "official personnel" and are unwilling to be managed by them.

\n\n

From the official point of view, these people are all potential factors contributing to social instability and must be supervised.

\n\n

Finally, both sides compromised and agreed to set up the "Penglai Conference" as a self-regulatory organization for special ability organizations, led by the leaders of major special ability forces, and the Bureau also has a seat in it.

\n\n

The stone sculpture took the people of the Bureau to a large conference room on the second floor of the building. The conference room may have been renovated in the last century: white walls, several decorative maps hanging on the walls, two rows of cheap red and brown conference tables, and on the tables, nothing but thermos cups and enamel pots.

\n\n

The participants were seated in two rows, regardless of gender, with an aura of power - the hairline was high, the corners of the mouth were low, and "their full wisdom could not be hidden, with potbellies protruding out".

\n\n

As soon as Chief Huang and Xiao Zheng entered the door, the big shots turned their heads in unison, and various subtle glances fell on Chief Huang.

\n\n

Although the Bureau has strict confidentiality regulations, the news still spread out as though they had wings. The news of the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterflies shocked the special ability circles of the whole country.

\n\n

After the news leaked, countless inquiries came one after another. In the Penglai Conference, except for the Bureau, several representatives unanimously pushed for an emergency session of the "Penglai Conference" to ask the Bureau for an explanation.

\n\n

The circle was full of people, only two seats were empty, as if they were specially reserved for them. Xiao Zheng saw the arrangement at a glance - the Bureau was the official representative, and it was natural for them to sit in the main seat at the Penglai Conference. Although when the former chief was in charge, he had voluntarily given the main seat to an elder, he still remained sitting next to the main seat.

\n\n

However, the seat arranged for Chief Huang was not only far away from the main seat, but also several hundred miles away.

\n\n

What does this mean?

\n\n

Ordinary people are of a lower class?

\n\n

Director Xiao felt a chill, and his brows furrowed as he was about to lose his temper. However, Chief Huang seemed to have anticipated his outburst, as he held him back without making a sound and shook his head. Chief Huang then greeted the old lady in the seat of honor, as if nothing had happened, and pulled Xiao Zheng to an empty spot and sat down calmly, seemingly paying no attention to these small movements.

\n\n

The old lady sitting in the seat of honor had white hair, looked to be around sixty years old, was not tall, and had light makeup on. There was even a small silk scarf tied neatly around her neck. She spoke and moved gently, and her manners were exceptionally dignified, giving her an old-fashioned lady-like air.

\n\n

"Little Huang, is it?" The old lady asked slowly. "I'm already so old, I don't need to introduce myself, do I?"

\n\n

Chief Huang: "Old Lady Yu."

\n\n

Old Lady Yu was the host of the Penglai Conference. She usually lived in the northeast, and even the big shots had no idea of her full name. Even though she was only a few years older than Chief Huang, she still called him "little Huang" with a kind expression, and neither Chief Huang nor the old director of the Control Bureau dared to feel offended.

\n\n

Some people said she was already over three hundred years old, while others said she was even older than that, and was an old "Qingping Division official".

\n\n

"Little Xiao is much more restrained than when I last saw you. Seeing you young people grow up, with a new wave replacing the old, I can rest assured," Old Lady Yu spoke coldly and politely to Chief Huang, and when she turned to Xiao Zheng, her tone was much more kind, as if she was talking to her own child.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng gave a reply, not taking it seriously, as Old Lady Yu had seen too many "waves" come and go, and there was no room for her to be kind.

\n\n

Sure enough, after the brief exchange of pleasantries, Old Lady Yu's tone changed: "Everyone is busy, let's just get straight to the point. Little Xiao, I read your explanation--so, what you mean is that the Bureau just wants to do an internal investigation, and handle it quietly?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng felt this was inappropriate, especially when Old Lady Yu seemed to be talking only to him, as if Chief Huang wasn't there.

\n\n

There was a gap between extraordinary and ordinary people. The Bureau, as an official organization, didn't dare to admit this gap out of political correctness, while the special ability masters were unrestrained.

\n\n

It's as if they weren't born of mortal parents, and were instead part of a semi-immortal race with exceptional abilities throughout their extended family.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng came from an ordinary family and couldn't stand this condescending attitude. He had a bad temper and immediately decided not to give face, ignoring Old Lady Yu and turning to Chief Huang saying, "I'm sorry, leader. It's my fault for not doing a good job explaining things."

\n\n

Chief Huang smiled and was unfazed: "It's alright. We’re here today to explain the situation."

\n\n

Old Lady Yu had cultivated great poise and composure and didn't show any sign of displeasure when the younger generation disrespected her. She took a printed document from someone nearby and put on her reading glasses. "Your department's explanation states that 'considering the implanted Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly won't cause any further harm, in order to minimize public panic and maintain social stability, we decided to quietly resolve this matter.' How do you know the butterfly won't spread among people? I heard that more than half of the field agents in your Dongchuan Branch haven't been able to come to work lately."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng replied, "We've listed our reasons..."

\n\n

"Do you think that Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly is not contagious and that this one is just an accident? Yes, I saw it," interrupted Old Lady Yu. "But what you're saying is just speculation. Even if your speculation makes sense, how do you know there isn't a second mutated butterfly?"

\n\n

At that moment, Xiao Zheng's phone on the table vibrated, with the words "Luo Cuicui" jumping up and down. He glanced at it and hung up without a word: "We understand your concerns, so we immediately sent people to Dongchuan to investigate the source of this mutated butterfly. We believe we will soon have an answer for everyone..."

\n\n

Old Lady Yu interrupted him again, gently this time: "So that means you still don't know."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng frowned.

\n\n

Old Lady Yu smiled and squinted her eyes at him. "The Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly may not be a living fossil, but it's close enough. So many ancient texts have been lost, who can claim to understand these things? Even if your agency has many talented people who understand it, who can come out and guarantee that this butterfly infection incident was an accident and there definitely won't be a second one? Then what does it have to do with our demand for a third-party investigation into the Bureau of Paranormal Control? From the former chief of your agency down to his subordinates, they have all engaged in favoritism and fraud, using dangerous public property to fabricate casualty figures. The evidence is solid, and we deserve an explanation."

\n\n

Chief Huang, who was standing nearby, interjected: "Old Lady Yu, I don't know where the rumor about the former chief’s ironclad evidence came from, and the current evidence is not enough to convict him. That's just the word of the suspect Bi Chunsheng, who even..."

\n\n

"Anyway, if you say it's just the word of one person, then it's just the word of one person," a man in black Zhongshan suit sitting next to Old Lady Yu interrupted, speaking very quickly and in a sharp and piercing voice.

\n\n

"If you close the door and do something inside, who can see it? Oh, when the time comes, you’ll just find a little scumbag from who knows where to push out into the limelight, and this bucket of shit will be put on his head. How can we know what's going on inside? Right, Little Wang?"

\n\n

Chief Huang said helplessly to the man in the Zhongshan suit, "You're Master Yue De, right? Hello, my surname is Huang. Things are like this, the comrade in charge of self-inspection this time is very capable. He participated in stopping the Yin Sacrifice ritual and confronted the demon summoned by the suspect for several hours. His resume is also very clean, and he wasn't with the personnel involved in the case before..."

\n\n

Old Lady Yu calmly said, "Chief Huang, if you are willing to let a newcomer with a 'clean record' investigate, why not let a more impartial and clean third party investigate? What's the difference?"

\n\n

Master Yue De said in unison with her: "Even if the new people are innocent, they still receive funding from the Bureau. If they find out something, they still need the approval of the 'organization,' right? Besides, they may not be so innocent! I heard that this person came in through the back door, and just after passing the exam, they inexplicably became the department head. Oh, how amazing - did they get 250 out of 100 on the test? How could you know that they wouldn't abuse their power and break the law?"

\n\n

Chief Huang, from the Bureau, had to say: "Of course, we also regulate..."

\n\n

"We're here to discuss regulation right now!" Master Yue De pounded the table, "Penglai is where you want us to come together, great, we're here. You make a pile of regulations for us and send someone to monitor us, and we understand that we need to cooperate with the government's work. Now that you've made a mistake, and suddenly regulation becomes hard, right? You sit in your office in Yong'an, shielded from the wind and sun, but this time the butterfly infection occurred right at our doorstep!"

\n\n

These influential people all have their own territories of power, such as Old Lady Yu in the northeast and Master Yue De controlling the Dongchuan area. The boy's family infected with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly was within Master Yue De's sphere of influence.

\n\n

It is said that Master Yue De was born in the late Qing Dynasty and had a strong desire for power. He was like a good fighting dog, placing more importance on face than life. He had countless disciples, and if something happened in the local Dongchuan branch, they had to send someone to pay respects to him before they could move an inch.

\n\n

He raised his voice even higher: "Every family should send someone to form a regulatory team under the Bureau, and we must supervise each other!"

\n\n

Chief Huang smiled bitterly and said, "As a state institution, I can't just create whatever I want..."

\n\n

"Okay, then we won't interfere with each other. We'll mind our own business in the future, and you at the Bureau won't need to send anyone to inspect what we're doing in the local areas."

\n\n

The meeting table quickly became chaotic, and Chief Huang tried several times to interject, but to no avail.

\n\n

When the old chief was still around, he could still control the situation. Now that the old director is gone and the office has been hit by a series of incidents, Xiao Zheng is young, and Huang is just an ordinary person. These arrogant old experts at the Penglai meeting didn't take the Bureau seriously at all. Xiao Zheng sighed, and at this moment, his phone rang again, and it was Luo Cuicui once more.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was usually tough as steel, and he rarely used the word "hopefully," but before he picked up the phone, he thought, "I hope the Aftermath Department has some good news."

\n\n

"Director, I have to report something to you..." Luo Cuicui's voice had a hint of crying, tearfully reporting the "good news" that Xiao Zheng had been hoping for, "Our boss has died heroically! He was dragged into a black hole by a bunch of bone claws and disappeared in an instant!"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng almost couldn't catch his breath.

\n\n

Luo Cuicui asked tearfully, "Director Xiao, when can I transfer to another department?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji's nose itched, and he turned his head and sneezed, feeling like someone was cursing him.

\n\n

Seeing him rushing towards the cave without hesitation, Sheng Lingyuan quickly stopped him: "Hold on, what are you doing?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji replied: "Don't you see the butterfly chasing me... damn, this sounds unlucky."

\n\n

"It's just a butterfly, why are you running?" Sheng Lingyuan replied disinterestedly, "Your nature belongs to fire, they can't inhabit you."

\n\n

"They can inhabit this guy!" As he spoke, Xuan Ji had already rushed into the cave in a hurry. When he landed, the wings on his back immediately turned into dots of light and disappeared. He threw the goat-bearded man aside, "Hello, senior, did you not notice there was another living thing that could breathe? It’s also smelly and warm!"

\n\n

"This man is a swindler and not a good person. What does it have to do with you?" Sheng Lingyuan's tone became urgent, "Don't go any further!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji suddenly became suspicious. Sheng Lingyuan had never spoken at this speed before, and his tone was unsteady.

\n\n

"Senior," he deliberately stretched his voice, "with words like that, your understanding is so low! I'm an official, how could I see someone become a victim of the butterflies and stand aside? Does that make sense?"

\n\n

"Stop right there!" Sheng Lingyuan shouted with a hint of anger.

\n\n

"What's wrong, senior? Do you know something about this cave?" Xuan Ji blinked.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan avoided the question again, "If you are afraid of the butterfly, you should know that where they don't dare to go is not a good place to be at. Let's go, I'll find a way to get you out of here."

\n\n

"Do you know the way out?" Xuan Ji asked.

\n\n

"As far as I know, there is an altar in the witches’ tomb, and there is a mechanism there that opens a secret passage to the surface." Sheng Lingyuan quickly regained his calm and gentle tone, saying to Xuan Ji, "I was planning to ask these white bones to take us to the altar, but this person ruined our plans. However, the altar should not be far away. Listen to me, take the people and leave. You have real fire on your body, so the butterfly won't come near you for a while."

\n\n

As soon as he spoke, his voice sounded like it was sweeping through Xuan Ji's ears, with a low and ambiguous seductive meaning, which did not sound like a good thing.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's ears tingled, and his eyes suddenly became dazed.

\n\n

Why did Bi Chunsheng go crazy when he heard his words: "Who bullied you?", and almost cried?

\n\n

This person seemed to have a strange charm, and his words were like a finely woven net, gently and skillfully covering people, giving them the illusion that they were fully and sincerely loved by him. All the grievances, sadness, and difficulties that they did not want to share with others, could be poured out here.

\n\n

He involuntarily stopped moving forward.

\n\n

"This little demon is young and talented," Sheng Lingyuan's voice was warm and gentle like a spring breeze, but his heart and lungs were as cold as ice as he planned, "Pure-blooded demons are proud and reluctant to associate with other races. It is usually very difficult for their offspring to survive. Such a little demon is usually well-protected by the clan and will not be allowed to suffer in the mortal world. He calls himself the clan leader..."

\n\n

"Even butterflies dare not go ahead, with so many dangers. How can you handle it with a mortal by your side?" The little demon lacked love, and he was doted on by Sheng Lingyuan, who sighed and deliberately softened his tone with a hint of doting, "You are so reckless, yet the elders of the clan dare to let you out, which is really worrying."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was convinced by his words and became obedient. After hesitating for a moment, he took the heavy sword from which the goat-bearded man was dangling, grabbed his collar, dragged him towards himself, and coquettishly murmured, "Okay then."

\n\n

Saying that, he turned back and walked as if sleepwalking.

\n\n

The entrance where they came in was already bright as day, covered with thousands of mirror moon butterflies crawling on it. The butterflies did not dare to chase after them and could only gather together and try to probe inside. However, Xuan Ji seemed to be completely unaware of these deadly bugs and stepped into the encirclement of the butterflies step by step.

\n\n

"Follow me," Sheng Lingyuan softly enticed him, "I won't harm you."

\n\n

The fluorescence on the butterflies had already illuminated Xuan Ji's face, reflecting his pair of unfocused eyes.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan silently smiled: "Good boy..."

\n\n

Before he finished speaking, a violent burst of fire suddenly erupted from the heavy sword. Sheng Lingyuan's eyes were instantly blinded by the flash. The heavy sword hacked towards the entrance, burning the countless butterflies into a blaze of silver and gold, with a pungent scent of burning.

\n\n

"Elder, when have you ever kept your word? Even saying that you won't harm me," Xuan Ji chuckled. After burning the butterflies, he took a big step and walked straight into the cave. "Won't you harm me this time?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "..."

\n\n

"Even if you're above ground or underground, you're probably several thousand years old, right? Your moral cultivation can't keep up. You're speaking nonsense without blushing," Xuan Ji shook his head and lectured the heavenly demon while tapping the ground lightly with his sword tip. "Are you blushing now?"

\n\n

The heavy sword hit the hard stone slab, making a clear "clang" sound, and echoing continuously. It seemed like there was a very spacious area ahead.

\n\n

Xuan Ji carried both the person and the sword, and he seemed to carry them effortlessly, walking lightly towards the echoing sound.

\n\n

As he walked, he kept talking, trying to educate the big demon: "You've come here, so I have to enlighten you on our modern values. We believe in equality and justice. Let's put justice aside. With your current level of morality, you're still far away from it. Let's talk about equality–what is equality? It means that every living thing, whether it's special or ordinary, good or bad, has equal rights in my eyes. Even if he's really plotting to harm others for money, I still have to protect him equally before he's handed over to the public system..."

\n\n

The big demon was probably annoyed by him and fell silent.

\n\n

"...Your ancient system of emperors and officials is already outdated, do you understand? Your political correctness is very incorrect, I..." Xuan Ji's endless words suddenly stopped when he saw the place in front of him. "I...my great uncle's..."

\n\n

He followed the narrow mountain cave to a spacious area where there was a small stagnant pool of water. For some reason, the water did not dry up. Vines with small flower buds grew on the walls of the cliffs that he had never seen before. They were like small light bulbs, emitting a faint glow.

\n\n

As soon as Xuan Ji walked in, the strange flower buds suddenly bloomed like welcoming guests. The cave was illuminated as if the lights were turned on, and a milky-white halo softly descended, warmer than the gaze of a lover. Xuan Ji's first reaction was to hold his breath and cover the goat-bearded man’s mouth and nose to prevent breathing in the unknown plant pollen.

\n\n

He only had two hands, so he naturally put his heavy sword aside.

\n\n

The sound of the heavy sword falling to the ground startled the stagnant pool, causing ripples to form. The white flowers were also disturbed by the sound of the metal hitting the ground, and they all turned red before wilting and turning into liquid, flowing down the walls like blood, flowing towards the sword from all directions.

\n","published_time":"2023-05-14T02:09:53.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:57.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":207,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":21,"chapter_title":"Chapter 21","content":"

Xuan Ji had travelled far and wide, visiting many botanical gardens, but this was the first time he had encountered such an odd creature that could bleed to death with just a few words. It was too late to save it.

\n\n

Since his "departure from home", his destiny had been especially bumpy. Being possessed by a demon was one thing, but at least the demon seemed to be quite hygienic, maybe even fragrant. But if he was to be covered in this “flower’s menstruation”, how would he be able to put his sword back on his back?

\n\n

Did a man's back have to bear so much?

\n\n

At that moment, Xuan Ji really wanted to just throw the goat-bearded man on the ground. But as a youth who had been indoctrinated with the "Five Principles and Four Virtues" for many years, although this human life he was carrying smelled bad, he really couldn't bring himself to let go. With no other choice, he stretched out his feet and used all his strength to thrust the sword into the sky, then he grabbed the goat-bearded man and flew after the sword, intending to use his feet to grab it and save it from the "blood soup".

\n\n

However, at that moment, the blood-like flower juice flowed along the four walls and suddenly, ignoring the gravity of the earth, made an unnatural turn in mid-air and sprayed out sideways.

\n\n

The flying blood-like flower juice weaved a red glow in mid-air, and when it touched Xuan Ji's wings, it immediately evaporated and turned into a faint mist, forming a layer of peach blossom fog, which was almost spectacular. But before Xuan Ji could admire it, the originally unconscious goat-bearded man suddenly screamed and moved, and a few drops of flower juice splashed onto his hand. The skin and flesh on the goat-beard's hand was corroded by a strong acid, and several shocking black spots appeared immediately, waking him up in pain!

\n\n

The flower juice was indeed poisonous!

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, the red mist from the flower juice seemed to be getting thicker and thicker, and the goat-bearded man was exposed to the "mist", his skin starting to rot, like a human being burned by fire.

\n\n

The pink mist quickly rose to the top of the cave and condensed quickly when it encountered the cold mountain rock, then fell like rain. Although Xuan Ji the birdman did not produce acid rain, he inadvertently became the transporter of acid rain!

\n\n

Xuan Ji had no choice but to take care of the living first, and had no time to take care of his sword. He curled up his legs and hugged his huge wings around himself, forming an impenetrable shield to cover himself and the goat-bearded man.

\n\n

At the same time, the heavy sword that he had kicked into the air with his foot was accompanied by the "blood rain and stench", and it fell into the pool with a “bang”.

\n\n

The pool was not deep, and the heavy sword fell to the bottom when it fell in, and Xuan Ji saw from the gap in his wings that there was a stone platform three meters square under the pool, and something on the stone platform…

\n\n

The next moment, Xuan Ji suddenly opened his eyes wide -

\n\n

On the stone platform was an open coffin, and his sword was falling straight into the coffin!

\n\n

Before he could go to pick it up, a chill flew through his chest, like a steel spike piercing his heart, cold, hollow and painful. A"crack" sounded in Xuan Ji’s ear, as if something had broken, and he couldn't breathe for a moment.

\n\n

Blood-like flower juice poured into the pool, and the clear pool turned red in an instant -

\n\n

At the same time, in the depths of the distant Chiyuan altar, the patrolling spirits suddenly stopped in unison, and Dao Yi felt something and turned back, looking towards the altar, and another stone tablet cracked inexplicably!

\n\n

The spirits all fell in front of the cracked stone tablet, and Dao Yi stretched out his rotten hand cautiously, trying to put the cracked stone together, before he touched it, the stone tablet made a light sound and broke into powder in front of the spirits. Then, a white light burst out of the broken stone tablet and flew eastward like a fiery arrow.

\n\n

The spirits looked at each other, and the cold armor clattered in the wind, they were too old, their memories were as rusty as their bodies, and they couldn't remember what the cracked stone tablet meant, but... it seemed to be something very terrible.

\n\n

As the sword fell into the pool, Sheng Lingyuan felt that all his seven orifices were blocked, his senses became numb, his heartbeat became abnormally present, as if something wanted to protrude through the thin muscle, through his chest. Sheng Lingyuan didn't want to know what it was, for a moment, he inexplicably felt fear in his heart, hoping that the blood-like water could coagulate into a cocoon, wrap him in it, let him close his eyes and ears, and hide until the end of the world.

\n\n

But... there is no place for him to hide in this world.

\n\n

Sleep, catching a breath, rest... for him, all are delusions.

\n\n

His memory was like an awakened monster, opening its eyes and opening its bloody mouth to him.

\n\n

The sword "vibrated" and made a buzzing sound, and the cave trembled, and all the flowers withered at the same time, and a dangerous whirlpool was stirred up in the pool with the coffin as the center, and then the water surface suddenly sank little by little, as if something was sucked into the coffin.

\n\n

Xuan Ji took a breath of relief from the sudden palpitation, and was surprised to see that the bloody liquid in the pool was sucked up by the coffin, and when the pool returned to clear, the coffin "came to light" –

\n\n

The coffin emerged from the water, and the sword that had been lying in it was gone. Inside was a... "person".

\n\n

Xuan Ji was unsure whether to call it a person.

\n\n

The goat-bearded man’s eyes were rolling wildly in its sockets, fainting and then waking up again, suspended in mid-air, "dead and alive". He was about to go crazy, and even Xuan Ji’s hair couldn't help but stand on end. He thought that after seeing "lightning strike and bones scattered" up close, he would be able to watch all kinds of horror movies from ancient to modern times without any taboos.

\n\n

But this "person" exceeded his imagination... because its body was not human-shaped.

\n\n

Inside the coffin was clearly a charred corpse, head and feet indistinguishable, with no part of the bones and flesh fully intact. Its waist was broken, and the upper and lower halves were barely stuck together by charred flesh.

\n\n

And yet, this charred corpse was still able to move!

\n\n

The bones on its body "crackled", and then, with a "puff", white and bony fingers pierced through the charred skin. The bones moved around, automatically looking for their own positions, and soon pieced together a slender skeleton, and veins and flesh grew on the skeleton...

\n\n

Xuan Ji shivered violently, and in an instant, he felt the flesh and skin grow layer by layer, seeming even more painful than when the Yin Sacrifice backlash cut layer by layer of flesh back at the top of the building - he remembered when the Yin Sacrifice counterattacked, the demon stood motionless on the roof, smiling until he was reduced to ashes.

\n\n

But now, the "charred corpse" was still struggling, its hands tightly grasping the coffin, and the inch-thick bronze coffin was pinched and deformed by it alive.

\n\n

Like a silent scream... because the vocal cords and tongue had not grown yet.

\n\n

Just by watching, Xuan Ji felt his whole body burning, and he couldn't help but sweat.

\n\n

It took a full quarter of an hour for the flesh and bones on the "charred corpse" to grow completely, and then blood-red flesh grew on the body, followed by cascading hair, covering the entire coffin. The hands that were tightly gripping the coffin finally dropped weakly, making a light sound.

\n\n

The fingers were pale and slender, wet, like jade that had been washed for thousands of years.

\n\n

Xuan Ji recognized these hands - he had just fought them not long ago.

\n\n

The heavenly demon that had been struck by lightning had come out from the sword!

\n\n

At this time, the water in the pool had dropped nearly two meters from the beginning, and the entire stone platform under the water was exposed.

\n\n

Looking down from a high place, the stone platform was full of dense lines, and the lines were actually two layers.

\n\n

One was engraved on the stone, which Xuan Ji had never seen before, but according to experience, it was not a decoration, but rather an unknown script.

\n\n

The other layer was painted with pigments, which he was familiar with - it was the Yin Sacrifice.

\n\n

After the water calmed down, Xuan Ji hesitated for a moment, and carefully landed on the stone platform. He stepped aside to avoid the strange characters on the ground, and heard a chaotic and hurried breathing.

\n\n

"Er... that..." Xuan Ji tentatively asked, "Are you... alive?"

\n\n

The person in the coffin seemed to respond with a movement, but did not answer.

\n\n

Xuan Ji searched around the coffin for a while, and finally found a blank space without any writing near the coffin, and put the goat-bearded man that had already fainted with his tongue stretched out aside. It was not until then that he realized that something was missing.

\n\n

"Wait," Xuan Ji thought, "Where the hell is my sword?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji came to his senses and a string of questions squeezed out of his mind in order.

\n\n

What is this situation?

\n\n

Wasn't the heavenly demon cut to pieces by lightning? Where did the body come from? How did it come back to life?

\n\n

These were minor details, but the most important thing was - the heavenly demon "came out", where was his sword?

\n\n

Before the demon head "possessed" his sword, his sword was like part of his body, able to move according to his will. After the heavenly demon possessed his sword, he suffered from "separation anxiety from the sword", and would go crazy if he was away from it for a while. But this time, he couldn't sense the sword at all, and the inexplicable separation anxiety evaporated!

\n\n

Xuan Ji stepped up to the coffin, looking for a sword. But before he had a chance to move, his eyes were fixed on the person inside the coffin.

\n\n

He recognized him from the fight he had with Sheng Lingyuan at the Chiyuan Hospital. The person in the coffin had the same face, body, and even the same amount of hair as the one from the hospital. But Xuan Ji felt that this person was different from the demon in the Chiyuan Hospital.

\n\n

The one in the hospital had disappeared right before his eyes, and even a vacuum cleaner couldn't pick up the remains. Also, the Sheng Lingyuan in the Chiyuan Hospital didn't have any "liveliness" to him, as if he couldn't feel pain or show any emotion. Even if he was struck by lightning, it only made people feel scared. It was like seeing a tree struck by lightning.

\n\n

But now, the person in the coffin was "alive". Xuan Ji could almost feel his pain.

\n\n

He was lying silently in the coffin, as if he was trying to lift himself up. His sharp shoulder blades seemed to be piercing through the tight skin, trembling silently with each suppressed breath.

\n\n

Xuan Ji saw this moment, and was suddenly overwhelmed by an indescribable emotion. It was a mix of sorrow and joy, and even his soul trembled. It was like a thousand-year-old grudge had been resolved, and like he had been lost in the endless darkness for an unknown amount of time before finally seeing a glimmer of light.

\n\n

He had never experienced such joy and sorrow in his life. His soul seemed to have left his body, and Xuan Ji was stunned for a moment. He almost shed tears and pressed his chest involuntarily.

\n\n

The person in the coffin was as white as if he hadn't seen the sun in a thousand years, with jet black hair. A shocking line of dried blood ran down his side face, connecting to the red corners of his eyes, as if it was a line of tears. The strong contrast was piercing, and it created a powerful impact.

\n\n

And…

\n\n

He wasn't wearing any clothes.

\n\n

Wait a minute!

\n\n

Xuan Ji snapped back to reality and broke free from the strange emotion. He had been staring at a naked man! He could be arrested for peeping!

\n\n

"Erm, well... I didn't do it on purpose. You just popped out without saying anything..." Xuan Ji quickly looked away, and the scene he had just seen seemed to be stuck in his retina. He blinked hard and fumbled around his body, trying to find something to give the person some clothes. But he was out of luck. His coat and sweater had been burned by the wings when he came in and out, and he wasn't used to wearing underwear. If he took his pants off, he would become an embarrassment.

\n\n

"Erm... how about... I take this guy’s clothes off and give it to you? Is that too flashy for you?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan ignored him and reached out a hand to the side of the coffin, weakly gesturing.
\nThe withered vines that had been full of "blood flowers" suddenly moved, intertwining with each other. They imitated the "double helix needle" on Xuan Ji's sweater and wove a long robe, which fell onto the man.

\n\n

But Sheng Lingyuan seemed to be unable to bear the weight of even a single piece of clothing.

\n\n

The whole person was pressed down by the robe that had fallen off. Xuan Ji instinctively reached out to help him, but halfway through, he stopped, not understanding why he had such an impulse.

\n\n

At this moment, he heard Sheng Lingyuan murmuring something.

\n\n

Xuan Ji held his breath: "What?"

\n\n

The person spoke slowly, as if squeezing it out from between his teeth, with a trembling voice.

\n\n

"Who... who opened his coffin...?"

\n","published_time":"2023-05-21T01:29:55.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:01.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":208,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":22,"chapter_title":"Chapter 22","content":"

"Open the coffin? Whose coffin?" Xuan Ji was startled, "Is there someone in this coffin? Who is it?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan suddenly raised his head, his eyes were even redder. Xuan Ji followed his gaze, but didn't see anyone. He first heard the sound of water, then got a shock as the goat-bearded man beside the coffin was gone!

\n\n

It turned out that while one of them was stuck in the coffin and couldn't climb up, and the other was panicking, who knew if the goat-bearded man was awake or was pretending to faint, he took the opportunity to jump into the pool and swam away in one direction. Xuan Ji followed the sound of water and saw that there was a hole that could accommodate one person on the stone mountain wall. When the water level was high, it was covered by water, but now it was exposed.

\n\n

The goat-bearded man must have known early on that there was an exit, and his dog-digging posture was quite standard. It seemed that he had been here before!

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's hand, which couldn't even fasten his clothes, suddenly grabbed the air. The blue veins on the back of his hand jumped, and the goat-bearded man in the water was sucked out directly. Flying out of the water surface, his head facing the ground, he was about to fall to the stone platform beside the bronze coffin.

\n\n

"Ahh!" Xuan Ji opened his wings and glided over. In an instant, he shifted and grabbed the goat-bearded man's ankle before his head was smashed into a watermelon. "My big senior! This is a mortal person, not a lead ball. Who do you think is as hard-headed as you... Hey!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt a violent force suddenly "suck" the goat-bearded man in his hand away. The goat-bearded man's feet were in his hands, and his upper body was slanted and sucked into the coffin. A white and blue hand stretched out from the coffin and firmly grabbed his throat.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan completely ignored Xuan Ji's existence. His voice was hoarse and harsh, like blood-stained iron plates rubbing against each other.

\n\n

He asked word by word: "Who. Opened. The. Coffin?"

\n\n

The goat-bearded man struggled, his face flushed and blackened, and his neck made a dangerous sound. Xuan Ji suspected that the devil was about to twist his head off with his bare hands, so he hurriedly rushed forward and grabbed Sheng Lingyuan's wrist: "Let go, you are going to strangle him!"

\n\n

However, when he touched Sheng Lingyuan's hand, Xuan Ji was shocked again. This hand... was different from how he was at the Chiyuan Hospital. It was actually warm, with a pulse, and seemed to have low-grade fever, it was a bit hot!

\n\n

He couldn't help but step back in shock. At this moment, a sharp mobile phone ringtone sounded, echoing like thunder in the cave. Sheng Lingyuan was probably exhausted and was pressed by Xuan Ji on his pulse. His hand finally loosened and he fell softly into the coffin. Xuan Ji grabbed the goat-bearded man and fumbled for his mobile phone in a hurry.

\n\n

His mobile phone had no signal since he entered this blasted place, otherwise it would have been ringing like crazy thanks to Luo Cuicui and the rest. It was quiet for most of the day, who knew why the call could get through, and he actually had two bars of signal.

\n\n

The incoming call was displayed as Xiao Zheng–

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was at the conference table of the Penglai Conference, almost being choked to death by Luo Cuicui’s report.

\n\n

Xuan Ji sometimes liked to do things his way, Xiao Zheng has known him for a while and knew his style. As the former commander of the special forces, Xiao Zheng never doubted the strength of this "temporary worker". Who knew that this guy who had been tasked to "wipe their butt" would drop the ball at this time.

\n\n

There were dozens of accusing mouths around him, making it as noisy as a wet market. On the phone, Luo Cuicui sniffed relentlessly.

\n\n

Old Lady Yu obviously felt something was up and her eyes flashed: "What's wrong, Little Xiao, is there something urgent going on in the bureau?"

\n\n

Luo Cuicui sobbed over the phone: "Director Xuan has gone in. What do the rest of us do? You have to call support for us! The local branch office has been isolated, but what about the local boss in Dongchuan? No matter what, you have to hurry up and find someone to save us!"

\n\n

The local boss of Dongchuan was Master Yue De. This poisonous old guy from the Qing Dynasty dressed himself up like an unearthed zombie, separated by half a conference table, and watched them being ridiculed with a smirk.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng couldn't take it anymore and stood up, facing everyone's meaningful gazes, he stormed into the restroom. Once inside, he quickly took out four soundproof and leak-proof talismans from his wallet and stuck them on the four walls. He first pacified Luo Cuicui, the panicking waste from the Aftermath Department, then contacted the special forces for nearby reinforcements, and ordered them thrice to "send the elite".

\n\n

After a long conversation, Xiao Zheng was exhausted and felt a great pressure. In order to relieve his anxiety, he unconsciously dialed Xuan Ji's phone. To his surprise, it connected on the eighth or ninth tone.

\n\n

Both the caller and the receiver were shocked. As soon as the call was connected, they almost said the same thing at the same time.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "What's the situation?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng: "What's going on?"

\n\n

"I'm asking you what's going on!" Xiao Zheng stood up from the toilet with a "tss" and his voice was suppressed in his throat, shooting out like a gun. "Do you want to make me anger me to death or boil me alive? What the hell are you doing? Where did you go off to die? Where are you now?"

\n\n

"Don't mention it, it's hard to explain... Well, I may be in a grave now." Xuan Ji lowered his head and looked at the shocking stone platform under the bronze coffin and Sheng Lingyuan. He saw the person lying in the coffin, breathing faintly, with wet hair and withered vines entwined, like a ghost who had just taken over the body and had not yet had time to get used to it.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was dazzled by the ghost, and he was out of sorts for a moment, and accidentally said nonsense to his superior: "This grave is a bit special, there is a coffin in it..."

\n\n

How obvious is it, if you don't put a coffin in the grave, do you want to put in a steamer? Xiao Zheng was already angry, and when he heard this nonsense, he was immediately furious: "Then you just lie down in it, don't come out again!"

\n\n

"No, listen to me, the situation is a bit complicated," Xiao Zheng’s screaming finally woke Xuan Ji up. He forcibly tore his eyes away from Sheng Lingyuan, "There was an army of Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterflies in this grave, and they just chased me for a long distance... I'm fine now, I don't know if there is any pest control device near the coffin, anyway, the butterflies dare not come here – this bronze coffin is placed on a stone altar, surrounded by many spells that I can't understand. But in any case these spells are around the coffin... As you know, it's either to call a soul or bind a corpse, and definitely to lay the soul to rest. This coffin has been opened recently, and it is now empty. The spells around it have been written with paint by someone, and the original spells have been destroyed by the sacrificial text. The suspect for this tomb robbery may be in my hands now, just wait for a bit."

\n\n

Xuan Ji held the phone and cautiously walked between the heavenly demon and the goat-bearded man, using himself to separate them. He faced Sheng Lingyuan, ensuring that he could react first if the demon made a move, then selected the hands-free call option and stepped on the goat-bearded man’s important bits: "See see if you dare pretend to faint again!"

\n\n

The goat-bearded man was halfway through fainting and jerked back awake. Facing Xuan Ji's tall bird-like figure, he was so scared that he shouted out loud.

\n\n

"What are you crying for, does my grandpa look like a corpse with a green face and fangs?" Xuan Ji said unpleasantly, "You unlucky guys even dare to dig graves, even digging into a mass grave of ten thousand people, I really admire you."

\n\n

The goat-bearded man’s voice was trembling like a wave: "I, I, I, I didn't do this kind of digging grave evil, it was, it was, it was Old Lang, it was Old Lang who forced me to do it with them..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "Who is Old Lang?"

\n\n

"Old Lang is, is, is Ji, Ji Qingchen! Old Lang's real name is Ji Qingchen!" The goat-bearded man twisted his buttocks on the ground, trying to get rid of Xuan Ji's foot, "It's all him! I don't know anything! Ah! Great Immortal, spare me, Great Immortal..."

\n\n

The goat-bearded man was in the middle of speaking, who knew what he say, his voice suddenly broke. He rubbed his buttocks on the ground, desperately shrinking back. Xuan Ji glanced at Sheng Lingyuan in the coffin and saw him sitting up with cold eyes, glaring at the goat-bearded man with a laser-sharp gaze.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng heard the desperate scream and asked Xuan Ji in confusion, "What did you do? If you want to beat him up you should do it later, clarify the situation first."

\n\n

"It's not me, it's..." Xuan Ji hesitated. For a moment, a strong resistance surged up in his heart, blocking his throat and preventing him from revealing the existence of Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

Xuan Ji lightly bit his tongue and thought to himself: It must be the demon’s spiritual attack.

\n\n

The demon's spiritual attack was pervasive, and if he was not careful, he would be influenced by him. Compared to him, Bi Chunsheng's language ability was completely at a kindergarten level. No wonder the demon was said to eat people's souls.

\n\n

Xuan Ji quickly converged his thoughts and concentrated his attention to block Sheng Lingyuan's gaze, and asked the goat-bearded man, "What did you and Ji Qingchen come here for last time?"

\n\n

"Looking... looking for a small black can..."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng heard it through the phone and immediately asked, "What is a 'small black can'?"

\n\n

Perhaps because of the heavenly demon’s intimidating stare, even if Xuan Ji was blocking in the middle, the goat-bearded man was still extremely scared. When he saw Sheng Lingyuan's long hair draped on the bronze coffin, he was so scared that he peed his pants. Incoherent, he answered whatever they asked.

\n\n

"The... the small black can is their treasure, and it's all 'good things' dug out from the ground... They said one can is a 'curse' and one can is a 'curse breaker'. First, they give the victim a curse, and then they pat the curse breaker on the person's forehead, that person will d-definitely get better! Then you can get as much money as you want. Old Lang s-s-said…t-this way we can get rich fast, I tried to persuade him saying it was too evil, but he refused to listen…"

\n\n

Although he said it incoherently, Xiao Zheng and Xuan Ji both understood – it was similar to what Luo Cuicui guessed on the plane. Ji Qingchen had a prop that could make people have symptoms similar to "being cursed", and there was a corresponding "cure" to cure it.

\n\n

They gave the victims the curse themselves and then cured them, deceiving the victims.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "What is this thing - the so-called 'small black can'? Does Ji Qingchen use it alone?"

\n\n

"It was bought from the black market before, and they all use it... Masters, masters all use it! Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many customers... Even the real masters, the masters of Yue De, their disciples also use it!"

\n\n

Even with the soundproofing talisman, Xiao Zheng lowered his voice: "Who did you say? Say it again!"

\n\n

The goat-bearded man was so scared that he was almost mad. He shook his teeth and vented something, screaming hoarsely: "The disciples of Master Yue De do this kind of thing, I know! Master Yue De has eight hundred disciples, and whoever has what achievements every year must be reported to the master. If you can't report it, the master will say that you are not diligent in your practice and will be expelled!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was so pained that he said, "What? They are doing this business, and they can't even escape the 'KPI'?

\n\n

Xiao Zheng: "Shut up!"

\n\n

The goat-bearded man trembled violently.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng slowed down his speech and said almost word by word, "So, what you mean is, because the local weather is good, all kinds of monsters are safe, and the disciples of Master Yue De can't complete the master's 'slaying monsters and demons targets' every year, so they 'create' some monsters to make peace?"

\n\n

No wonder the old zombie was desperately jumping up and down. He must have known that Ji Qingchen was related to his disciples and grandchildren, and he wanted to use the bureau to cover up the situation!

\n\n

At this time, Sheng Lingyuan in the coffin laughed coldly.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng thought it was Xuan Ji, and said, "What are you laughing at? Don't be so dark and mysterious next to you. I'll settle accounts with you later!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "... "

\n\n

What a big pot.

\n\n

"Old Lang... Old Lang was delirious before and who knew where he got the connection. He got a small black can and said it was blood money... He made the money, and I... I just helped him with a few small things and got some pocket money... Really! It has nothing to do with me!"

\n\n

"Stop talking," Xuan Ji gave him a kick, "What's the matter with this tomb robbery?"

\n\n

The goat-beaded man's eyes were shifty. His vitality was like a cockroach. He had just been so scared that his three souls and seven spirits were scattered, and in a moment he seemed to have adapted a little and started to prepare to make up nonsense. He was also a talent.

\n\n

At this time, Sheng Lingyuan took a deep breath, propped up the bronze coffin and stepped out.

\n\n

As soon as the goat-beaded man looked up at him, he was almost immediately overwhelmed by a huge fear. He wanted to kneel down at the feet of Xuan Ji: "I said! I...I...I will explain! Don't come over!"

\n\n

"The curse in the small black can he got at first was used up, he tasted the sweetness of using it and wanted to find someone to make more. Later, he found a way, it seemed to be...the disciple of the Master Yue De. Old Lang invited them to eat for tens of thousands of dollars, begging here and there, the more he couldn’t get it, the more anxious he got. Later, there was a little girl who slept with him, she said that the old man got drunk and said that their 'things' were dug from the ground and now they were gone, even within the sect they were fighting very fiercely over them...Old Lang was confused, and he asked her to trace where it was dug... "

\n\n

The goat-beaded man said a long string of words like a string, it was hard for Xuan Ji to understand it: "So you guys were bolder than you should have been, ran to the address she gave to dig the tomb, and wanted to dig out the 'small black can', and finally dug out a mass grave of ten thousand people?"

\n\n

Goat-beaded man: "We...we...we don't know..."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng: "What mass grave of ten thousand people?"

\n\n

"I'll explain it to you later," Xuan Ji squatted down and grabbed the goat-beaded man's collar. "Who painted these pigments on the ground?"

\n\n

The goat-beaded man's face was distorted in the faint light of the mobile phone screen: "It was also Old Lang...I don't know where he got it from...He said this was an amulet, in case there was something underground, be prepared...We hired a group of 'earth masters', and...and tomb thieves, with the map stolen by that woman, we dug all the way...all the way to here, and saw this... "

\n\n

He raised his hand tremblingly and pointed to the bronze coffin.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was probably cold, his hands were blue and his fingers lightly swept across the patterns on the bronze coffin. He was in a trance, his expression was cold and empty, and Xuan Ji didn't know what he was thinking.

\n\n

"The group of tomb robbers, when they saw the coffin, it was like they took drugs and went crazy. An old man told them not to move things here, because he looked at this place and felt that the feng shui was not right. He said that it must not be a good death to be buried in such a place, and these people must be unable to reincarnate forever...The old man also said that the coffin was surrounded by water on four sides, and the curse on the stone platform was fierce. Although he didn't know what it meant, it seemed to be suppressing evil spirits...But they didn't listen, someone said that the bronze coffin looked like an old object from the Nine Provinces War period. Thousands of years have passed, the crust has moved several times, the feng shui has changed, and the coffin is so well preserved, there must be a treasure inside... "

\n\n

A group of people argued chaotically, and the greediest and most shameless ones finally won.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "So you opened the coffin?"

\n\n

"No no no! Not 'we', it's them! They! I told them not to open it!" The goat-beaded man denied, "Old Lang said to draw the 'amulet' first, to be at ease. Several of them drew that...that thing on the stone platform, and then they burned incense and bowed to the coffin... "

\n\n

Xuan Ji was speechless: "You are still quite ceremonial, what, civilized tomb digging?"

\n\n

The goat-beaded man raised his head, and the light of the mobile phone was reflected in his eyes, dimly, like a ghost fire: "When they opened the coffin, only I and the old grave robber didn't dare to go over. The group of people opened the lid together, and a strange floral scent rushed out of the coffin. I saw...saw a...person's corpse inside... "

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked, "You don’t say?"

\n\n

Could such a big coffin possibly contain something other than a person?

\n\n

"A...person..." the goat-bearded man swallowed hard, his voice hoarse. "Not bones! Not a dried corpse! Intact from head to toe, like he was asleep...arms and brows pierced into the coffin with long nails..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji heard a "click", Sheng Lingyuan stood up from the coffin expressionlessly, pushing the bronze coffin in.

\n\n

"The grave robbers immediately knelt down...but it was like they were bewitched, calling out 'treasure', all swarming around it. Even the nails on the corpse were plucked off...because they were fighting over the loot, one of them suddenly drew a knife and stabbed his comrade to death on the spot...blood filled the coffin...but...but I clearly saw that there was nothing in the coffin besides the corpse!"

\n\n

A condensed water droplet rolled down the cold mountain walls and fell into the pool with a "plop", the thin ripples rolling outwards. Xuan Ji felt a chill on his bare back.

\n\n

"I was scared out of my wits. But those grave robbers had red eyes, like they had a deep grudge against each other. Something was wrong with that idiot Old Lang, he didn't go up to grab the treasure or run, he just stood there dumbly, almost getting split in two by the red-eyed grave robbers. I grabbed him and ran with the old grave robber...we almost didn't make it out! Because the water in the pool suddenly rose up and almost flooded the hole we dug when we came in. Me, Old Lang...and that grave robber, we rolled and crawled out together. The old grave robber didn't even ask for his remaining payment and ran away."

\n\n

"I thought it was a nightmare, but after...after a few days, Old Lang came looking for me. He said that when the grave robbers were fighting, he secretly took a small jade box from the corpse's chest. On it was carved a butterfly, the jade...the jade was almost transparent, inside were a few sesame-sized black seeds, just like the 'curse' in the small black jar...but there was no curse..."

\n\n

At once, Xuan Ji realized that the black seeds the goat-bearded man spoke of were likely mutated butterfly eggs: "Have you used it? How many?"

\n\n

"J-just one," the goat-bearded man said sadly, his face tearful. "But it was different...the 'curse' those people ate before, Old Lang could control them. We could predict people’s futures without a doubt and everyone trusted it. But this time, we couldn't control it at all...Old Lang said it was bad, that he had eaten the wrong thing, and that something had happened, so he didn't dare show his face and said he was going to hide elsewhere. He didn't say where, he and I couldn't act together or else if someone saw, we would be exposed. Who knew..."

\n\n

Who knows, Ji Qingchen inexplicably died a tragic death in the Chiyuan Grand Canyon.

\n\n

But why did Ji Qingchen go to the Chiyuan Grand Canyon?

\n\n

Was this predestined or a coincidence? He was the last sacrifice in the Yin Sacrifice ritual, and there was a Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly on his body. Where and when did he contract the butterfly?

\n\n

When the grave robbers were fighting in front of the coffin, they must have been under some kind of mental attack and had an illusion. But why was Ji Qingchen immune? Was he born with a special talent, or was he already controlled by the butterfly then?

\n\n

The Yin Sacrifice in the Chiyuan Grand Canyon almost overturned the entire Bureau. The sacrificial text and the bloody characters on the mysterious witches’ grave seemed to be just the tip of a huge conspiracy.

\n\n

"I didn't dare show my face, so I asked someone to look for the so-called 'closed-door disciple' of Master Yue De. But he couldn't be found, he was gone as though he’d evaporated into thin air. I...I had no choice, the money was spent and I saw your message on the internet. I thought it was one of the fattened sheep Old Lang had cheated before but didn't have time to collect money from..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was amused by him: "So you're here to inherit the legacy?"

\n\n

Wait!

\n\n

He suddenly realized something was wrong. From what the goat-bearded man said, something happened here with a few grave robbers fighting around a corpse. What happened to the ancient corpse? The blood? The grave robbers?

\n\n

The goat-bearded man cried dramatically, tears streaming down his face. "I didn't mean to, I just wanted to see what was going on and if I could help someone out... Even if it wasn't useful, it was the thought that counted, right? Of course, if I could get a bit of travel expenses out of it... Who knew that when your colleague opened the car door, I would smell that... That smell..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji immediately asked, "What smell?"

\n\n

"Flowers... Rotten flowers, sweet and smelly... I can never forget the smell when they opened the coffin... " Hu said, his voice suddenly stopping. He nervously twitched his nose, his pupils widening in fear, and his whole body trembling. Xuan Ji subconsciously followed him and sniffed the air. The pool was damp and poorly ventilated, and had a rotten smell. He took a deep breath and smelled the smell of flowers mixed in with the rotten smell.

\n\n

Hu muttered softly, "This is it... This is it..."

\n\n

As if in response, bubbles suddenly began to form in the pool.

\n\n

Someone laughed, in a clear voice like an immature teenager, echoing in the eerie cave. Then, he said something in what was probably the witches’ language, and Xuan Ji only understood one word. It was said in an unstandardized tone in the witch language -

\n\n

He said, "Lingyuan."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's phone signal was interrupted again, and Sheng Lingyuan's already pale face was almost evaporated.

\n\n

The teenager's voice hummed a familiar tune. Before Xuan Ji could make out the tune, the goat-bearded man screamed and jumped more than three feet, almost crashing into Xuan Ji - only to see the bodies bubbling underwater crawling up!

\n\n

Immediately, there was a loud noise, the sound of hurried footsteps, the sound of people talking loudly... Coming from the cave where Xuan Ji came from.

\n\n

It seemed that a large group of people were coming this way.

\n\n

But that road... Outside that road, weren't there only forty thousand bones?

\n\n

Xuan Ji kicked one of the bubbling corpses back into the water, grabbed the goat-bearded man in his arms, and turned to Sheng Lingyuan: "Hey, can you walk?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan looked at him blankly, seemingly dazed, and Xuan Ji cursed. He rushed forward and dragged the demon away.

\n\n

"Do I have nothing better to do, what am I taking care of him for?" he thought absurdly, his grip on Sheng Lingyuan's wrist not loosening, flying towards the half-exposed cave. Just as he landed at the entrance and retracted his wings, he had not yet had time to stand firm, and a certain kind of inexplicable crisis surged up. Almost at the same time, Xuan Ji's hand got heavier, and the goat-bearded man fell without a sound.

\n\n

A thin line shot from between the goat-bearded man’s eyes, piercing through the back of his head, and Xuan Ji's hand was stained with brain matter and blood. The murderous "thin line" then wrapped around Xuan Ji's arm, but it burned when it touched him.

\n\n

The eerie singing in the grave was interrupted by the exclamation, and at the same time, a long shadow appeared in the cave. The voice said in a tone that Xuan Ji could barely understand: "Demon!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan finally reacted. He slowly pushed Xuan Ji away. The cave was too low for him to stand up straight. He had to lower his head slightly.

\n\n

Holding the stone wall, he stood unsteadily and whispered a name: "Aluojin."

\n\n

At this time, Xuan Ji reacted to the song he had heard before - it was the tune of a nursery rhyme. He had heard it in Sheng Lingyuan's memory, accompanied by a picture of a pear tree. He didn't know why he could remember a few words.

\n","published_time":"2023-05-28T00:10:11.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:01.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":209,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":23,"chapter_title":"Chapter 23","content":"

The narrow tunnel lit up with a faint light and a person emerged from the darkness, holding a small white flower that glowed.

\n\n

The person was slender and their throat only slightly raised, appearing to be a genderless young teenager. They had long hair tied in a braid, and a wooden mask with a mischievous face tied to the back of their head. The mask was smiling brightly and the person also had a bright smile, with a large and lively right eye, clear and black and white, very pleasing to the eye.

\n\n

If it weren't for the blood hole in their forehead, this person would have been like one of those exotic teenage idols on TV.

\n\n

Xuan Ji frowned and looked around, then at Sheng Lingyuan - who was this person? He had never heard of the name "Aluojin" before. But the goat-bearded man had said that the "corpse" in the coffin had its forehead nailed to the coffin, and this person's forehead also happened to have a blood hole, so the coffin was probably this person's bedroom.

\n\n

What was going on recently? Was corpse fraud becoming popular?

\n\n

This was witches’ grave, and there were more than forty thousand corpses sleeping in the great bed outside, while this teenager had a "single room" - it was clear that they were an evil ruling class.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had just mentioned it, what was the name of the person in charge of the Witch Clan?

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked: "Are you the leader of the Witch Clan...or that 'saint'?"

\n\n

The masked person was both ancient and a foreigner, probably not even able to speak the "Mandarin" of his time, let alone Xuan Ji's modern style. He probably didn't understand, and tilted his head, opened his eyes wide, and showed a serious and curious expression on his face. This was a very childish action, often seen in kindergartens and literary performances.

\n\n

People over the age of twelve who make such pre-school moves are either fools or neurotics.

\n\n

But for some reason, it looked natural on this strange masked person.

\n\n

It was as if...he was innocently convincing.

\n\n

"Leader." Sheng Lingyuan answered for the person, "He was the last leader of the Witch People, Aluojin."

\n\n

Aluojin understood his name and smiled, revealing a pair of lively and cute little tiger teeth.

\n\n

Xuan Ji looked at the big demon beside him with the corner of his eye: "Do you know him? Is he alive or dead?"

\n\n

"What do you think?" Sheng Lingyuan glanced at him, Xuan Ji's wings couldn't be opened, so he could only fold them sadly on his back, and Sheng Lingyuan's gaze swept over the folded wings, his gaze cold, as if he didn't want to look at it any more, "The Yin Sacrifice ritual summoned him, what do you think he is."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was full of cold sweat, and secretly opened the Thousand Demon Bestiary in his eyes.

\n\n

The Thousand Demon Bestiary didn't drop the ball this time, and quickly gave him an answer: Heavenly demon.

\n\n

Another heavenly demon! Are they starting to be mass-produced recently?

\n\n

Xuan Ji slightly tilted his head, using the Thousand Demon Bestiary to aim at Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

However, between the pages of the Thousand Demon Bestiary, there was once again a blank.

\n\n

Xuan Ji sighed in his heart, it was not surprising, he didn't know what was wrong with this broken book, it seemed to get a virus every time it touched this Sheng Lingyuan, last time it was gurgling for a long time, first saying that the big demon was a puppet carved from jade, and after half a day, it said that he was a demon, this time…

\n\n

Just as he was secretly complaining, the Thousand Demon Bestiary vaguely revealed a word.

\n\n

At least this time it was better than last time, Xuan Ji quickly looked carefully, only to see that the Thousand Demon Bestiary hesitated for a while, and then jumped out a word: evil.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

What the hell! This broken thing has one hundred percent gotten a virus!

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's hand rested on the wet stone wall of the tunnel, and heard the strange masked person say in a manner from three thousand years ago: "Are you happy to see me, Brother Lingyuan?"

\n\n

"Like a startling dream." Sheng Lingyuan muttered, he was stunned for a while, then sighed, and stretched out his hand to the shadow, his weak voice more like a lover's whisper, softly, "Aluojin, come here, let me see you."

\n\n

This was said in the witches’ language, and Xuan Ji couldn't understand it, but maybe he had been fooled by the heavenly demon too many times, as soon as he heard this warm and soft tone, he unconsciously stepped back to the side, feeling that this person was up to no good.

\n\n

Aluojin was not as quick-witted as him. When he heard Sheng Lingyuan's ridiculous words, he stared blankly at the man in the withered grass robe, and a blush rose on half of his face. The blush then spread to the eye sockets, and even the mask on his left face turned into a crying face, and he said pitifully: "I was locked up here alone. I don't know how long I have been here. I was forcibly awakened by those people with the Yin Sacrifice ritual. I want to go out and see... Where is this? Is this still Dongchuan? Why are there so many mortals in Dongchuan? What are they saying, I can't understand a word."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan said softly: "Hmm, I know."

\n\n

"I followed that person," Aluojin pointed to the corpse of the goat-bearded man, "and then I felt your breath, so I pulled you over... Lingyuan, it's really you, I... Am I dreaming? I miss you so much."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's head did not move, his eyelids slowly lowered, then opened again, nodding with his eyes, and he replied almost inaudibly: "I know."

\n\n

Aluojin walked towards him step by step, "Brother Lingyuan, what about the clansmen?"

\n\n

At that moment, Xuan Ji saw a fleeting sadness on the face of the great heavenly demon, so fast that he thought he was wrong.

\n\n

Aluojin seemed to be bewitched. He slowly grasped Sheng Lingyuan's outstretched hand and said sadly in a low voice: "There are so many fun things outside. I don't understand what they are doing. But the paintings on the wall can move, the iron worms running on the road are buzzing, in the evening, everywhere is colorful lights, the streets are full of sweetness, it seems that there are markets every day, more lively than the festivals..."

\n\n

Aluojin's voice suddenly dropped: "They are all so happy, Brother Lingyuan."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's throat moved slightly, and he tightened his hand.

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't understand the language of the witches, but he could read the air. Intuitively, he gave a warning in advance: "Be careful!"

\n\n

Before the words were finished, the expression of grievance on Aluojin's mask suddenly became ferocious: "But why are they so happy, I hate it so much..."

\n\n

Suddenly, a large bunch of vines surged out from behind him - it was the kind that would "bleed" on the cave wall, carrying an ominous fragrance, rushing towards Sheng Lingyuan, and dragging Xuan Ji along.

\n\n

Xuan Ji lamented: "Damn!"

\n\n

Almost at the same time, Sheng Lingyuan violently dragged Aluojin over, grabbing his throat in a lightning-like move. Aluojin was half a head shorter than him, and he was heavily pressed against the wall, his feet off the ground. The vines wrapped around his hands, and the places they touched were immediately torn open. Sheng Lingyuan seemed as if he didn't feel pain, he didn't look at the wounds on his body, and he silently said something, and a buzz came from behind. Then, a few black long nails flew out of the pool, each of them was half a foot long. Sheng Lingyuan caught one in his hand, and lightning-like directly nailed it into Aluojin's eyebrows, firmly nailing the mask person's resentful expression in place!

\n\n

Blood splashed on his chin and neck, and the places it touched burnt. The bloody wounds sizzled, and then quickly healed at a visible speed.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's expression remained unchanged, still full of love, whispering softly to the mask person's ear: "If you are unhappy, just close your eyes and don't look."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "... "

\n\n

Who was he warning to be careful just now?

\n\n

This is clearly two wolves biting each other!

\n\n

The features on Aluojin's mask flattened, and he looked at Sheng Lingyuan blankly. He said intermittently: "When I opened my eyes... I saw you, thinking it was a dream, but it turns out... it's not a dream."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan did not answer, and skillfully nailed several long nails into Aluojin's four limbs.

\n\n

"You are real, Your Majesty." Aluojin suddenly changed to the ancient elegant voice, "Who else can be so heartless except you? Who is worthy of being this ruthless emperor?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji understood this elegant voice and caught his last title. In an instant, he looked up incredulously at Sheng Lingyuan's back, suspecting that his ears had been infected with the virus like the "Thousand Demon Bestiary".

\n\n

He couldn't pass the level four of the ancient language listening test, but... if he didn't hear it wrong, did this kid just say "Emperor"?

\n\n

The last long nail pierced through Aluojin's body with a "clang" as it wedged into the stone. The masked person was now motionless, and an eerie silence filled the area. All Xuan Ji could hear was his own heart pounding.

\n\n

"You..." he stared at Sheng Lingyuan, but changed his words mid-sentence, "Your..."

\n\n

Suddenly, the cave began to shake, interrupting Xuan Ji's words. The narrow passage collapsed at both ends, trapping both of them inside.

\n\n

A maniacal laughter echoed from all directions, it was Aluojin, who had been nailed to the stone!

\n\n

On the ground, Yang Chao sat in the back seat of the car, eyes closed in a trance-like state, holding Xuan Ji's watch in his hands. Neither Old Luo, the driver, nor Ping Qianru dared to make a sound, afraid of disturbing him as he "communicated with the universe".

\n\n

Who would have thought that Yang Chao and the "universe" would chat endlessly. Just as it was time for dinner, Ping Qianru was so hungry she couldn't take it anymore. She carefully took out a nut from her pocket and quickly threw it into her mouth, but Yang Chao suddenly opened his eyes and Ping Qianru immediately stopped chewing.

\n\n

Yang Chao: "Sis, can you give me something to eat?"

\n\n

Ping Qianru: "..."

\n\n

She stuffed the entire bag of nuts into Yang Chao's arms: "How about this? Did you feel anything? Are we getting closer?"

\n\n

Yang Chao was also a special ability user, but in the aftermath department, so he was mostly useless. He was considered a "spiritual type", but not a supportive battle type like Bi Chunsheng. He was very sensitive and could feel the strong emotions of those around him, and he could also roughly sense the position and physical condition of the owner through objects - of course, this special ability was not as accurate as a working dog, so it was rarely used, making his skills even more rusty.

\n\n

"Well, I can't say for sure. You know I'm sometimes sensitive, and just now I suddenly didn't feel anything at all." Yang Chao said with a frown, "Either we've passed it, or..."

\n\n

"Shh," Ping Qianru interrupted him, patting Old Luo's seat, "We must have passed it. Old Luo, turn around!"

\n\n

"Turn around! You can't turn around on the highway! We don't know when reinforcements will arrive," Old Luo said wisely, "With just the few of us looking for Director Xuan... if we could be relied on, why would we be in the aftermath department?"

\n\n

At this moment, Yang Chao's phone rang.

\n\n

"Hello, Director Xiao..." After listening for a moment, Yang Chao sat up straight, "Director Xiao sent the 'Wind God' team to us and asked us to send a location!"

\n\n

Almost at the same time, at the Penglai Conference room, Master Yue De's cell phone also shook. The old man in a black Zhongshan suit took it and looked at it. Someone had sent him a WeChat message: "The Bureau is making a small move. The 'Wind God' just landed at Dongchuan Airport."

\n\n

Master Yue De replied without a sound: "So what, we are not afraid of shadows."

\n\n

After a while, a message was quickly retracted from the other side: "Master, they got off the plane and seemed to be heading straight for our 'Mine'. What should we do?"

\n\n

Master Yue De's face suddenly darkened.

\n\n

The so-called "Mine" was an ancient tomb. It was the treasure left by the ancestors of Master Yue De's sect in the Dongchuan area. When it reached Master Yue De, the upper part of the ancient tomb had been dug up almost completely. If you go further down, no one can come back alive.

\n\n

Special ability holders are more sensitive than ordinary people, and they can feel the danger of the forbidden area without being reminded. Therefore, Master Yue De has never had the idea of going down to explore since he was a child. Anyway, just the periphery is enough to benefit them for several generations. There are countless ancient books there, a small part of which are written in ancient Chinese, and more texts with ghostly characters that make people feel confused. Master Yue De organized a group of linguists to try to decipher these ghostly characters. So far, only a small part has been deciphered, which is not enough to let them understand the unknown words. Just the part that can be understood has made them dominate Dongchuan and stand out among countless peers.

\n\n

In addition to ancient books in the ancient tomb, the most precious things are some ancient "curses".

\n\n

The concept of "curses" is recorded in ancient Chinese texts that have been unearthed, and it is unknown who translated them. The power of curses is that even ordinary people can use them with the right props, some of which have very powerful destructive effects. However, miraculously, there is a corresponding solution to each curse, and no after-effects remain after the curse is broken.

\n\n

This is the secret behind the success of the group led by the Yue De sect.

\n\n

Since ancient times, people have gone to temples to pray to gods and Buddhas only when they had something to ask.

\n\n

When the wind and rain were good, the temples of the gods of rivers and land were overgrown with weeds. If cats caught all the mice, they would be asked to leave home soon. For seventy years there were no wars or major disasters, and most people lived in peace and contentment.

\n\n

Occasionally, something happened and the people from the Bureau would come to intervene in the guise of "security". They were supported by the government, with salaries paid by taxpayers, but the Yue De sect's followers had to rely on themselves.

\n\n

The Yue De Sect's followers were always ready to answer his call, and tens of thousands of disciples could not be supported by nothing.

\n\n

In times of peace, there was no room for "masters" to use force, so it was impossible for the mysterious and high-ranking "masters" to go to work and earn money. It was not easy to make a living, so the Yue De Sect's followers had to work hard, with one person playing two roles - both the bad guys who cursed people and the "saviours" who saved the world. His disciples first cursed people and then came out to break the curses and collect money. The big bosses knew what was going on.

\n\n

Master Yue De swept his gaze across the conference table, and this was almost an unspoken rule in the industry. If it were revealed, no one would be able to escape.

\n\n

Master Yue De put the porcelain cup on the table and thought to himself: if you dare to come, then I won’t let you leave.

\n\n

But before he could give instructions to his disciples, a news popped up on his phone: "A 4.2 magnitude earthquake occurred in Changning Province at 11:19, the epicenter was in Dongchuan, and the epicenter depth was 0 kilometers."

\n\n

"Master," the message from his disciple came first, "the 'mine' just had an earthquake!"

\n\n

At this moment, Xuan Ji's feet were on the "epicenter", and at the moment of the collapse of the cave, he was ready to be hit by the rocks. Unexpectedly, the floor beneath his feet disappeared and he stepped on air, and it was dark everywhere.

\n\n

The breeze blew, the smell of mud came to his face, mixed with the chirping of birds and cicadas.

\n\n

Before Xuan Ji could pinch a spark to light up, someone with a torch ran over from not far away, wearing clothes similar to the weird Aluojin, and screaming in the witches’ language.

\n\n

Xuan Ji reached out to stop him: "Hey, wait..."

\n\n

But the man "passed" through him and ran straight to the wooden house at the end of the path.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

What kind of horror movie scene is this, is he dead or the other person dead?

\n\n

At this moment, a hand suddenly pressed on his shoulder, and Xuan Ji instinctively shrank his shoulders and turned around, pressing his fingers with sparks against the other's neck, and the sparks lit up Sheng Lingyuan's face stained with blood.

\n\n

"What is this place? Is it an illusion? You..." Xuan Ji suddenly remembered the seemingly "emperor" words Aluojin said before, and instinctively addressed him more respectfully. "Who is your..."

\n\n

What is his origin?

\n","published_time":"2023-06-04T02:16:43.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:02.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":225,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":24,"chapter_title":"Chapter 24","content":"

Sheng Lingyuan's gaze passed over him and after a long pause, he replied, "No, I’m not."

\n\n

They were now on a small hillside, the grass and trees were lush, and rows of small dwellings were nestled between the mountain roads, barely visible in the woods. They were not tall but round and stumpy, and from a distance, they looked like clusters of hidden mushrooms. This night was a new moon, and the stars were like waves, making their hearts involuntarily calm down.

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't know if the other party understood what he had just asked, and he was thinking about changing his words and asking again when Sheng Lingyuan slowly said, "This place... this is not... 'Illusion Realm'."

\n\n

When Sheng Lingyuan first arrived in this world, his head was empty. He was full of enthusiasm and curiosity about everything around him. He could imitate the accent and pauses of what others said after hearing it once, and he would try to understand its principle and use whenever he saw something new.

\n\n

But... memories came back, almost like an unwelcome guest.

\n\n

The recovered burdens from his past life were extremely heavy, weighing down his heart so much that he had no strength to look around. Sheng Lingyuan was like an ancient sword just unearthed, and the cold sword body touched the air and soon oxidized with rust spots, and even the blade was dull.

\n\n

He spoke the common language awkwardly, which was worse than how he had spoken at the Chiyuan Hospital.

\n\n

"This is a curse, one of the seven evil curses of the Witch Clan, called... 'Retracing'." Sheng Lingyuan slowed down his speech, and in the dim environment, he couldn't see his face, which made him sound almost gloomy. His tone was like an old man, which inexplicably made Xuan Ji think of the rusty artifacts in his home. "My... I think the one I nailed on the wall is a substitute, and the curse... is in the blood of the substitute... He probably knew that I was in a hurry to nail him back in the coffin, and I was careless."

\n\n

"What is 'Retracing'?"

\n\n

"It's... " Sheng Lingyuan opened his mouth, but he forgot how to say the word for a moment. His voice was like a dry and broken stream, and after a long time, he continued, "When I see him, my memories will come up, and whatever I remember will be experienced again. If there is a past that can't be resolved, I will keep going around in it until I die in it."

\n\n

That is to say, "Retracing" is a memory that may be infinitely cycled!

\n\n

"Wait, let me think," Xuan Ji turned his head and saw the "witch" who had just passed through his body and smashed open the door of the wooden house at the end of the small road. He was still speaking the witches’ language and Xuan Ji didn't know what he was saying.

\n\n

He couldn't help but sigh, "Today is really long day."

\n\n

Originally, he just wanted to fish for a group of Jianghu swindlers, but he didn't expect to catch a shark, and the shark dragged him into the water with him.

\n\n

The connection between Ji Qingchen and Bi Chunsheng was not clear. First, he was inexplicably dragged into a pit of ten thousand people, and before he could understand what was going on with this crazy unlucky place, a dead person came out of the coffin. The two heavenly demons whispered in the witches’ language for a long time, and Xuan Ji didn't understand what kind of things they had shared. Now he was dragged into a strange curse.

\n\n

Xuan Ji inexplicably thought: "And what does the feud between these two heavenly demons have to do with me?"

\n\n

He was just a poor civil servant who had nowhere to claim his broken clothes. Why did those two have to fight first, killing his suspect, and then dragging him into the water?

\n\n

What did he do wrong? Is there a nickname called "Pond Fish" that he doesn't even know?

\n\n

"Also, elder, I'm actually quite embarrassed to say this, but, 'returning what is borrowed, and borrowing again becomes possible’, right? Can you return my original sword to me first? It's not that I'm stingy, I'll definitely give you this one if I have two, but the truth is... I really don't have another one."

\n\n

"I'm sorry," Sheng Lingyuan said, trying to explain, but due to his limited vocabulary of modern Chinese, he was unable to organize his words. After a while, he could only apologize with a hint of embarrassment, "That's mine."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was shocked. Some people actually had the audacity to be so blunt and shameless!

\n\n

"I'm sorry," he said, "Whose is it? Did I hear something wrong?"

\n\n

"That is my..." Sheng Lingyuan opened his mouth, but forgot the words, so he gave up and returned to his own accent, "Skeleton."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

The language barrier was really a big problem. He felt he might have heard something wrong again.

\n\n

"No, I probably really didn't understand. You said earlier, my sword," Xuan Ji stretched out his arms to gesture, "That wide,one used for cutting people–the sword, is your 'skeleton'? That is... what's left after death..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan nodded faintly: "Corpse."

\n\n

"Then what am I?" Xuan Ji's voice was a little off-key, "A handsome limited edition urn for ashes?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's expression was faint and he didn't pay attention, not even understanding.

\n\n

"When I jumped into the Chiyuan Sea of Fire," Sheng Lingyuan said softly, "After death, my bones were not completely burned, and my remains were scattered."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

Jumping into the Chiyuan Sea of Fire... He really was... but how could it be possible?

\n\n

When Aluojin said "Your Majesty" and "Emperor", Xuan Ji still suspected he had heard it wrong. Since ancient times, apart from the legendary ancient gods, the only one who could be called "Emperor" by the foreign tribes was the Great Qi Emperor Sheng Xiao.

\n\n

Because he had set things right, he had achieved the impossible with a mortal body, and was respected and feared like a descending god.

\n\n

No... The Emperor Sheng Xiao in the history books was a fierce-looking iron-faced man! He was big and burly, with a figure similar to the four great heavenly kings, which was very in line with the character of the Emperor of Martial Arts.

\n\n

How could he be a little white-faced flirt?

\n\n

Xuan Ji opened his mouth, too many questions swirling in his mind, and he was suddenly at a loss for words.

\n\n

"The corpse was probably picked up by your ancestors," Sheng Lingyuan didn't pay attention to him, and then continued, "Using the ancient method of 'nourishing the corpse with life force'."
\nXuan Ji lost most of his thinking ability and repeated the phrase he had never heard of in a daze: "Nourishing... what ancient method?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan treated him like a little demon who had grown up amongst humans–that is, like a wolf child, not lacking in soul and wisdom, but definitely lacking in much common sense.

\n\n

So he patiently explained: "It is to infuse the life force into the corpse, nourishing it with the body. After many years, an intact corpse can be preserved without decay, and an incomplete corpse can be nourished by vitality. Sometimes, enough spiritual energy can be accumulated to repair broken limbs and wounds. You may have received the inheritance of the clan when you were too young to remember–as for why it was a sword, because your life force belongs to the metal-type. 'Nourishing the corpse' requires infusing the life force, and when the corpse is not separated from the living body, it often appears in the form of the life force."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan paused here and said faintly: "But I'm also curious. I thought your life force belonged to the fire-type, but I turned out to be wrong. I guess the various tribes have been mixed up these years."

\n\n

Xuan Ji stumbled to find his tongue: "Then you... you have been in my back, so the one at the Chiyuan Hospital before was..."

\n\n

A fake?

\n\n

Or something pretending to be a demon, using the Yin Sacrifice ritual to call out the Emperor, what's the point?

\n\n

How could the Emperor be a demon!

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "That is a 'Heart-Piercing Grass Puppet'... You should know what that is, right?"

\n\n

This had been mentioned by the "Thousand Demon Bestiary". However, a nerve on his eyelid suddenly twitched, and a shadow suddenly flashed through his mind–the "Thousand Demon Bestiary" had said at the beginning that the man was a jade-carved "Heart-Piercing Grass Puppet puppet". He had not made a mistake!

\n\n

But if a jade-carved Heart-Piercing Grass Puppet puppet could be at a "heavenly demon’s" level, then what about the original body?

\n\n

"That Heart-Piercing Grass Puppet was something I had been with since before I died. It often acted as my eyes and ears, and could understand my spirit. When I left, I left one guard behind. It must have been him who buried it. The Yin Sacrifice ritual woke me up, and before my real body woke up, I borrowed the Heart-Piercing Grass Puppet body to answer the ritual.

\n\n

“I received the backlash of the Yin Sacrifice ritual, and it was only because you were carrying my real body nearby that I was able to return to my body when the lightning struck. It was just that my soul was shaken for a moment, and I didn't remember anything."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan stretched out his fingers and said, at this moment, he vaguely remembered that he didn't want to answer the ritual at all, and he wanted to kill the person who disturbed his long sleep.

\n\n

Right, why did he open his eyes and come back to the world at that time?

\n\n

He was about to recall, but suddenly there was a sharp pain around his temples. Sheng Lingyuan frowned slightly.

\n\n

This corpse was cultivated too “well”, and even his headache before he died was preserved.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's heart slowly sank–this "Emperor" was definitely not a human.

\n\n

The Emperor Sheng Xiao had been dead for three thousand years. Even if the so-called "ancient corpse preservation" could make him as alive as before, it was still just an animated corpse. When people die, their souls and spirits scatter, and ghosts and monsters have always been illusions of self-deception. The body is not a shell that can be put on and taken off at will.

\n\n

He first entered the jade-carved puppet body, and then was hit by thunderbolts back into his own corpse, like flowing clouds... This was written in the "Dongchuan Witches Book", only immortal creatures have such a form of life.

\n\n

But the Emperor, why did he become a demon?

\n\n

What did the history books miss?

\n\n

The usual playful smile on Xuan Ji's face disappeared. He subconsciously held his breath and asked, "My...ancestor, how were they related to you?"

\n\n

Was he a relative? Why did they take such care to cultivate a corpse.

\n\n

The pain around Sheng Lingyuan's temples began to spread, and his head was about to burst. However, there was a smile on his face, and he answered slowly: "My corpse is immune to water and fire, and can be used for many purposes. Your ancestor was very talented and brave. It was really impressive."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was inexplicably stabbed by the hidden malice in the words. In the darkness, his eyes dimmed for a moment. At the same time, he felt that the malice was unreasonable–the Emperor of Martial Arts was a famous lone star in history, and it was said that he killed his master and relatives. It is estimated that his relatives and friends are all gone. Even if there is some malice, it should not be directed at him personally, but at his ancestor three thousand years ago.

\n\n

Nowadays, young people have no concept of clans, and ancestors before the eighteenth generation will be ignored even if they are scolded on the street.

\n\n

But Xuan Ji's heart was so uncomfortable that he couldn't breathe for a moment, as if the inexpressible deep affection had been betrayed.

\n\n

At this time, a loud noise interrupted his musing. There was a commotion at the foot of the mountain, and someone shouted in the witches’ language.

\n\n

Xuan Ji quickly collected his inexplicable emotions, poked his head down the mountain, and saw a group of people holding torches, surrounding a man and quickly climbing the mountain. The big man was carrying someone and shouting from a distance. Although Xuan Ji couldn't understand, he guessed from the scene that he was asking someone to help.

\n\n

The whole clan was alarmed, and the lights were lit in houses on both sides of the mountain road. The drowsy witchpeople put on their clothes and came out to take a look.

\n\n

The quiet night was broken, like a metaphor.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "That is..."

\n\n

"It's me," Sheng Lingyuan said softly, "The one leading is the old clan leader from back then, and the one he's carrying is me."

\n\n

At this moment, rustling noises arose from the bushes nearby. Xuan Ji lowered his head and saw a small head popping out from the bushes. It was a seven or eight year old boy, at an age that even dogs would despise. He had round grape eyes, a small braid, and his hair was all messed up.

\n\n

Xuan Ji stepped back half a step: "You scared me, this brat looks too much like the corpse from just now."

\n\n

"Mm," Sheng Lingyuan's gaze fell on the boy, and after a while he said, "This is Aluojin."

\n\n

"Wha..."

\n\n

At this moment, the man carrying the person passed by them. Xuan Ji could clearly see the teenager he was carrying.

\n\n

The teenager had long hands and legs, but his body seemed to have not caught up yet. He was thin, and wrapped in a big cloak, only revealing a pale small face, and blood continuously flowed down from his fingertips.

\n\n

At the highest point of the hill, an old man welcomed them from the wooden house. He was dressed very formally. Xuan Ji guessed that he was the spiritual leader of the Witch Clan, and seemed to be called "Great Sage" or something.

\n\n

The firelight illuminated the small wooden house, and only then did Xuan Ji realize that there was no door ring on the door of the wooden house. Instead, two special knock stones were inlaid on it, which was exactly the same as the door Sheng Lingyuan had erected in his sea of knowledge.

\n\n

So it turned out that this was the building of the Witch Clan, no wonder it was full of a sense of foreignness.

\n\n

The old man who walked out of the wooden house took over the injured teenager, and the witches who were watching whispered to each other. Little Aluojin, who had a bunch of small braids on his head, curiously crawled in from under the adults' feet, tiptoed to look around, chattering: "Is that the little prince? Is it him? Let me see, let me see!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't help but ask: "Was your Majesty injured?"

\n\n

"Just a common occurrence," Sheng Lingyuan stood outside the crowd, not approaching, and looked far away at his own tattered self. After a few moments of confusion, he said, "My father died in the Chiyuan, the country collapsed, the imperial city turned into a monster city, the human race declined, and people wanted hope, so a prophecy came out... I guess it was fabricated by the capable courtiers around my mother, saying 'The emperor's son born from a million resentful souls will carry his father's blood and personally destroy the monsters'.

\n\n

"You mean..."

\n\n

"Yes, me. Such a baseless rumor can only deceive the unenlightened people and monsters. Surprisingly, they really believe it. I was a thorn in the eyes of the monster king since I was born, and he has been chasing me since I was a child. When I was ten years old, I got separated from my teacher and was betrayed by my own clan. Three big monsters chased me all the way to Dongchuan. All twelve of my guards died, and when I reached a dead end, I was saved by the witches. "

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan said this and looked back at the mountain with a few dim lights. His voice was slightly vague, "The witch's hometown is a Paradise. I hid in this Paradise for six years."

\n","published_time":"2023-06-11T04:16:49.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:24.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":235,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":25,"chapter_title":"Chapter 25","content":"

As they spoke, the memories began to slowly push forward.

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Sheng Lingyuan and Xuan Ji were also swept up in the flow of time.

\n\n

The young prince, who was exiled with his people, was still recovering from his injuries and resting by the window.

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Suddenly, a strange and ugly bug flew in and landed directly on his forehead, causing mischievous laughter from the children.

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Although Sheng Lingyuan was only ten years old, he had already been fleeing in endless fear for ten years and had long lost his childishness. He neither had the same experience as the naughty children nor was he interested in indulging them.

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Calmly, he pinched the bug and released it outside, speaking in the unfamiliar language of the witch people, "If you cause trouble again, I'll tell your father."

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The snickering ceased and, after a moment, Aluojin's head popped out from the tree.

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He glared at Sheng Lingyuan with a puffed-up chest and then scurried down the tree with his little entourage.

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As a young boy, Aluojin was filled with curiosity about Sheng Lingyuan and wanted to play with him, but he didn't know how to approach him.

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Being the only son of the tribe leader, he was spoiled by the tribe and had always been the center of attention. The other children in the tribe followed him around like little ducklings.

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In his mind, he didn't even consider the concept of "putting aside his pride and actively making friends."

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He believed that simply walking around someone's window was already a huge favor, and that the prince of the human tribe should be thrilled to join them.

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Little did he know that the fallen prince of the human tribe didn't want to bother with him.

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Aluojin was infuriated, but at the same time, his "the more you can't get, the more you want" mentality was growing stronger. The more Sheng Lingyuan ignored him, the more he wanted to show off in front of him.

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So every day, he led a group of followers to harass and disturb the peace of the Great Sage's small wooden house.

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The young prince's temperament had long been honed. He remained calm and collected, and when he was annoyed, he would use his ultimate move: "I'll tell your dad."

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It never failed.

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Aluojin's frequency of being beaten by this increased rapidly, and his love-hate relationship with the human prince was one-sided, leaving him gnashing his teeth in anger.

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Before he could even set foot on the ground, Sheng Lingyuan had already learned to communicate in the language of the Witch Clan and even learned their writing.

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The history books say that the Emperor Wu was "enlightened and intelligent," but they didn't mention that this monarch could mimic the speech of a parrot faster than anyone else.

\n\n

At first, Xuan Ji thought that Sheng Lingyuan was just a natural genius with an incredible memory.

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He couldn't help but compare him to the group of college students who had spent over a decade memorizing grammar rules but still couldn't speak English clearly.

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It wasn't until later that he realized that Sheng Lingyuan's ability was simply a matter of survival.

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During the chaotic era of the Nine Provinces, no one had the luxury of promoting "Mandarin".

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The languages of different ethnic groups and regions were vastly different, some not even belonging to the same language family.

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In order to survive in this turbulent world, young Sheng Lingyuan had to quickly master the dialects and blend into unfamiliar environments. It was a skill he needed to stay alive.

\n\n

However, even for the prestigious Sheng Lingyuan, learning the written language of the witch people was a great challenge.

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Their script was written on a type of local tree leaf and at first glance, it resembled ancient Egyptian writing. The characters were all large circles enclosing smaller circles, lacking the sharp strokes of Chinese characters.

\n\n

Like their houses, the script was endearingly simple yet incredibly complex, revealing a deep cultural heritage.

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At the top of the mountain, next to the Great Sage's wooden house, there was a place that resembled a modern library. It housed a vast collection of texts, and even outsiders were free to come and go as they pleased.

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Even to contemporary people like Xuan Ji, the openness and level of civilization of this ancient tribe were quite astonishing.

\n\n

After only a few rounds of exploration in the Dongchuan area, he had already overturned all of his previous impressions of the witch people. The witch people were the birthplace of parasitic butterflies, and they possessed all sorts of unimaginable spells.

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From the name "witch," there was an eerie feeling that emanated from it.

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Adding to that was the eccentric Aluojin.

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Xuan Ji couldn't help but have preconceived notions about the image of the "witch people," thinking that they were similar to the "dark wizards" in movies - everyone dressed like Arab women, only revealing their eyes. They would then gather around a bonfire day and night, discussing who to curse to death tomorrow.

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But in reality, Dongchuan was not at all gloomy. The way of life for the witch people was even lively and warm.

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Everyone was quite lazy, leaving their cows and sheep halfway through grazing to take a nap somewhere, but if they got lost, it didn't matter because in a few days, someone from the tribe would help find them.

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Children here began their education at the age of five or six, and the entire tribe was literate.

\n\n

In the evenings, when there was nothing to do, everyone would gather at the square on the mountaintop to have fun. The tribe leader and the great sage would also attend, and everyone would sit together without any distinction, singing, dancing, telling stories, and even debating some primitive philosophical questions endlessly.

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"I think this place is just as impressive as the ancient city of Athens," Xuan Ji muttered to himself.

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"Why do they have to call themselves the 'witch people'? It sounds so scary."

\n\n

"In their own writing, they refer to themselves as 'people who live in the forest on the hillside'," said Sheng Lingyuan. "The term 'witch people' was what outsiders called them. Does it sound scary? Perhaps those who called them that had their own fears."

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"The children of the witch people also call you..."

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"Lingyuan?"

\n\n

"I thought it was a pseudonym."

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"I don't even remember my real name, let alone which one is a pseudonym," Sheng Lingyuan raised his eyebrows and smiled. "My given name is rarely mentioned by others. 'Lingyuan' is a milk name given by my elders. It sounds more familiar and rolls off the tongue easier."

\n\n

It is said that ancient people placed great importance on the meaning behind names, but the two characters 'Lingyuan' sound rather ominous... especially for someone who was born during such a special period.

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Xuan Ji thought to herself: What kind of ill-intentioned elder would give such a name?

\n\n

He followed the young Sheng Lingyuan around the witch people's tribe, watching the boy enjoy his days like a vacation. Every day was spent resting, reading, consulting with the Great Sage, or helping with herbs. His biggest annoyance was the mischievous child, Aluojin, who constantly bothered him.

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The curse of the past can trap people in their memories.

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Xuan Ji thought he would see gruesome scenes in the memories of the Emperor, but instead, they were endlessly following a young boy in their daily routines.

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Sheng Lingyuan in these memories always looked like a ten-year-old child, with no signs of growing up.

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"Wait, Your Majesty," Xuan Ji hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "You said that if there is something that cannot be shaken off, then we will be trapped in a memory and keep going in circles. Are we trapped now?"

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Sheng Lingyuan glanced at him with an indifferent expression that said "this doesn't concern me."

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Suddenly, Xuan Ji realized that the more agitated this person became, the more distant his attitude became.

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If Xuan Ji didn't know that he was currently trapped in a young man's dream and unwilling to wake up, he would almost think that this person was flawless.

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Could he also be weak and self-deceiving?

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Could he also be trapped in a certain memory, unable to escape?

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For a moment, Xuan Ji felt that the Martial Emperor, who had always been put on a pedestal, was like a flesh-and-blood person.

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The fragility of the strong and the courage of the coward were equally thrilling.

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His tone involuntarily softened, "But we still need to find a way out, right? What do you think..."

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Before he could finish speaking, Sheng Lingyuan nodded lightly and said, "Hmm, makes sense."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..." He didn't even have a chance to give a long-winded persuasion.

\n\n

"It's human nature to avoid the difficult and focus on the easy, and I'm no exception," Sheng Lingyuan thought for a moment, then calmly said, "These events from my past are too distant, and I can't make sense of them at the moment. So, why don't you just ask me what you want to know, and I'll try to recall along with your questions, and see if we can jump out of these irrelevant trivialities."

\n\n

"Your Majesty," Xuan Ji couldn't help but speak up, "If it's something that can trap you, how can it be irrelevant?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan seemed to find this little demon's sensitivity inexplicable, and looked at him with a smile, "Alright then, how do you want to proceed?"

\n\n

In front of him, Xuan Ji always felt a sense of helplessness in wasting emotions - to discuss his weaknesses in such a matter-of-fact way, this mysterious and inscrutable Majesty didn't seem like a person at all.

\n\n

Without waiting for him to speak, the surroundings began to shake as if awakened by his words.

\n\n

Obviously, Sheng Lingyuan had strong self-control and had abandoned this warm and peaceful memory of his youth.

\n\n

Suddenly, the peaceful village of the witch people shattered into countless pieces in front of them, like a smashed vase. They fell into a dark night, and before Xuan Ji could steady himself, he saw the back door of the chief's house creak open.

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Little Aluojin was holding a bundle in his arms and slipped out, heading straight down the mountain.

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He looked aggrieved, with a red and swollen palm on his left hand.

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He must have been beaten up thanks to the "tattletale" for some unknown reason, and couldn't take it anymore, so he ran away from home.

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked, "What's wrong with him now?"

\n\n

"He stole the 'Soul Shock Spell' from the Great Sage and put it under my pillow," said Sheng Lingyuan. "The Soul Shock Spell can stir up the most fearful things in one's heart, but it's actually a good thing. Fear and terror are both illusions, once you see through them, they will pass. It was originally used by the Great Sage for his own cultivation, and later on, I often carried it with me. However, at that time, the clan leader and the Great Sage were too cautious with me because of my young age, fearing that they would scare me. When the clan leader found out, he was furious and publicly punished Aluojin. He couldn't bear such injustice and secretly ran away that night."

\n\n

Xuan Ji heard a slight movement next to him, turned his head, and saw the young Sheng Lingyuan coming down from a big tree, looking at Aluojin's back.

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After hesitating for a moment, Xuan Ji followed him.

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"Excuse me..."

\n\n

"I couldn't sleep that night," Sheng Lingyuan said calmly. "The spell may be effective, but it's still a strong medicine. I was startled the first time I tried it and didn't dare close my eyes at night."

\n\n

The Witch Clan had some contact with the outside world.

\n\n

Regularly, people would dress up as ordinary civilians and go out to buy and exchange goods. Although Aluojin had never gone with them, he clearly knew the way.

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As he cried, he crawled through the barrier set up by his clan at the foot of the mountain and left the protection of the Witch Clan.

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He thought the outside world was vast and boundless.

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Otherwise, why would an outsider's child be so precious?

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He didn't expect that he would experience the harsh reality of the world just after leaving the Witch Clan.

\n\n

The Witch Clan lived peacefully and without conflict with the world, but their mysterious magic and supernatural powers made the human race afraid of them, and even the demon race was intimidated by them.

\n\n

Therefore, even though they knew that Sheng Lingyuan was hiding in the mountains of the Witch Clan, no one dared to act rashly.

\n\n

In this situation, Aluojin, who ran away from home, was like a gift sent to them from a thousand miles away. As soon as he appeared, he was caught in a net.

\n\n

The demon race had been at a loss for months, knowing that Sheng Lingyuan was in the Witch Clan but unable to enter. Unexpectedly, they received divine assistance when they accidentally captured Aluojin, and were overjoyed.

\n\n

That night, they hung Aluojin in a cage and celebrated, eating and drinking in front of him - of course, they were eating people.

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The wine of the demon clan was mixed with blood, and in the big pot, they stewed soup made from the bones of infants. The tiny skeletons floated in the boiling water, some still with bits of flesh clinging to them, revealing their appearance before death.

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The main course was a beautiful young girl, still alive, with her organs cleaned and her life suspended by demonic magic. They sliced meat directly from her body and boiled it in the water, half-cooked and served with blood, accompanied by her screams.

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After the meal, the girl's legs were reduced to white bones, yet she was still alive, her face pure and flawless.

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The girl who was eaten alive went insane, and Aluojin, who witnessed everything, was on the brink of madness.

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Little Aluojin was thrown into a thatched hut with the girl whose legs were now just white bones. The girl's eyes were empty, staring straight at him, and she laughed all night.

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Aluojin cried all night in front of her.

\n\n

As Xuan Ji was forced to watch from the sidelines, his whole body went numb. His wings instinctively spread out from his back, but as soon as his fiery wings

\n\n

appeared, they were pushed back down by a cold hand that was unafraid of fire.

\n\n

"It's always been like this, there's no need to panic," Sheng Lingyuan said coolly.

\n\n

"If we were in your position, the human race wouldn't show any mercy either. This is an old debt from thousands of years ago, and it has nothing to do with you younger demons."

\n\n

"I'm not..." Xuan Ji blurted out, wanting to say that he wasn't a "demon," but he swallowed his words halfway through.

\n\n

What was he if not a demon?

\n\n

He definitely couldn't be considered human.

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt a sudden sense of loneliness for no reason, as if he had no clan, no peers...and no history.

\n\n

Just then, little Aluojin from the memories had annoyed the little demon who was watching over him, and the demon was about to kick him.

\n\n

But suddenly, a dagger appeared from behind the demon and cleanly sliced his neck.

\n\n

The demon fell silently to the ground, and Aluojin, who was lost in his emotions, stared numbly at the person who had just arrived - the human prince, known as the "tattletale".

\n\n

He wiped the blood from his face, skillfully caught the demon's body, and dragged it to the side, as if he had done this a thousand times before. His dagger was inscribed with a spell to subdue demons, and he used it to easily cut through the iron cage that had trapped Aluojin.

\n\n

With one hand, he lifted Aluojin out and handed him a jar of spells, saying, "Go."

\n\n

Aluojin stumbled out a few steps, but found that Sheng Lingyuan had not followed.

\n\n

He hurriedly turned around and saw Sheng Lingyuan covering the girl's eyes with his hand. He leaned down and whispered something softly in her ear.

\n\n

The girl trembled and muttered nonsense unconsciously. Sheng Lingyuan stared at her for a moment, then raised his hand and gave her a swift death.

\n\n

The spell that had been hanging over her was cut off by the dagger, and the girl was finally liberated from the muddy world.

\n\n

Her eyes even cleared for a moment.

\n\n

If there were such things as spirits, would she dare to come back and be reincarnated again?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan put down the girl's body and grabbed Aluojin, "What are you standing there for?"

\n\n

Aluojin was being dragged along, tears streaming down his face that he couldn't wipe away.

\n\n

He choked out a small plea, "I...sob...want to make her a piece of clothing...brother, can I make her a piece of clothing?"

\n\n

It was the first time Aluojin had called him anything other than "hey," "annoying ghost," or "tattletale."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't let go of him, nor did he look at him.

\n\n

He spoke softly in the language of the witch people.

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't understand the language of the witch people and asked, "What are you saying to him?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't answer.

\n\n

What he had said at that time was, "One day, I will close the eyes of all those who died unjustly, and collect all the unburied bones."

\n\n

He was shamelessly boastful, and that sentence would haunt Aluojin for the rest of his life.

\n\n

The ancestral motto of the witch people was "never leave Dongchuan."

\n\n

But after this battle, the young clan leader's heart had already drifted to the vast and cruel human world.

\n","published_time":"2023-06-19T08:39:51.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":242,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":26,"chapter_title":"Chapter 26","content":"

The witch people are not a warlike tribe, and their temperament is relatively mild - you can tell from their "curses" dug out from the graves.

\n\n

Almost all of their curses have corresponding counter-curses, and there are no after-effects once they are lifted.

\n\n

This is not easy, it's like killing someone is easy, but reviving them is difficult.

\n\n

Unless one claimed that the ancient witch ancestors could foresee the future and designed a set of curses specifically for the fraudsters thousands of years later, it would only mean that the curses they created back then were only for self-protection.

\n\n

Not to mention that the two children couldn't even come into contact with any evil curses.

\n\n

The "curses" that Sheng Lingyuan brought out were basically just pranks that the children in the tribe played, and they were of no use.

\n\n

The two teenagers were forced to hide and evade, and were chased by ferocious demons all the way, looking very worn-down.

\n\n

As they traveled, the villages became desolate and wherever crows gathered, there were always corpses with missing limbs. Little Aluojin felt that crying was too weak. Tears were worthless, and certainly not worth the girl's life.

\n\n

But he couldn't help it.

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He stared hard at Sheng Lingyuan's back, trying to use his gaze to hold back his tears.

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He saw blood for the first time in his life, witnessed the lives of others being treated like weeds, and his heart was torn apart.

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His initial fear finally turned into fuel for anger, anger at the cruel world, and anger at his own weakness.

\n\n

But Xuan Ji was not eight-year-old Aluojin, and it wasn't so easy for him to shed tears.

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He watched coldly for a while before asking, "I have a disrespectful question, Your Majesty. Is your memory real?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's gaze remained fixed on the two young boys as they walked away.

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He turned his head slightly towards them and asked, "Why did you ask that?"

\n\n

"You said earlier that the demon king ordered your pursuit, and that the demon clan knew you had taken refuge in the territory of the Witch Clan, which is notoriously difficult to deal with, right?" Xuan Ji said.

\n\n

"If there was a very important target, like Your Majesty, and a group of very formidable opponents, like the Witch Clan, I think any rational decision maker would send the most reliable people to carry out the mission. You said that the three great demon generals pursued you into the Witch Clan. I'm not very knowledgeable about history or common sense, so I don't know what a 'demon general' is, but if you say that all twelve of your guards died on the escape route, then it must have been very powerful. Although both of you are big shots, you were just a little over the legal age limit and had a jar of prank curses, yet you managed to successfully escape back then? I think that's a bit unusual."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan turned his head from a few steps away, looking at him meaningfully, "What do you mean?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was dressed in ragged beggar clothes, with his jeans rolled up and covered in mud, looking like a non-mainstream punk youth.

\n\n

He spoke very respectfully and his tone was sharp without mercy.

\n\n

His curved smiling eyes were full of vigilance.

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"I'm just raising a doubt," Xuan Ji smiled and looked back at Sheng Lingyuan without dodging, "It's also possible that the demons just happened to have upset stomachs that day, or maybe they were allergic to the witchcraft of the Witch Clan."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan thought to himself, "This little devil, he's hot-headed but cold-hearted, with a heart full of thievery and deceit. He's burned all his wings with his own fire."

\n\n

Quite impressive.

\n\n

People who are too hot-headed never grow up, like Aluojin, who didn't end up well.

\n\n

Suddenly, Sheng Lingyuan asked, "Has my teacher left a name in history?"

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"Your teacher...oh, yes, he has. His reputation is quite impressive," Xuan Ji reminisced for a moment. "Even the children downstairs have memorized his story. 'Emperor's teacher Dan Li, with a face like a beautiful woman, served Emperor Wu with deep planning for several years. He helped restore the country and became a prime minister. But five years later, he was beheaded...'"

\n\n

The last sentence was originally a test question, and Xuan Ji almost blurted it out before realizing who he was talking to and biting his tongue just in time.

\n\n

"But five years later, he was beheaded in the market."

\n\n

Yes, in the glorious achievements of this Emperor Wu, there was also the fact that he 'killed his teacher.'

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's eyes were pitch black and silent, and the light around him reflected like flames on an icy surface.

\n\n

Xuan Ji misspoke, quickly changing the subject and pretending to be clueless.

\n\n

"Ah...well, speaking of which, is he really as handsome as they say? You know, just from the line in the history books that describes him as having a face like a beautiful woman, this IP will be popular for another five hundred years. I've watched several TV dramas about him, and he's married several Mary Sues in each one. By the end, I was so confused about who his actual love interest was."

\n\n

"What... IP?" Sheng Lingyuan was completely confused by Xuan Ji's words and could tell from his expression that it wasn't a serious conversation.

\n\n

He shook his head and his eyes curved slightly, "Dan Li has never married in his lifetime, and only has one confidante by his side. I cannot reveal her name, but it is not that... that Sue. Do you all enjoy making up these kinds of things about historical figures now?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji instantly felt relieved, "Don't worry, we didn't make up any rumors about you."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's eye twitched and his expression was a bit strange, both amusing and ridiculous.

\n\n

Xuan Ji said, "Because the historical records say that you are... quite mighty and powerful."

\n\n

Nine feet tall, like the Heavenly King of Great Strength, cutting people like slicing melons.

\n\n

"Ha... full of righteousness, able to shield rumors."

\n\n

As soon as a young girl sees your portrait, she becomes paralyzed and can no longer jump around.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was speechless for a moment, which was rare for him.

\n\n

"Thank you for sparing me," he said with a smile.

\n\n

The deep coldness in his eyes disappeared completely as he calmly talked about his former teacher whom he had personally executed, as if he were chatting about his high school homeroom teacher after dinner.

\n\n

This made Xuan Ji momentarily doubt the authenticity of historical records - if Emperor Wu did not have a face full of whiskers and a beard, then... were those rumors of 'killing relatives and teachers' also made up by later generations to gain popularity?

\n\n

"What kind of person is Dan Li, the Emperor's teacher?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan squinted his eyes and looked into the distance.

\n\n

His smile lines at the corners of his eyes suddenly flattened upon hearing this question.

\n\n

After a while, he continued with his casual tone, "He was a genius, both in literature and military strategy. I grew up by his side, and he taught me everything. Even after his death, people still worship him and build shrines for him. They see him as a god. I had to issue a decree to ban it, but it didn't work. So, I had to resort to severe punishment - anyone who dares to carve or paint Dan Li's image will be considered a rebel and their entire family will be executed."

\n\n

The wind in the valley suddenly became eerie, sending shivers down one's spine.

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Sheng Lingyuan stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze still fixed on the distant valley.

\n\n

Suddenly, it began to collapse, indicating that his memories were slipping into even darker places, yet his expression remained unchanged.

\n\n

"Didn't you think it was too easy for the two of us to escape from the demon clan? Indeed - if I'm not mistaken, Dan Li should have been nearby at the time. He worked hard to raise me, so naturally he wouldn't let me die."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was shocked and forgot to use honorifics. "Are you saying..."

\n\n

"I thought I was running for my life, carrying twelve guards who died for me, being chased to the Witch Clan. But in fact, all the dangers were carefully planned."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's eyes showed no hint of a smile, but his lips twitched slightly.

\n\n

"Kid, let me teach you something. There are no coincidences in this world."

\n\n

This monarch was not only an atheist, but also a conspiracy theorist.

\n\n

However, Xuan Ji didn't have time to think about it as the world collapsed beneath their feet in an instant.

\n\n

Xuan Ji grabbed Sheng Lingyuan and they both fell deeper into the abyss. The feeling of weightlessness engulfed their bodies and Xuan Ji resisted the urge to spread his wings and fight against the memory space.

\n\n

The outline of the entire event had already surfaced in his mind - during the War, although the human population was far greater than that of the demons, they lacked core combat power. Human cultivators didn't have many years of cultivation and magic tools, and were barely able fight against the demons. Ordinary people who encountered demons and monsters were basically at their mercy.

\n\n

A small demon could easily breathe out poisonous gas and slaughter a village as if it were child's play.

\n\n

At that time, the royal family was scarce, and the human race was without a leader.

\n\n

All the desperate people placed their hopes on a vague and flawed prophecy, even if the protagonist of the prophecy was just a child in his early teens.

\n\n

The only chance for the human race to turn the tide was to seek as much help as possible.

\n\n

Among them, the witch race was crucial.

\n\n

Not only were they powerful, but the witch race also invented spells that could be made into special tools, which even ordinary people could use as weapons.

\n\n

The only problem was that the witch race never left Dongchuan, despite being friendly.

\n\n

They were peaceful and indifferent, without any desire for power.

\n\n

Even the high-ranking officials of the Ping Emperor could not persuade them, let alone the current group of dogs of the fallen nation.

\n\n

In Dongchuan, there are mountains and a natural barrier, as well as a great formation laid out by the witch tribe, which isolates them from the outside world.

\n\n

No matter how bloody and chaotic it is outside, people can "hide in small buildings and become one."

\n\n

Why would they want to come out and wade through muddy waters?

\n\n

Coercion and temptation were ineffective, so Dan Li came up with a third option, a desperate plan - the young prince was only ten years old, weak and helpless, at the end of his rope.

\n\n

With the witch tribe's mentality, they could not possibly stand by and watch an innocent child die.

\n\n

As long as this child sets foot on the witch tribe's mountain slope, one foot of the witch tribe will be pulled into the human tribe's camp.

\n\n

The big shots only care about their own interests, but the hearts of young people still hold true feelings.

\n\n

In troubled times, true feelings are a rare and valuable weapon.

\n\n

All the passing mentions in history books have countless hidden motives.

\n\n

In the memory space of 'Retracing', countless stories flew by quickly.

\n\n

Aluojin chose the figure he wanted to follow, and since then, he seemed like a different person.

\n\n

The young generation of the witch people centered around him, no longer content with peace like their ancestors. They were full of energy and eager to leave their mark on the world.

\n\n

Six years later, after years of bitter fighting, the human race finally broke through the encirclement of the demon race outside Dongchuan and sent people to welcome back the lost prince.

\n\n

Aluojin had a heated argument with his father, the clan leader, and left with the rebellious young people, embarking on a dream to bring peace to the world.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's mind flashed with many messy fragments, none of them particularly pleasant.

\n\n

They must have had a tough time at the beginning.

\n\n

Leaving Dongchuan, the 16 or 17-year-old Sheng Lingyuan officially ascended to the throne.

\n\n

By then, he already looked like a grown man, except for being a bit too thin from hardship.

\n\n

His facial features and physique were not much different from the man in front of him, but he seemed like a completely different person.

\n\n

The young emperor always looked exhausted, and unless he was meeting someone, his face might not have been washed clean. He seemed like he could fall asleep standing up with a sword in hand at any moment. There was a circle of fuzz on his lips, which he would scratch with a knife that had just been used to kill someone. He was almost a bit sloppy, which was why he left behind a portrait that looked like a demon.

\n\n

But when he opened his eyes, there was a light in them, as solid as a rock in the wind and rain, shining with a breathtaking brilliance.

\n\n

Those were eyes that could attract people to follow him.

\n\n

As Xuan Ji met the gaze of the young man, his heart suddenly twisted.

\n\n

Just then, the young emperor hurriedly passed by him.

\n\n

Without thinking, Xuan Ji reached out and stopped him, but the two people from different times and spaces passed through each other.

\n\n

"What am I doing?" Xuan Ji curled his fingers.

\n\n

Suddenly, they landed on solid ground.

\n\n

Coming back to his senses, Xuan Ji saw Aluojin chasing after Sheng Lingyuan with his pigtails flying.

\n\n

The young man from the Witch Clan was only fourteen or fifteen years old, slower in development than his peers, and shorter than Xuan Ji's shoulder. He bounced around like a middle school student rushing to a physical education class.

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't help but feel that there should be a "Minor Protection Law" written into his flying pigtails.

\n\n

"This Aluojin... he became the clan leader at such a young age?"

\n\n

"Ah," Sheng Lingyuan chuckled coolly. "Good question."

\n\n

\nIn the next moment, the scene before them collapsed once again. Xuan Ji felt a tremor beneath his feet and heard a roar.

\n\n

\n"Let go of me! Get out of my way!" Aluojin's eyes were bloodshot as he broke free from the grasp of three or four young Witch Clan members and charged out of the tent.

\n\n

"Young clan leader, don't be impulsive!"

\n\n

Just as Aluojin charged out of the tent, a fast horse came to a sudden stop in front of him. The horse stopped too abruptly, lifting its front legs high and nearly throwing its rider off its back.

\n\n

The rider on the horse's back was none other than the young Emperor of Humanity, who was injured somewhere and had his chest wrapped in bandages. Blood seeped through the bandages, and he stumbled a bit when he dismounted, clutching the reins tightly to keep from falling.

\n\n

As soon as Aluojin saw him, his eyes were filled with red threads that looked like they were about to drip blood.

\n\n

He struggled to say, "Brother, they're talking nonsense... aren't they?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's lips turned green, but he didn't make a sound.

\n\n

"They're talking nonsense! They don't like me, so they make up lies to deceive me! Isn't that right?"

\n\n

Suddenly, the young Sheng Lingyuan lowered his head, his handsome face seemed to be cut by sharp pain.

\n\n

He took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and said in a hoarse voice, "Half a month ago, the letter you sent back to the clan through the route in western Sichuan... was intercepted by the Feishu Clan. The messenger was made into a human puppet and sent to the clan. The clan leader... didn't investigate it in time... Aluojin!"

\n\n

Aluojin swayed and knelt down in despair.

\n\n

In that moment, the old ghost Sheng Lingyuan from thousands of years in the future and the young emperor from back then both reached out their hands and gently pressed them on Aluojin's head and the back of his neck, respectively.

\n\n

Across time and space, the two Sheng Lingyuans' hands touched each other.

\n\n

Same bones, same flesh, but the old ghost's hand was pampered and exquisite like a snow sculpture, cold and beautiful.

\n\n

The young emperor's hand, on the other hand, was covered in small and large scars, calluses on his palms, and a red mark left by a horse's reins, as if it had warmth.

\n\n

The sight of the two hands together was heart-wrenching, even the old ghost himself felt it and quickly withdrew his hand.

\n\n

"That day was Chinese New Year," Sheng Lingyuan paused and said to Xuan Ji, "It doesn't really have anything to do with the Witch Clan, but they are curious and love to celebrate, so they join in for the festivities and drinks. There's not much to do in the army, and after three rounds of drinking and wrestling, some people start playing music and singing. One young brother started singing a hometown tune, crying as he sang because his parents and siblings had all died in the war and he had nowhere to go. Aluojin listened silently for a while, and that night, he wrote a letter home for the first time, entrusting it to the most trustworthy person to secretly deliver it to his clan...even I didn't know about it until after the incident, he didn't want me to think he was weak - but it turned into a big mistake."

\n\n

Xuan Ji immediately asked, "Who was this so-called 'most trustworthy' person?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan let out a sigh and pulled his hands back into the sleeves of his robe made of dry grass. "It seems like you have guessed it," he said.

\n\n

"Aluojin hastily led his people to flee with me, without any preparation. They didn't even know a few words of the human language and were completely clueless. When I first took the throne, I was overwhelmed and naturally neglected the matter of taking care of the young chieftain of the Witch Clan. It fell to Dan Li, the meticulous imperial tutor. Aluojin and he hit it off immediately and privately told me that there was something about Dan Li that reminded him of the Great Sage, making him feel familiar," Sheng Lingyuan said. "So he followed him and referred to him as 'teacher'."

\n\n

Suddenly, Xuan Ji felt that something was off.

\n\n

"Dan Li" was a very important person, whether positively or negatively, but until now, he had not seen this person in Sheng Lingyuan's memory.

\n\n

In this 'Retracing' memory space, every detail is vividly textured. The faces and actions of every person are crystal clear.

\n\n

Up until now, Xuan Ji has become familiar with the young emperor's attendants, important ministers and generals, and even the witch people.

\n\n

But how could Dan Li be missing from this group?

\n\n

According to His Majesty, Dan Li should be close to him and Aluojin.

\n\n

But back then, there was no internet, so how could they be close without being in the same circle?

\n\n

Countless possibilities flashed through Xuan Ji's mind, and suddenly, his gaze sharpened. He shuddered and slipped his hand into his pocket. In that book, "Dongchuan Witches Book," there was a passage about the relationship between humans and demons, and a sentence that read, "Demons devour the human heart, and cannot be trusted."

\n\n

Xuan Ji calmly asked, "So the old clan leader was killed by this fatal letter from Aluojin, and Aluojin succeeded him. The Witch Clan and the demon clan became mortal enemies, and the entire clan officially sided with you - what year did this happen?"

\n","published_time":"2023-06-25T00:37:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":249,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":27,"chapter_title":"Chapter 27","content":"

Sheng Lingyuan answered, "In the 31st year of Emperor Ping."

\n\n

This matched the familiar history that Xuan Ji knew.

\n\n

After Emperor Wu restored the country, he changed the era name and calendar.

\n\n

Before that, although he had already proclaimed himself emperor, the human race still used the calendar of the previous dynasty.

\n\n

Among them, "the 31st year of Emperor Ping" was a very important year.

\n\n

According to historical records, in this year, the young emperor had just turned 18 years old and led various tribes and clans to come and pledge allegiance. The scattered human race gathered under the new king's, becoming an important turning point in the reversal of the situation in the Nine Provinces' chaos.

\n\n

The historical records only recorded what happened, but not how it happened.

\n\n

When Xuan Ji first saw this passage, he was puzzled and couldn't figure out how an 18-year-old youth in an era without advertising and media could have such a well-organized group of people - after all, he didn't seem to have any great achievements before.

\n\n

It was only now that Xuan Ji suddenly realized that the most important clan, the Witch Clan, had joined the humans.

\n\n

The Witch Clan was mysterious, powerful, and had always kept to themselves. Their sudden announcement of joining the humans became a very intimidating indicator.

\n\n

Other clans saw this and thought that the Witch Clan had some insider information, so they followed suit in a frenzy, afraid of being left behind and missing out on the benefits.

\n\n

"If all of this was planned by Dan Li, then this guy is definitely a big IP worth experiencing!"

\n\n

"After Aluojin took over, how did they go from working together to fighting each other?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan raised his head at the sound and looked towards the distant sky.

\n\n

A shooting star rudely tore through the night sky and crashed towards the horizon, causing the scene behind them to shatter once again.

\n\n

"Nothing lasts forever, even the most beautiful flowers eventually wither."

\n\n

"When you're in a desperate situation, you rely on your brothers. But once you become successful, it's only natural to divide into different levels."

\n\n

In just a few short years, time passed like the chaos of war.

\n\n

The Witch Clan's mysterious and unpredictable magic made people fearful, and Aluojin's stubborn personality made others wary of him.

\n\n

Of course, he wouldn't actively seek out trouble.

\n\n

He was spoiled by his tribe since he was young, but he carried the burden of deep hatred the killers of his entire tribe.

\n\n

The pressure from the mountains almost bent his back, but he was stubborn and refused to let others see his discomfort.

\n\n

Day after day, he put on a brave face, but gradually became gloomy and difficult to get along with.

\n\n

Among the humans, besides eating, drinking, and excreting, their unique talents were probably in reporting grievances and fighting among themselves.

\n\n

They had a special skill in crafting "scheming reports" that stabbed at the most vicious places; they would also make a big fuss and try to morally blackmail others to death in their "moral coercion reports."

\n\n

Additionally, they would form groups and recite accusations in their "scheming reports", insisting on reciting until the listener's ears were calloused.

\n\n

In the future, whenever the name "Aluojin" was mentioned, ten major accusations would automatically pop up in their minds.

\n\n

"Your Majesty, the witch people are a vassal state of ours. It is disrespectful for Chief Aluojin to address you by name without proper etiquette!"

\n\n

Although Sheng Lingyuan had always been a smiling tiger, he was once young and brash, and did not know how to hold back.

\n\n

Upon hearing this unreasonable complaint, he immediately smiled and said, "My name is not something to be ashamed of. If others want to call me by name, I have no objections."

\n\n

"Your Majesty! Chief Aluojin of the witch people is a drunkard and a lecher, and he spoke out of turn, insulting us loyal subjects!"

\n\n

The young emperor's eyes twitched as he listened.

\n\n

He tried to count on his fingers which of his "loyal subjects" was worth insulting, but couldn't figure it out.

\n\n

He could only gently say, "I understand your grievances, but please do not take advantage of Aluojin when he is drunk."

\n\n

"Your Majesty, a young witch injured the son of Doctor Zheng with a spell. Not only did Chief Aluojin fail to uphold justice, but he also spoke disrespectfully!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan expressed that this matter would be dealt with seriously.

\n\n

He then had the troublemaking brat and the ringleader Aluojin brought in and gave each of them ten spankings.

\n\n

After finishing the spanking, he secretly coaxed them.

\n\n

That day happened to be the annual "Purification Festival" of the witch people.

\n\n

On this night, the children of the witch people would wear wooden masks and be led by their fathers and brothers to walk by candlelight in places with moonlight, singing purification songs and praying for health and smoothness in the coming year.

\n\n

As the new leader of the tribe, Aluojin was still a teenager but was considered an adult.

\n\n

He had never worn a mask before, so Sheng Lingyuan personally carved one for him.

\n\n

They changed into casual clothes and walked three miles together on the night of the witch people's Festival, until they were called away by business.

\n\n

"Your Majesty, Aluojin disobeys military orders and insists on slaughtering the city! The enemy had already surrendered. This not only harms the heavens but also tarnishes our reputation. In future battles, the enemy will surely fight to the death, causing the unnecessary loss of many soldiers' lives, Your Majesty!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan finally lifted his head from the scroll when he heard the words "city massacre," and looked at the human general who was prostrated on the ground in front of him.

\n\n

He remained silent for a while before finally saying, "Summon Aluojin back."

\n\n

The human general thought that the young master who had been deceived by the witches had finally come to his senses, and looked up hopefully.

\n\n

But then Sheng Lingyuan put down his brush with a "click" and whispered, "Don't make a fuss about this. To the outside world... just say that the demon clan guarding the city pretended to surrender, but had malicious intentions, and was discovered by Aluojin. Let this serve as a warning to others."

\n\n

The human general's face turned completely green. "There are also half-demons who have come to surrender," the young emperor said heavily, not noticing the anger of his subordinates. "I promised to protect them, but...even if they are not accepted by the demon clan, they still have that bloodline. If they come, remember to be cautious, especially don't let the Witch Clan see them."

\n\n

The complaining general stamped his feet and beat his chest, thinking that the young master was bewitched by a curse and became like a ball of anger, rolling out of the room.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was clearly watching from the sidelines, but for some reason, he suddenly identified with the human officials who had repeatedly failed to complain, and felt inexplicably upset: "Why is he so biased?"

\n\n

Then he came back to his senses and wondered why he was bothered by it.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had always relied on himself to carve out a path in life since he was young.

\n\n

He had grown accustomed to being tough and stubborn, so when he became emperor, he did as he pleased.

\n\n

At first, he didn't realize that his selfishness and favoritism would lead to backlash, but by the time he did, it was too late.

\n\n

"Dan Li warned me twice," Sheng Lingyuan looked at his younger self with a critical eye.

\n\n

"The first time, he said I was giving too much to the witch people, but I didn't listen. The second time, he said that Aluojin was too biased against the demon race. Maybe it was okay during wartime, but there would be consequences once the war was over. But how could he be calm and rational when it came to avenging his father's death? I still didn't listen."

\n\n

"But the demon race is not actually a single race," Xuan Ji said naturally, as if he was familiar with the unusual development of the battle, "there were originally flying birds and walking beasts. Among them, there are those who are willing to fight alongside the demon king, those who opposed from the beginning, those who have been fighting for a long time and are tired and want to return to the deep mountains and old forests to rest, and there are also mixed-blood half-demons who are not accepted by the demon race at all - so in the end, there will be many demons and half-demons who will turn to the human race. These supporters are what you want, but Aluojin can't handle it."

\n\n

Aluojin never grew up, and his world was either black or white.

\n\n

"In order to give a position to the surrendered half-breed demon, I ordered the establishment of the 'Thirteen Departments' - which was the predecessor of the Qingping Division. This was kept secret from Aluojin. But there were too many people hoping for his death, and the news was leaked the next day. Aluojin heard about it and actually deserted his post on the front line and came back to make trouble with me."

\n\n

"You promised me! You promised me! You said you would help me seek revenge, but now you're drinking and chatting with these beasts? You're a liar!" Aluojin had indeed been spoiled, always treating the Emperor as his childhood brother.

\n\n

Even if he called him "Your Majesty" like everyone else, it was just a childish game and he never took it seriously.

\n\n

When he shouted and screamed at his older brother, he would at most get a couple of slaps, but when he spoke without restraint to the Emperor who led all the ethnic groups, it was a great act of rebellion.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't have much of a temper towards him, but he had too many things to worry about.

\n\n

At this critical moment, the dignity of the Emperor could not be compromised, otherwise he wouldn't be able to lead the state in the future.

\n\n

So, while everyone was still in shock, he took down the unruly Aluojin and locked him up in a small dark room. Originally, he had planned to wait until late at night when things had calmed down, so he could briefly escape from the "Your Majesty" armor and become "Lingyuan" again, and then go and coax Aluojin.

\n\n

As Aluojin was taken away in chaos, the young Sheng Lingyuan was so angry that his chest hurt.

\n\n

Suddenly, a voice came from behind the curtain, "Your Majesty, rest assured, when the young clan leader broke in, I had already dismissed the people around us, and not many people heard anything."

\n\n

This voice made Xuan Ji shiver. He didn't know if it was his imagination, but he felt a chilling familiarity in the voice... a sense of death. The young emperor's face turned pale as he removed the forced dignity from his expression, revealing a tired helplessness.

\n\n

He called out softly, "Teacher."

\n\n

The person hidden behind the curtain remained unseen, only a dim shadow was visible.

\n\n

Slowly and deliberately, he spoke to Sheng Lingyuan, "The young clan leader's hatred towards the demon clan will become a hidden danger, Your Majesty. I warned you about this before."

\n\n

"I...I know," the young Sheng Lingyuan sighed in confusion. "But...Teacher, what are you doing?"

\n\n

Suddenly, the shadow knelt down behind the curtain, bowing his head to the ground.

\n\n

"Your Majesty, there is something else you may not know."

\n\n

Xuan Ji and the young Sheng Lingyuan walked towards the curtain together.

\n\n

The young emperor was helping his teacher stand up, while Xuan Ji was anxiously trying to catch a glimpse of what Dan Li looked like.

\n\n

Just then, a painful groan came from beside them, and the memory scene shattered abruptly.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan tightly pressed on both sides of his temples, stumbled half a step, and happened to bump into Xuan Ji.

\n\n

Xuan Ji instinctively reached out and caught him, surprised to find that this body was warm and real, like the bodies of the humans he rubbed shoulders with every day on the bus and subway, with flesh and blood.

\n\n

"What's going on with you?" Xuan Ji asked.

\n\n

"Being a lonely ghost for too long, I put on human skin...I'm feeling a bit...ugh..." Sheng Lingyuan struggled to squeeze out a few words, propping himself up on Xuan Ji's arm.

\n\n

His fingers were covered in cold sweat and trembling.

\n\n

Xuan Ji suddenly remembered a historical record that he had read, which claimed that Emperor Wu had been a virtuous youth but later became a tyrant, exhibiting drastic changes in personality.

\n\n

This was not normal, so it was likely due to an illness - the symptoms of which were similar to neurasthenia, including difficulty sleeping, persistent tinnitus, and sudden migraines.

\n\n

The article was written without any evidence, and Xuan Ji had only read it as a work of fiction.

\n\n

But could it be true?

\n\n

Suddenly, Sheng Lingyuan's memory became hazy, perhaps due to a sudden headache.

\n\n

In the 'Retracing' space, everything around them became chaotic, with countless people coming and going, making noise, crying, and arguing.

\n\n

"Your Majesty!" A distant voice echoed, causing Sheng Lingyuan in Xuan Ji's arms to instinctively turn his head, as if the sound had pricked him. "Chief Aluojin has escaped from prison!"

\n\n

With a loud thud, Xuan Ji's feet landed on solid ground again, and a new memory scene replaced the previous one. The surroundings were pitch black, but the scenery was very familiar.

\n\n

They had returned to the witch's tomb, where bones littered the ground.

\n\n

However, at this moment, the "witch's tomb" was still just a cave, without corpses strewn about.

\n\n

Xuan Ji heard Sheng Lingyuan's painful and suppressed breathing, and then, his hands empty, Sheng Lingyuan shook him off and stood firmly on his own.

\n\n

"So, what did Dan Li say to you when he suddenly knelt down and spoke to you later?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan fell silent for a moment. "The truth about the death of the old patriarch of the Witch Clan - he confessed to me. The messenger from Aluojin was sent by him. The so-called Feishu Clan was nonexistent. The 'messenger' himself was a human puppet. Dan Li said that at the time, we had no other choice. We couldn't bring over the Witch Clan, and the entire human clan was at a dead end. He could only..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's palm still seemed to retain the warmth of the man from earlier, but as soon as the wind in the cave blew, it quickly turned cold.

\n\n

He sighed, "Your Majesty, you great men have cold hands and dirty hearts. Does Aluojin know about this?"

\n\n

"When he ran out, he didn't mean it. He was just angry with me," Sheng Lingyuan said in a low voice. "Aluojin... I spoiled him too much, he's too stubborn. After he left, he sent a command to withdraw all the witch troops from the front line and led his people back to Dongchuan. He broke the witch formation on the battlefield in a fit of anger. The demon clan, who were originally fighting to the death, took the opportunity to launch a crazy counterattack. Our army was forced to retreat sixty miles, and more than ten cities and villages fell into the hands of the demon clan. The demon clan slaughtered the cities and vented their anger, leaving almost no survivors along the way."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's scalp tingled as he listened. "But why were there still residents near the front line? Why didn't they evacuate?"

\n\n

"Heh, after twenty years of war, there's no place left in this vast world to hide. Where can we retreat to?" Sheng Lingyuan coldly chuckled as he slowly walked through the mountain cave.

\n\n

His voice was weak, but his steps were steady.

\n\n

"At that time, the witch people were ordered to guard the southeast, using their mysterious and unpredictable magic to protect the region. Many desperate human civilians followed them, and the two races blended together, learning from each other's clothing and language, living in harmony. The witch people even formed a village where they could farm and harvest crops... We just finished harvesting and offered half of it to the witch guards."

\n\n

But the young and reckless witch chief abandoned them.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's sharp and handsome profile flickered in and out of sight in the witches' tomb, as if it were carved by a knife: "The witch people love to eat fresh fruit, and Aluojin especially likes pears. In order to please him, the human tribe in the witch village brought grains and fresh fruit to the witchman's camp... When we went back to collect the bodies later, the carefully selected fruits by the people were trampled into mud by the iron hooves and soaked in blood. An old woman was torn into and eaten by the monsters, leaving only broken bones... Those beasts always pick and choose, rarely eating old and tough meat. Do you know why?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji sensitively caught a certain malice in the man's unchanging smile, suddenly realizing that these words were not meant for him, but for the demon Aluojin outside of 'Retracing'.

\n\n

"Because, you see, she was holding a jar of pear blossom honey meant for the young chieftain, and it shattered, spilling all over her," Sheng Lingyuan's voice grew softer and more cruel as he spoke, "It must have been very sweet."

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't help but feel his temples throb as she listened to the story.

\n\n

"The people were incensed, and everyone was pressuring me to punish Aluojin. The Witch Clan had become rebellious against the human clan, and I had to forcefully suppress them. I rushed to Dongchuan overnight, but I was too late. The half-demons and the human clan members who had long been dissatisfied with Aluojin had already surrounded Dongchuan. Many of the Witch Clan's formations and spells had been offered up when Aluojin pledged his allegiance, and the protection of Dongchuan was naturally no match in the eyes of their own people. They quickly broke through the barrier of Dongchuan, and a group of demons took advantage of the chaos... Ah, yes, that's right, did you hear it?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji suddenly lifted his head.

\n\n

From outside the cave in the memories, came the sound of battle cries.

\n\n

The rocks around them shook and gravel rained down.

\n","published_time":"2023-07-02T01:04:26.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":256,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":28,"chapter_title":"Chapter 28","content":"

Sheng Lingyuan murmured, "What would you do if you were in my shoes?"

\n\n

It seemed like he was asking Xuan Ji, but also like he was asking someone who was watching them from the shadows.

\n\n

Xuan Ji looked towards the entrance of the cave.

\n\n

In the memory space of 'Retracing', this cave was not yet the burial mound of the witch people, nor was it buried underground.

\n\n

The faint light at the entrance illuminated Sheng Lingyuan's face, casting half of it in shadow and revealing the clear and smooth bone structure beneath his skin.

\n\n

Suddenly, footsteps could be heard from the entrance of the cave, and someone shouted in the heart-wrenching language of the witch people.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's head throbbed with pain, and he pressed his forehead against the cold rock wall with all his might.

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked, "What did he say?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan replied in a muffled voice, "The altar has been opened. The old man and the child have already gone in."

\n\n

"Altar?"

\n\n

"The altar is a forbidden place for the Witch Clan," Sheng Lingyuan's voice was almost drowned out by the noisy crowd and footsteps.

\n\n

The panicked witch people were like animals driven by floods, brushing past the onlookers thousands of years later.

\n\n

"There are curses without solutions, ancient secrets... all sealed here. There are seals outside that are much more complex than the Dongchuan barrier. The mountain god they worship is enshrined on the altar. The witch people worship mountains and rivers, believing that the mountain god is their mother, able to properly manage people's evil thoughts and accept everything from their own people."

\n\n

From the cave entrance came a desperate cry.

\n\n

This time, even without translation, Xuan Ji could guess that the person was urging their fellow clansmen to hurry into the altar.

\n\n

Perhaps from listening too much in the 'Retracing' space, Xuan Ji could now distinguish the pronunciation and tone of the witch language.

\n\n

Then, the voice of the shouting witch was interrupted by a scream, and a strong smell of blood rushed into the cave. The roar of the monster seemed to be just around the corner.

\n\n

A young witch child stumbled and fell at Xuan Ji's feet.

\n\n

Instinctively, he reached out to grab the child, but his hand passed through the child's shoulder.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was stunned and withdrew his hand, asking hesitantly, "Dongchuan is besieged, the barrier is broken, and the witches can't hold on. So, are they trying to retreat to a hiding place? Wait..."

\n\n

"Wait for me," Sheng Lingyuan said in a low voice.

\n\n

Every time Aluojin got into a conflict with someone, Sheng Lingyuan couldn't bear to argue with him and would do everything he could to smooth things over.

\n\n

Over time, Aluojin began to take this for granted. He believed that as long as he held on, Lingyuan would come to his aid. And when Lingyuan did come, the other clans who had been at odds with him would retreat, leaving him free to deal with the demonic beasts who took advantage of the chaos.

\n\n

Lingyuan was like a mountain god at the altar, omnipotent. He was not only Aluojin's faith, but also his older brother who had led him through the moonlight.

\n\n

"Wait for me to come and save him," he vowed.

\n\n

With the brave warriors of the witch people, Aluojin fought to buy time for his tribe to escape into the altar.

\n\n

The peaceful Dongchuan was ignited by the flames of war, as the tongues of fire swept across the mountains and fields, devouring the round wooden houses, the vast forests, the lively squares, and the vast and distant starry sky.

\n\n

"Chief, be careful!"

\n\n

Aluojin, who was covering the rear, heard the warning and immediately rolled off his horse without looking back.

\n\n

A giant python chased after him, opening its blood-stained jaws as wide as half a cave.

\n\n

The stench of blood filled the air as the beast bit through Aluojin's horse at the waist, spilling its guts all over the ground, but its two front hooves continued to charge forward.

\n\n

Aluojin bit his finger and quickly drew a strange symbol in the air.

\n\n

He pushed it forward and the bloody spell collided with the head of the giant snake, causing both the snake and Aluojin to recoil.

\n\n

The snake reared back and broke a thick tree, while Aluojin flew horizontally into the cave. The waiting witch immediately activated the mechanism and the entrance rumbled as it sank down.

\n\n

"Hurry! Hurry! Close the mountain gate!" Xuan Ji finally realized that the "witches' tomb" was not buried underground due to tectonic movements, but was actually a mechanism that could be sealed from the inside.

\n\n

Outside the cave, the giant snake was slamming into the mountain rocks, making a terrifying sound.

\n\n

Several witches rushed forward and helped the exhausted Aluojin up, saying, "Chief, we can't stay here for long!"

\n\n

Aluojin was breathing heavily and said, "My people..."

\n\n

"Don't worry, over forty thousand people are here now!" one of his attendants said, bending down to lift Aluojin onto his back and running inside.

\n\n

One stone door after another fell behind them, drowning out the sounds of battle outside.

\n\n

The surviving members of the witch people looked at each other in shock.

\n\n

The core of the altar, which would later become Aluojin's tomb, was off-limits. The tribe members rested in the outer caves, quietly weeping or comforting each other.

\n\n

Aluojin took a deep breath and went alone to the entrance of the forbidden cave.

\n\n

The entrance was covered in small white flowers that "bled" when touched, and only a glimmer of water could be seen through the vines.

\n\n

Aluojin's expression turned wooden, his knees buckled, and he fell to the ground in despair.

\n\n

His father was killed by the demon clan, and the Great Sage had grown old and despondent, feeling helpless against his fate. Before long, he too passed away, leaving behind no words to guide him.

\n\n

Aluojin had betrayed the teachings of his ancestors and taken a path full of thorns.

\n\n

Aluojin vaguely felt that he had done something wrong, but he didn't know how he had ended up where he was.

\n\n

He absentmindedly took out the wooden mask that was given to him during the Purification Festival years ago by Sheng Lingyuan. He felt like a lost child, staring blankly for a long time.

\n\n

Finally, trembling, he put on the mask that represented the protection of his father and brothers.

\n\n

"That flower is called the 'Life-Death Flower'. It grows in the altar pool and can clear the mind and focus the spirit. On moonlit nights, its dewy petals are as red as blood, and when consumed, it has a miraculous effect on hysteria. It can even restore the sanity of the insane... Yes, and it can also help forgetful old folks remember their past lives," said Sheng Lingyuan. "The pool symbolizes the mother, and the witch tribe believes that they are born here and will return here after death for protection and rest."

\n\n

Xuan Ji leaned towards the cave entrance and peered inside through the vines. After a moment, he asked, "Are there many forbidden spells in there? Why doesn't Aluojin use them?"

\n\n

"He dares not. That would be blasphemy," replied Sheng Lingyuan. "Besides, the more powerful the secret technique, the greater the cost. The former clan leader left in a hurry, and Aluojin only has a partial understanding of the witch tribe's spells. He's afraid of making things worse."

\n\n

Xuan Ji looked around and said, "Staying here for a day or two shouldn't be a problem. Did you get delayed on the road and couldn't make it in time?"

\n\n

"No, I wasn't delayed. I arrived just in time," replied the other person.

\n\n

After three days and nights of being besieged, the brave warriors of Dongchuan were exhausted. After a brief rest, except for a few night watchmen, everyone else was lying unconscious with injuries, including Aluojin who was curled up sleeping next to the altar.

\n\n

With the mountain god by his side and the faint light of the Life-Death Flower shining on him, he wore a mask and slept like a baby, feeling safe.

\n\n

As the night wore on, Xuan Ji watched as the guards grew increasingly tired.

\n\n

Suddenly, he caught a whiff of a sweet scent, light and delicate, like the scent of spring leaking from a garden a hundred meters away on a gentle breeze.

\n\n

Xuan Ji immediately pinched his nose.

\n\n

Sure enough, the guards swayed for a moment before collapsing to the ground.

\n\n

Then, one of Aluojin's personal guards, who had been wide awake the whole time, slowly stood up.

\n\n

Xuan Ji met his lifeless eyes and suddenly realized, "Wait a minute, isn't he a traitor? Didn't he say that the old chief of the Witch Clan was killed by something disguised as a 'human skin puppet'?

\n\n

Then what about this...

\n\n

"Little demon, you have sharp eyes," Sheng Lingyuan said. "How could Dan Li, a Taoist, let something slip out of his control?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji shuddered.

\n\n

The "human skin puppet" silently walked over to Aluojin's side, lowered its head to look at the ignorant young tribal leader, and behind its inorganic eyes seemed to be another soul.

\n\n

Then, it bent down towards Aluojin.

\n\n

Xuan Ji thought to himself, "If this were a horror movie, I would have to activate my 'side-eye' mode."

\n\n

But unexpectedly, the human skin puppet did not take advantage of the situation to do anything bad.

\n\n

It simply pulled out a cloak and gently draped it over Aluojin, then brushed aside the dirty braid on his face like a gentle father.

\n\n

Aluojin felt the warmth and snuggled into the cloak, muttering something in the language of the witch tribe.

\n\n

The skin puppet seemed to let out a small sigh, carefully stepping over his legs and walking towards the altar. As he walked, he pulled out a match from his pocket and flicked his finger on it. The match suddenly lit up, but the flame was strange, almost a bright red color, like the setting sun about to touch the ground.

\n\n

It was warm, yet had a chill to it.

\n\n

The vines covering the altar seemed to retreat like they had encountered a natural enemy as the match approached.

\n\n

Soon, a small entrance appeared that was just big enough for one person to pass through.

\n\n

The entire altar was revealed - a tranquil pool of water, and a stone platform that held pots of various sizes and leaves with writing on them.

\n\n

At that moment, Aluojin may have felt the light, and he groggily opened his sleepy eyes.

\n\n

He was confused for a moment, but finally woke up and looked in shock, "What are you doing?"

\n\n

The skin puppet didn't turn around, but bent over and flicked the fire into the pool.

\n\n

The fire not only wasn't afraid of the water, but also ignited the pool like gasoline!

\n\n

Aluojin jumped up, but before he could catch the arsonist, the person's skin quickly shriveled up, sticking to the bones, revealing a wooden puppet inside. Aluojin was stunned.

\n\n

Suddenly, everything seemed to connect like a thread, pointing vaguely to a truth - the family letter, the murdered old chief, and the secretly replaced personal guard who had grown up with him.

\n\n

Aluojin shouted and rushed towards the altar, but it was already too late.

\n\n

Those who betray their ancestral teachings will no longer receive the protection of the mountain gods.

\n\n

Perhaps the deities will crumble alongside the clay sculptures, or maybe what people believe in is simply delusional.

\n\n

Finally, the water boiled. The sealed earthen jars on the altar shattered one by one, and the floating shadows resembled released ghosts, careening wildly within the sacred space.

\n\n

In a moment of desperation, Aluojin used his own body to block the opening and shouted back at his stunned kin, "Quickly, leave the altar! Go!"

\n\n

The malevolent flames fueled by the forbidden spells caught the scent of flesh and greedily lunged towards him.

\n\n

Aluojin's voice suddenly changed tone - his body was torn apart by one of the spells, and the wooden mask on his face, which he hadn't had time to remove, split in half, leaving only one side covered in blood.

\n\n

However, before he could even close his eyes, he was hit by another forbidden curse and the Life-Death Flower turned from white to red, blood-like liquid flowing all over his body.

\n\n

He struggled to keep his mind clear as he was torn apart by different poisonous curses, constantly dying and being reborn.

\n\n

The witch people cried out and fled, opening the tightly closed mountain gate one by one. The altar floated back to the ground, but soon the first person to rush forward screamed and retreated - the entrance was on fire!

\n\n

It was a demon fire, burning pure white.

\n\n

The first brave warrior of the Witch Clan gritted his teeth and tried to rush out of the flames, but as soon as he touched the fire, he turned into ashes. The flames quickly rolled towards the cave entrance, burning everything in its path, even seeming to melt the stone entrance.

\n\n

The panicked witch people quickly sank the altar back into the ground.

\n\n

At this moment, Aluojin, who was blocking the entrance to the altar, had already been torn apart and sewn back together countless times. The torture was far from over, and blood flowed from his feet, pooling in a small depression on the ground.

\n\n

Suddenly, sesame-sized butterfly larvae emerged from the blood and rapidly grew into a butterfly, spreading its wings.

\n\n

Unlike the illusory Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly, this blood-stained butterfly fluttered away from the human body, its wings shimmering with the same red light as the evil fire on the altar.

\n\n

It flew towards the crowd!

\n\n

"Didn't you want to know what those different human-faced butterflies are?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji heard Sheng Lingyuan's voice from a distance.

\n\n

"There it is, a curse that even demon fire cannot burn."

\n\n

As Xuan Ji's eyes widened, he was almost brought to tears by the sudden brightness.

\n\n

After a moment, he realized that his perspective had once again shifted outside of the cave. The entire Dongchuan region was engulfed in a ghastly white demon fire, and someone shouted as they charged towards it.

\n\n

Following the sound, Xuan Ji turned his head and saw a large group of people struggling to restrain the young Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

He had only been delayed by one day...one night.

\n\n

"This fire has been burning for seven days and seven nights," Xuan Ji heard Sheng Lingyuan say beside him. "No one can put it out. Do you know why?"

\n\n

A chill ran down Xuan Ji's spine.

\n\n

Before he could answer, the scene collapsed once again, and the two of them were forced to follow the stumbling young emperor into the sacrificial altar.

\n\n

After seven days and seven nights, the fire finally went out.

\n\n

The place was burned to a crisp, and the entire altar resembled a giant oven, with the smell of charred meat wafting everywhere. The people inside should have been cooked to death, but the charred corpses were all standing upright!

\n\n

They chatted and laughed as if nothing had happened, just like in the evenings on the mountaintop in Sheng Lingyuan's memory.

\n\n

At the entrance of the altar at the end of the cave, Aluojin was unscathed.

\n\n

He looked through the crowd, his expression unclear, as if he was laughing and mocking at the same time. With a tilt of his head, his head fell to the ground.

\n\n

Aluojin sighed and beckoned to his own head.

\n\n

The androgynous youth's head rolled back to him and he picked it up, clumsily placing it on his neck. Half of his wooden mask had fallen off, revealing a flawless, snow-white face that had been protected by the mask, while the other half was charred black and unrecognizable.

\n\n

Aluojin replaced the mask over his terrifying burn scars and opened his mouth, his voice echoing through the cave as he called out, "Lingyuan."

\n\n

The young emperor had gone mad, shaking off his followers and about to follow when a voice suddenly stopped him.

\n\n

"Halt!" the newcomer said. "Do you want to end up like the people inside?"

\n\n

It was Dan Li's voice.

\n\n

Xuan Ji turned his head to see a man walking towards them, wrapped in a long robe and wearing a mask over his face.

\n\n

In a split second, Xuan Ji's mind connected the dots and pieced together the situation.

\n","published_time":"2023-07-08T23:48:03.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":263,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":29,"chapter_title":"Chapter 29","content":"

Tens of thousands of charred witch corpses surrounded Aluojin.

\n\n

The whispers ceased, and they all turned towards the cave entrance, facing Sheng Lingyuan - the memories within and beyond, from three thousand years ago to three thousand years in the future - silently questioning.

\n\n

Time seemed to freeze.

\n\n

In this silence, Aluojin, who was holding his head, stood up and asked softly, "Brother Lingyuan, how did my father die?"

\n\n

Dan Li, who was masked, shouted loudly, "Your Majesty, do not approach!"

\n\n

"Was it him?"

\n\n

Aluojin pointed at Dan Li, and his eyeballs followed suit.

\n\n

At the same time, the roasted witch people also turned their heads in the direction of his finger.

\n\n

"Or was it you?" What was even more terrifying was that when Aluojin's head revealed a half-smiling expression, all the witch people followed suit with the exact same expression.

\n\n

The bright and sunny young man had turned into a spider, with a huge web sticking to countless flying insects that he could manipulate at will.

\n\n

Dan Li shouted, "Your Majesty, Aluojin has been possessed by evil. The corpses of everyone in this cave have become his human-faced butterfly puppets! There are no living people here!"

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Aluojin burst into laughter, and two lines of bloody tears flowed down from the head in his arms.

\n\n

All the witch people opened their mouths in unison.

\n\n

"Are living people really that noble?"

\n\n

Outside the crowd, Sheng Lingyuan watched the tragic scene with indifference and continued his previous statement, "That pure white flame, also known as the 'Nanming Fire'. Little demon, as the 'Nanming Fire-Keeper', can't you see the difference between it and ordinary fire?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji, however, answered with a bitter smile, "Your Majesty, have you ever spoken a truthful word in your entire life?"

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Sheng Lingyuan slowly turned his head and smiled at him, "Oh? Why do you say that?"

\n\n

Suddenly, Xuan Ji noticed a scar near the outer corner of Sheng Lingyuan's left eye, which had almost healed and was barely visible. It only appeared when he smiled and the skin around his eye wrinkled slightly, resembling a tear drop hanging there.

\n\n

In the 'Retracing' space, the charred witch people stirred.

\n\n

They followed Aluojin's will and rushed towards the cave.

\n\n

On the other side, the masked Dan Li quickly formed a finger seal, and pure white flames flew out from his sleeves, condensing into a large bird that screeched and charged towards the lifeless cave and altar.

\n\n

But the young emperor stood in front of the firebird, his throat tearing as he shouted, "Stop!"

\n\n

Dan Li roared, "Your Majesty, if we let them leave this place, what will happen to the billions of people?"

\n\n

His words had a double meaning.

\n\n

If the butterflies that had turned into curses were leaked, no one knew what the consequences would be. These butterflies were obviously different from the original species and could become a silent epidemic.

\n\n

When Aluojin was still a normal person, he had a very extreme temperament. He hated the demon race, regardless of whether they were good or bad, or had their own stance. Anyone with the word "demon" in their name was intolerable to him. Whenever he encountered a demon city, he would slaughter the entire city and leave no survivors.

\n\n

But now, his hatred has multiplied tenfold towards the human race. He has been torn apart by a curse countless times, unable to live or die, and has already become a demon himself.

\n\n

Should he be allowed to kill all the people in the world?

\n\n

Young Sheng Lingyuan understood and with a loud "boom", the snow-white firebird flew past him and rushed into the cave, landing on countless witch puppets.

\n\n

People screamed and wailed in the raging fire, as if they were still alive.

\n\n

But they could not be burned or killed. The young Sheng Lingyuan knelt down in despair, watching the charred corpses struggle in the sea of fire, unable to find release.

\n\n

After a long moment, he suddenly drew a strange short knife from his waist and hacked at the head of the nearest witch.

\n\n

Only after the head fell to the ground did the witch doctor struggle for a moment before falling down, a small human-faced butterfly flying out of their body.

\n\n

Aluojin's vision was blocked by the raging flames as he roared, "Dan Li! Where are you? You fraud, where are you! You won't have a good death!"

\n\n

Dan Li's voice came from outside the cave, "Your Majesty! You personally allowed him to reach this point, how much longer will you continue to indulge him?"

\n\n

With a mighty roar, the young Sheng Lingyuan charged into the altar.

\n\n

The raging flames seemed to avoid him on purpose, not even singeing a corner of his clothes.

\n\n

Even the butterflies that flew out from the decapitated witch avoided him, converging into a beam of white light that flew towards Aluojin. The wings of the butterflies were adorned with countless human faces, forming a face that seemed to express both joy and anger.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan swiftly caught up and cleaved it in two with a single stroke of his short sword.

\n\n

The blade was as swift and fierce as a white rainbow, piercing through Aluojin's chest. Suddenly, a cold light flashed on the blade, and a string of witch characters appeared on the hilt.

\n\n

Aluojin looked at the sword in disbelief, "This is the first time I brought my people...out of Dongchuan...the sword I stole from my father...to protect us and ward off evil...brother..."

\n\n

He had given the sword to Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

In his memories, the young emperor was filled with unbearable pain.

\n\n

Beyond memory, a thousand-year-old ghost stood with bound hands, as if nothing concerned it.

\n\n

Xuan Ji quickly stepped back, "I haven't offended you."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's smile deepened at the corner of his eyes, "Then why do you have a copy of the 'Thousand Demon Bestiary' in your possession? Do you know that the 'Thousand Demon Bestiary' was made by Dan Li himself? No matter what your purpose is for holding onto my body, raising a demon corpse requires preparation for being backlashed--"

\n\n

Before he finished speaking the words "Dan Li," the raging fire in the cave suddenly stirred up a strong wind, accompanied by Aluojin's heart-wrenching roar, which blew off the mask on Dan Li's face.

\n\n

Dan Li's mask was blown away by the wind, revealing a face that was exactly the same as Xuan Ji's!

\n\n

In that instant when the face was revealed, a hand tore open the void behind Xuan Ji and reached out, revealing a bloody hole in the palm as it grabbed onto Xuan Ji's neck.

\n\n

Almost simultaneously, Sheng Lingyuan moved quickly, using Xuan Ji as a shield.

\n\n

In his hand appeared a nail, and without hesitation, he drove it down, not caring if his other hand was still gripping Xuan Ji's neck.

\n\n

Xuan Ji cursed inwardly, "I knew it!"

\n\n

Relying on the old demon to spare his life was nonsense.

\n\n

In a critical moment, he had to save himself.

\n\n

Xuan Ji reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin, which was glowing with fire.

\n\n

He pressed it hard against the wrist of the hand that was choking him, and with a "crackling" sound, the hand was almost burnt to a crisp. Xuan Ji took advantage of the loosened grip and narrowly dodged the nail that scraped off a layer of oily skin on his neck and stabbed into the palm.

\n\n

Luckily, he was quick enough to avoid being turned into a candied hawthorn skewer by the old demon.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan insincerely apologized, "Sorry, it was a last resort. I didn't mean to hurt you."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's reverence for the Emperor Wu was completely gone.

\n\n

He squeezed out a sentence through his teeth, "Sorry my ass."

\n\n

In the next moment, a person was suddenly dragged out of the void by Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

It was none other than Aluojin, the one with a bloody hole in his forehead who crawled out of the coffin.

\n\n

As soon as Aluojin was caught, the Retracing curse shattered, and all the scenes of memories around them were broken.

\n\n

They were back in that gloomy witch's tomb.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan acted extremely fast and without hesitation.

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, Aluojin's limbs and chest were all nailed with nails, and his resentful gaze was fixed on Xuan Ji.

\n\n

"Why are you staring at me?!" Xuan Ji covered his neck in frustration, feeling wronged.

\n\n

"Haven't you figured it out yet? He used me as bait to lure you out, and that Dan Li in your memory is just his own delusion. Dan Li doesn't look like that at all! How can there be such a foolish deer like you in the demon's circle?"

\n\n

Aluojin struggled to adapt to the mixed accent of modern Chinese and internet slang, unable to understand a single word.

\n\n

He continued to glare at Xuan Ji with hatred.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan raised an eyebrow, amused. "Smart little demon, when did you figure it out?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji thought to himself, clearing his hoarse throat with effort and forcing a smile.

\n\n

"You said you were easily trapped in memories of your youth because of nostalgia. When I asked my question, I felt something was off - was that memory really yours?"

\n\n

The memories in 'Retracing' were clearly rich in emotional background, with love and hate intertwined, but the old demon's attitude didn't match.

\n\n

Xuan Ji had already realized from their first meeting that this old ghost had no humanity at all, so where did all these sentimental scenes come from? Despite the ominous thunder and lightning, he didn't care about the curse that was supposed to bring out his memories.

\n\n

Why bother dreaming?

\n\n

Judging from Xuan Ji's expression, Sheng Lingyuan knew that although this little demon spoke somewhat politely, he was probably cursed him in his heart.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan calmly replied, "I understand."

\n\n

"When Dan Li, an important figure, didn't show up, I suspect you planned to use him as bait," Xuan Ji accused.

\n\n

"Dan Li never shows his true face," Sheng Lingyuan explained. "Even if he doesn't cover his face, he always wears a human skin mask. The 'beautiful woman' face that you later generations talk about is just one of his most commonly used masks. Even Aluojin never saw his real face. I don't have the power to fabricate false memories in front of the 'Retracing' curse master."

\n\n

Xuan Ji sneered, "Yes, otherwise how would you bait him? But even though he doesn't show his face, this person has been by your side, playing an important role, yet in your memory, he has less presence than a guard. This shows that you are suppressing your memories, avoiding thinking about him too much, otherwise the later scenes will be easily messed up. Your Majesty, even though my math may not be great, I have at least gone through nine years of compulsory education. With three perspectives in my memory, do you think I don't know how to count?"

\n\n

The logic is actually quite simple - if the 'Retracing' curse contains Sheng Lingyuan's memories, then all the perspectives must be from Sheng Lingyuan himself.

\n\n

However, upon closer examination, the memories they just experienced had three perspectives: Aluojin, Sheng Lingyuan, and the most mysterious one - Dan Li.

\n\n

The perspective of Dan Li was the last to appear, very hidden and with very little content.

\n\n

It was just a small section about the Witch Clan hiding in a cave and the human skin puppet setting the altar on fire - which was controlled by Dan Li, making it his perspective.

\n\n

A person's subjective memory always starts from their own perspective, so there can't be a change in perspective, nor can they "remember" scenes they weren't present for. Especially not with such smooth perspective changes like in a movie.

\n\n

Therefore, the memories in this 'Retracing' are definitely not just one person's.

\n\n

When they were swept into the depths of their memories in the eddies of time, the first scene they encountered was the young prince being saved by the witch tribe.

\n\n

It was the first time the young witch tribe leader and Sheng Lingyuan met.

\n\n

Upon reflection, it was actually Aluojin's memory, because at the time Sheng Lingyuan was seriously injured and was carried up the mountain by the tribe leader in a daze, making it difficult for him to remember the entire scene of the hillside that was awakened by the witch tribe.

\n\n

The first major character they encountered in their memories was also Aluojin.

\n\n

The old demon Sheng Lingyuan was so sharp that he should have realized at that time that there was a spell caster hidden in this 'Retracing' memory.

\n\n

So, the trivial matters of the young days that he couldn't shake off at first were not about the heartless old ghost Sheng Lingyuan at all, but about Aluojin himself.

\n\n

No wonder when Xuan Ji tried to console him, this old demon trapped in the past reacted so calmly.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan asked him to "ask questions", but it was actually for Aluojin.

\n\n

Xuan Ji said, "The timing of some major events in my memory matches the historical framework I know, so I judge that the memories should be true... but most of the memories belong to him, right?"

\n\n

"Oh, how did you know?"

\n\n

"Although the memories in Suyu are all about you and Aluojin, there are only vague faces of humans like the civil and military officials around you. On the other hand, the witch people are much more vivid, and every detail of the witch people's customs and habits is exhibited. It's like someone can't wait to tell me the truth about the rise and fall of the witch people, almost with a hint of 'confession'. Your Majesty, someone like you, do you even know how to write the word 'confession'?"+

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan answered immovably, "Hmm, not bad."

\n\n

"Besides suppressing memories and emptying your mind, you have to cooperate with his emotions and find ways to make him appear," Xuan Ji said coldly. "The first time I spoke out of turn, did I give you the inspiration to blame me for the fact that you two escaped from the demon clan when you were children?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan answered candidly, "No, that's not it. It was my negligence that got me caught in the curse. I was a bit rushed, so I just used whatever was at hand."

\n\n

Xuan Ji remained silent.

\n\n

Thank you for your consideration, he thought.

\n\n

"You know that the genocide of the Witch Clan is the most tragic memory for Aluojin. He's most likely to lose his mind at this time, so he deliberately inserted a section from Dan Li's perspective without revealing his own," Xuan Ji explained.

\n\n

"That's not difficult. Just imagine that I am him," Sheng Lingyuan said lightly.

\n\n

"After all, he taught me everything I know."

\n\n

Xuan Ji forced a bitter smile. "Yes, in 'Retracing', there are only three of us: you, me, and Aluojin. Aluojin is the master of the curse, so he can distinguish his own perspective from yours. The sudden appearance of a third perspective can only be my memory. He will naturally think that the perspective of the human puppet belongs to me. When he gets excited, he will come after me as his enemy. I am your bait, hook, and shield! Your Majesty, can you pay me a few salaries since I can play so many roles alone?"

\n\n

"Dan Li lived his whole life under a mask," Sheng Lingyuan said. "It wasn't until I imprisoned and beheaded him that I uncovered his mask. Underneath was a face covered in blood and flesh, with indistinguishable features. I have never seen his true face. Thank you for lending me your face."

\n\n

With a clear and melodious tone, his words struck a chord in Aluojin's heart.

\n\n

"Dan Li has been dead for thousands of years," Sheng Lingyuan gently lifted his hand and covered Aluojin's eyes. "We are no different. In this world, humans and demons are no longer distinguishable, and there has been no war for nearly a hundred years. The Chiyuan fires have long been extinguished, Aluojin..."

\n\n

Aluojin spoke in the language of the witches, slowly and deliberately, and Xuan Ji could even discern the words he spoke as the last words he uttered before his death.

\n\n

"What did he say?" Xuan Ji asked.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan did not answer, but instead drove the last nail into Aluojin's forehead.

\n\n

Finally, Aluojin stopped moving, and the shining light in his eyes gradually dimmed and closed.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan picked up the terrifying body and flew into the stone coffin in the middle of the pool, placing it back inside. With a wave of his sleeve, the Yin Sacrifice text on the stone platform crumbled.

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't go over, still wearing the mark left by Aluojin's grip around his neck.

\n\n

He watched the demon, Sheng Lingyuan, lying on the coffin and staring at Aluojin for a long time, as if he cared.

\n\n

"I say, Your Majesty," Xuan Ji crossed his arms and said with a hint of sarcasm, "you've been striking poses for five minutes now, enough for a photo op. Let's go."

\n\n

Only then did Sheng Lingyuan snap out of his trance, pushing the coffin lid back up and slowly straightening his back.

\n\n

But just then, his elbow gave way as he leaned on the bronze coffin, and Sheng Lingyuan suddenly turned his head, covering his mouth - blood seeping through his fingers.

\n","published_time":"2023-07-16T17:14:46.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":270,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":30,"chapter_title":"Chapter 30","content":"

A small plane with the words "Wind God" on it landed at Dongchuan Airport, and several people dressed casually got off and drove in a low-key manner into the city.

\n\n

Among them was a stylish young man with a baby face, chewing gum as he walked and wearing a stopwatch around his neck.

\n\n

He was Zhang Zhao, the captain of the first team of the Wind God.

\n\n

The female field agent next to him wore a pair of huge frog glasses and had a pair of eyes that seemed to never wake up. Don't be fooled by her unhealthy appearance, she was also a talented one - the captain of the second team who supported Xuan Ji at Chiyuan Hospital, Gu Yuexi.

\n\n

These two special agents could excel in any situation, but this time they were playing supporting roles. The leader was a broad-shouldered, bald, bronze-faced man with a cigarette hanging from his mouth.

\n\n

At first glance, one could immediately think of the word "manly."

\n\n

He exuded a rugged, off-road vibe.

\n\n

This man's name was Wang Ze, and he was a water specialist.

\n\n

He was the current head of the special forces unit "Wind God".

\n\n

Wang Ze was like a dragon, appearing and disappearing without a trace. He rarely returned to headquarters and spent the whole year traveling around the country.

\n\n

The leaders of the security department could never catch him, and they were always frustrated. They couldn't even find any dirt on him. Whenever there was a need for "Wind God" support, their team was always the first to arrive on the scene, and they never failed in their duties.

\n\n

"Ever since Old Xiao got promoted, his face has been getting whiter and his authority has been getting stronger," complained Wang Ze lazily, his cigarette bobbing up and down at the corner of his mouth. "He even ordered me around from afar, despite the fact that my Wind God Special Forces team is not under his command."

\n\n

Gu Yuexi spoke seriously, "This concerns the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly case. With everyone in the bureau on edge, Director Xiao believes that the fewer people who know about this, the better."

\n\n

Wang Ze snorted through his nose, "I'm running errands for the corrupt higher-ups, it's rotten to the core. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't bother staying at headquarters... Alright, what's the situation now?"

\n\n

As soon as Zhang Zhao finished sending the message, he heard a sound and looked up.

\n\n

"Oh, it's that old man from Dongchuan - Yue De. I don't know if he hasn't saved enough money for cremation or what, but he's crazily making money. He lets his disciples and grandchildren go and set traps for people with evil spirits and demons, and then he acts as the hero to solve the problem. They use tools that seem to have been dug out of an ancient tomb, like the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly Egg. Who knows, maybe the infectious moth came out of there."

\n\n

Gu Yuexi spoke with a stern expression, "Master Yuede has four disciples in total, but they rarely show up now. The active ones are all from the younger generation. We obtained the driving records of several important figures and their families, and through cross-referencing, we roughly narrowed down the location of the ancient tomb - it should be in the 'Dongbi' mountain area, which coincides with the location provided by the aftermath department."

\n\n

"Strange, sister," Zhang Zhao said, "how did those useless people from the aftermath department find the location of the ancient tomb?"

\n\n

"Why are you speaking like that?" Gu Yuexi scolded him, then continued, "The Director of the aftermath department unexpectedly got pulled into the ancient tomb with the suspect. They have a young man who is particularly skilled in 'finding people through objects', and he traced them all the way using Director Xuan's personal belongings."

\n\n

Zhang Zhao laughed, "Oh my god, this guy is so talented, he could compete in a contest with police dogs."

\n\n

Gu Yuexi remained expressionless, her stern gaze piercing through him.

\n\n

"I was wrong," Zhang Zhao made a face and mimicked zipping his mouth shut. "It's in the Dongbi Mountain area, right? Tell the little radishes in the aftermath department to wait patiently and not move around,"

\n\n

Wang Ze held a cigarette in his mouth, revealing a set of shark-like teeth as he laughed.

\n\n

"Let's go rescue their Director. Oh, by the way, I heard the new Director of the aftermath department is also a thunder and fire type. Have you met him, Yue'er? What do you think?"

\n\n

Gu Yuexi paused thoughtfully and cautiously replied, "I can't say for sure."

\n\n

Wang Ze was taken aback, "Huh?"

\n\n

Gu Yuexi adjusted her sunglasses and said, "The energy I saw from him was flame-colored. I feel like he belongs to the thunder and fire system, leaning towards fire. But...when we were at Chiyuan Hospital, he also showed a bit of metal ability with his special weapon. However, metal and fire are incompatible, and using a weapon that doesn't match your own attribute will lower your combat power. Generally, people in the thunder and fire system will avoid weapons from the metal and ice water types. Oh, by the way, he also had a sword in his hand, pulled out from his spine. He was able to hold his own against the demons with that sword."

\n\n

Zhang Zhao exclaimed, "Wow, pulling out a sword from his back sounds so cool! What kind of sword was it?"

\n\n

Gu Yuexi shook her head, "I couldn't see."

\n\n

Zhang Zhao, being young and impulsive, said, "The last time your 'X-ray vision' couldn't see through something was..."

\n\n

As he spoke, he suddenly realized something and fell silent. Gu Yuexi furrowed her brows, and the car fell into an awkward silence.

\n\n

Wang Ze's face darkened as he exhaled a puff of smoke, which seemed to have a life of its own as it flew against the wind and hit Zhang Zhao in the face, smearing it with smoke.

\n\n

"You're the only one who can't keep your mouth shut. You talk too much," he scolded. "Director Xiao sent a message. Let's see what he has to say."

\n\n

"Oh," Zhang Zhao obediently picked up his phone. "Director Xiao says, 'Yue De may already know that you're in Dongchuan. You're on someone else's turf, so be careful.'"

\n\n

"Ha! That's a joke. The mountains are here, and so are we. That old zombie wouldn't dare blow us up with a single shot," Wang Ze kicked the gas tank. "Let's go and see."

\n\n

"Wait, Captain! We just missed the highway exit again!" The location sent by Luo Cuicui was very remote, and although Wang Ze looked like an off-road adventurer, he was actually someone who couldn't tell north from south. No one knew that he was lost and had circled back and forth between the highway and mountain roads eight times before finally overcoming the "difficulties and dangers" and met up with the team from the aftermath department.

\n\n

"Sorry for being late! It was really hard to find this kind of mysterious ancient tomb. There's usually an unknown magnetic field around it that interferes with navigation," Wang Ze shamelessly made excuses for himself. "Oh...what's going on? Why is there another injured person?"

\n\n

Yang Chao was lying on the ground, with tears still on his face, gasping for breath.

\n\n

Since arriving in this mountainous area, he had been crying inexplicably like he was possessed by a ghost, and his tears couldn't stop flowing. Now, he didn't even have the strength to speak.

\n\n

"I don't know, it just happened suddenly," Luo Cuicui replied anxiously. "Maybe the pressure of the postgraduate entrance exam was too much."

\n\n

Wang Ze remained silent, having heard that the aftermath department was full ofg weirdos, and they certainly lived up to their reputation.

\n\n

"Leader, something's not right about this place," Gu Yuexi suddenly spoke up.

\n\n

"What is it?" Wang Ze asked.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi pushed her glasses, which she had not taken off even in the middle of the night, up to her forehead. Her pupils shrank into vertical slits as she pointed to the mountain. "Look at that mountain."

\n\n

This was once the Paradise in Dongchuan, where Emperor Wu's soul was said to have lingered.

\n\n

The great formation of the witch people had long since disappeared into the annals of time. Although this place had undergone countless wars and geological changes over thousands of years, the natural environment remained exceptionally superior.

\n\n

It was already past mid-autumn, and the night was chilly. The mountains were still beautiful, with lush greenery near and far. As the water vapor met the cold air, a thin mist like white silk floated around the mountain, slowly flowing with the wind.

\n\n

"Indeed... something's not right," Wang Ze squinted his eyes in the direction she pointed and slowly blew out a smoke ring - only one mountain had no fog.

\n\n

The group quickly arrived at the foot of the fogless mountain, and the plant-based Luo Cuicui suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! These trees are fake!"

\n\n

No wonder there's no fog, paper trees can't breathe!

\n\n

Wang Ze broke off a leaf and chewed it for a moment before spitting it out and saying, "Illusion. The trees on the mountain are made of paper. Legend has it that the ancestors of the Yue De Sect were in charge of funeral arrangements for people. I don't think it's just a rumor... Follow me closely and don't fall behind."

\n\n

It seems they've come to the right place.

\n\n

Wang Ze instructed Ping Qianru to keep in constant contact with Xuan Ji and led the way up the mountain, which was covered in fake trees with heavy artificial markings on the stone path.

\n\n

Just after they disappeared into the woods, several black cars stopped at the foot of the mountain. A group of people got out of the cars silently, led by an old man dressed in a dark Tang suit.

\n\n

He moved with such grace and precision that he looked like he was imitating Master Yue De.

\n\n

"My master ordered me to handle this properly, so I'll take charge," the old man said in a deep voice. "Since the Bureau of Paranormal Control doesn't take us seriously and covets our sect's secrets, we won't hesitate to be ruthless. We'll silence them and then burn the mountain to ensure that there's no evidence left. Do you understand?"

\n\n

Several disciples carried out boxes from the trunk of the cars. Inside were things that looked like oversized guns, but upon closer inspection, they were not. These "guns" were as big as bowls and engraved with complex spells that glinted coldly in the moonlight.

\n\n

With a solemn wave of his hand, the old man in a Tang suit ordered his men to enter the dense forest with their weapons.

\n\n

Among the paper-thin trees, there were several small houses.

\n\n

"This place isn't abandoned," Wang Ze wiped the table and said, "It's only covered in a thin layer of dust. Someone must have lived here not long ago, but the old fox cleared everything out... And that child, don't sit by the well, or you might fall in later."

\n\n

In the courtyard, there was a well. Yang Chao, feeling a bit dehydrated, sat down by the well and couldn't move anymore. Since entering this fake forest, Yang Chao's nasal allergy had flared up again. He couldn't stop crying and his tears and snot flowed together, making him feel very uncomfortable. Upon hearing Wang Ze's instructions, Yang Chao lifted his head with red-rimmed eyes, looking like a miserable soul. He sniffled and was about to pull out a tissue from his pocket when he accidentally brought out something else - it was Xuan Ji's watch.

\n\n

Yang Chao quickly reached out to grab it, but due to his tearful ascent up the mountain, he was too weak and lost his balance, tumbling headfirst down the well.

\n\n

Wang Ze was speechless, while Luo Cuicui exclaimed, "Oh my, why did you have to curse him?"

\n\n

Everyone rushed to the well to check on Yang Chao and were surprised to find that there was still water in it.

\n\n

Yang Chao was struggling inside, and Wang Ze rolled up his sleeves and said, "Don't worry, let me handle this. Sweetheart, hold your breath and don't choke on the water."

\n\n

As the experienced water ability user spoke, he calmly snapped his fingers and the water in the well obediently rushed towards his hand, gently lifting Yang Chao up while the others hurriedly pulled him out.

\n\n

Suddenly, Wang Ze exclaimed, "Huh!" as if he had sensed something.

\n\n

He pressed his hand against the edge of the well and said, "There's something in the water."

\n\n

Luo Cuicui and Zhang Zhao grabbed onto Yang Chao's hands, while Wang Ze let go.

\n\n

The water was pulled back by gravity and created ripples on the narrow well wall, shaking the ground below. With a loud splash, the water from the witches' tomb altar surged onto the stone platform, splashing onto Sheng Lingyuan's bare ankles.

\n\n

He thought to himself, "It must be because of this body."

\n\n

Perhaps it had been destroyed by the Chiyuan fire, then picked up by someone else and tossed around for thousands of years, becoming tattered and torn... or maybe it was never a good thing to begin with.

\n\n

In any case, wearing this skin made him extremely uncomfortable.

\n\n

It felt like something was leaking from his chest, blood pouring out while cold air seeped in. The blood fell into his palm, instantly turning as icy as he felt. He sensed that his heart and lungs were empty and weightless, while his limbs and bones sank downward.

\n\n

It was as if there was a barrier between him and his surroundings, and the intense headache returned, just like in his previous life, relentlessly tormenting him.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's knees buckled as he knelt beside the bronze coffin, his vision blurred and the face of Aluojin becoming indistinct.

\n\n

The cool, damp air emanating from the coffin permeated through the tattered shroud woven with the 'Life-Death Flower', evoking a faint longing for rest.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's heart tightened, and he instinctively walked towards him. After taking two steps, he suddenly realized what he was doing and was startled.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was not one to waste time on unnecessary emotions, so he usually appeared quite amiable, but he was definitely not an unconditional "saint" who loved everything.

\n\n

Based on Xuan Ji's understanding of himself, although he was not petty enough to take advantage of the situation and harm others, he was certainly not noble enough to repay evil with kindness - especially since this person had just attempted to murder him twice and almost bound him together with Aluojin.

\n\n

But when he saw the demon spitting blood, his first reaction was to become illogically and uncharacteristically anxious and distressed.

\n\n

Xuan Ji bit his tongue, trying to resist the mental infiltration of these demonic creatures, and coldly watched these two ancient demons summoned by the Yin Sacrifice ritual, thinking to himself: if they could bury each other in a coffin, wouldn't the world be at peace?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had his ears ringing, and for a moment, he almost lost consciousness, his gaze unable to focus, scattered in the void. From Xuan Ji's perspective, he could only see his hair, matted with blood, unable to guess what was beneath this skin.

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't help but lose focus again, thinking to himself: it must take two hours to wash that hair once, right?

\n\n

With a moment's distraction, he found that his legs seemed to have a mind of their own and, without waiting for instructions from his superiors, he took it upon himself to move towards the coffin.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was choked by his own blood and coughed, suppressing even the sound of his coughs, holding his breath as if afraid of disturbing something.

\n\n

Xuan Ji became alert and clasped his own hands tightly - he had just felt a strange impulse to pull the person out of the coffin.

\n\n

If it weren't for his unique constitution, he would have suspected that he had been possessed by a ghost.

\n\n

Xuan Ji did his best to ignore the demon's heart-wrenching coughs, tearing his gaze away from the other person.

\n\n

Inadvertently, he looked down and saw that his phone had a few weak signals. And just then, as if they were in sync, Ping Qianru's call came in.

\n\n

"Connected, connected! Our director's phone is connected!"

\n\n

While Wang Ze and the others were studying the well, Ping Qianru had been following Xiao Zheng's instructions and continuously trying to contact Xuan Ji. Her efforts paid off as the phone finally connected.

\n\n

"Hello, Director Xuan! Can you hear me? We are with the comrades from 'Wind God' and will be there soon..."

\n\n

Suddenly, Ping Qianru's voice choked up, and her face turned paler and uglier by the second.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi couldn't help but turn around and ask, "What's wrong?"

\n\n

Amidst everyone's puzzled looks, Ping Qianru slowly put down her phone and pressed the speaker button.

\n\n

She couldn't hear Xuan Ji's voice on the other end, only static.

\n\n

Upon closer listening, it was the sound of crying, faint and not just one person...

\n\n

The sound of crying echoed through the fake forest, hanging on every paper-mache tree. The paper leaves rustled along with the sobs, while outside the forest, dozens of cannon barrels the size of bowls were aimed at the mountain where they were located.

\n\n

The old man in Tang dynasty clothing spat on the ground and made a gesture. With a command, the mithril cannons all fired at once.

\n\n

The mithril cannons bombarded the mountain with a fierce storm, causing the ground to crack open and tearing the well in half. The underground water was startled and gushed out.

\n\n

Quick to react, Luo Cuicui crawled over to the water-type boss Wang Ze, while Yang Chao, who hadn't had time to escape further from the well, was swept away by the sudden violent water.

\n\n

The rushing water also headed towards Ping Qianru, hitting her head-on.

\n\n

Nearby, Gu Yuexi and Zhang Zhao both turned pale and rushed to save the aftermath department girl who couldn't react in time, but it was already too late.

\n\n

The ground was crumbling, but somehow Ping Qianru didn't seem to be affected, whether it was because of her weight or just good luck. For some reason, a piece of rock from Dongchuan happened to jut out, forming a small dead angle that shielded her from the surging water. Zhang Zhao and Gu Yuexi, who had come to save her, also benefited from this lucky break, and the three of them looked at each other in disbelief.

\n\n

Xuan Ji managed to connect with Ping Qianru's phone, but all he heard was a crackling noise. He held up his phone and spun around in place, unable to find a signal. Just as he was about to hang up, a loud noise suddenly rang out, and Xuan Ji couldn't tell if it was coming from the phone or outside.

\n\n

What was going on? An earthquake?

\n\n

Ping Qianru's voice was stuck in her throat, and she let out a loud cough: "You... beep--"

\n\n

The whole mountain shook, and all the paper-covered plants on the mountain rustled.

\n\n

A long sigh came from deep within the earth. The stone platform in the middle of the water pool in the altar tilted to one side, and the huge stone on top of the altar rolled down and smashed directly towards the two people next to the coffin.

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't have time to think much, and he quickly pulled Sheng Lingyuan away. Sheng Lingyuan was so dizzy that he almost lost his mind--this bastard was pulling his hair!

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan hadn't had a chance to speak yet, and the whole altar began to collapse. The huge stones fell one after another, and the bronze coffin lid that Aluojin had just closed was knocked away.

\n\n

The water in the pool was stirred up, and the water rushed up, carrying the people and the coffin down together. On the stone platform lay the blood of Sheng Lingyuan, and with a splash of water, they were drenched from head to toe. As soon as they touched each other's blood, they were forced to connect through a "brainwave Bluetooth", and their chaotic thoughts exploded in each other's ears.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan heard a string of foul language from Xuan Ji's mind and almost choked on the water.

\n\n

The current pushed them in one direction, and Xuan Ji struggled to maintain balance while grabbing onto Sheng Lingyuan, who seemed to be sinking like a weight.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's face was pale, but his expression was calm.

\n\n

If Xuan Ji hadn't sensed his true state through their connection, he would have thought that Sheng Lingyuan was numb to everything. Then, he heard a distant and blurry song from the other's mind. The melody sounded familiar to Xuan Ji, as if it was a childhood song of the witch tribe he had heard from Aluojin and Sheng Lingyuan. He couldn't explain why, but he felt like he understood the lyrics of the song. The melody repeated itself, swaying back and forth, following the flow of the huge vortex in the pool.

\n\n

Xuan Ji remembered a historical book he had read about the Martial Emperor. The cover design was unremarkable and didn't catch his attention, but he stopped to open it because of the blurb on the cover. It read:

\n\n

'Throughout your life, when you're trapped in a difficult situation, is there someone who can watch your back?

\n\n

\n'When you reach the end of the road, is there someone who can take care of your wife and children?

\n\n

'When you're at your wit's end, is there someone who can offer you a warm hearth?

\n\n

'During festivals and banquets, besides the lanterns and crows on the wall, is there someone who can share a pot of leftover wine with you?'

\n\n

The lyrics of the song and the words on the book cover seemed to overlap in Xuan Ji's mind, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy. Sheng Lingyuan clearly heard it, a faint laughter that seemed to find these questions absurd and not worth mentioning.

\n\n

They didn't know where the water had carried them, along with countless white bones struggling in the water, emitting faint fluorescence before slowly extinguishing, like stars gradually falling silent at dawn.

\n\n

With a loud splash, Xuan Ji's back hit the mountain rock. He grabbed onto a protruding stone and struggled to the surface, where he saw the moonlight.

\n\n

The altar of the witch people, which had been sealed for thousands of years, slowly rose to the human world.

\n","published_time":"2023-07-23T02:11:13.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":277,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":31,"chapter_title":"Chapter 31","content":"

But Xuan Ji had no time to enjoy the moonlight.

\n\n

His heart was as cold as the water in the pond.

\n\n

The altar was full of curses, much more terrifying than even anthrax. Even a single butterfly flying out could trigger a crisis!

\n\n

As a large clump of hair floated towards him, Xuan Ji was about to reach out when he heard the voice of Sheng Lingyuan gritting his teeth in his mind: "If you dare to touch my hair again, I will exterminate your entire family."

\n\n

"Exterminate, exterminate, do whatever you want. I'll just move my household registration to the collective registration book of my unit when I go back," Xuan Ji quickly said. "But that butterfly can't escape!"

\n\n

"I know, shut up and don't make a fuss."

\n\n

"So what should we do? Your Majesty, as the Emperor, you surely don't want to see innocent lives suffer, do you?"

\n\n

The two of them were still trying to figure out what was going on when a large "wild animal" paddled in, making a chaotic noise as it was washed in by the water.

\n\n

Xuan Ji lifted his foot and caught the creature, only to realize that it was Yang Chao from his department.

\n\n

"Graduate student? What are you doing here?" Xuan Ji asked.

\n\n

Yang Chao, who seemed to have just finished cutting a hundred onions, couldn't stop his tears from flowing.

\n\n

He clung to Xuan Ji's thigh with all his limbs, almost pulling off the only intact piece of clothing on their leader.

\n\n

He choked out, "Director...hic...I haven't passed the exam yet!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji struggled to hold onto his belt and angrily asked, "What are you guys doing? Who the hell blew up the mountain? Do you know where you are? You can't just blow things up here!"

\n\n

Yang Chao was very wronged and wanted to explain, but he couldn't stop crying.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan suddenly interrupted and asked, "Has anyone from the Qingping Division arrived? How many people?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't have time to correct his wording and quickly translated for him.

\n\n

Yang Chao choked up and said, "Five... no, hiccup... six, six people... Who is it, Director? Where did this beauty come from?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji's veins were popping as he said, "Show some respect."

\n\n

He couldn't even count to ten and had poor eyesight, yet he still wanted to take the postgraduate entrance exam!

\n\n

Why do young people nowadays have so many ideas?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan pondered and said, "So, including you and me, there are exactly eight people."

\n\n

Xuan Ji struggled to keep his belt on, but couldn't prevent his shoe from being taken off by Yang Chao.

\n\n

"Are you... hiss... sure, Your Majesty? I must warn you in advance that some of my department's students may need to be counted by 'head' instead of 'person', and may not necessarily fit into the 'individual' category!"

\n\n

"As long as they count as living." Sheng Lingyuan grabbed Xuan Ji's shoulder, steadying himself, and with his other hand, he pressed down hard on the surface of the pool.

\n\n

"What...ahh!"

\n\n

As if there was some mysterious force in Sheng Lingyuan's palm, he pressed down and the water suddenly sank, creating a whirlpool that grew larger and larger, quickly sucking all three of them in.

\n\n

Yang Chao's loud voice predicted their journey, and Wang Ze, who was far away, heard the commotion and shouted, "Get out of the way, we're coming down!"

\n\n

As he spoke, he took off his coat and threw it into the water, but the clothes didn't float away, as if they were stuck to the surface of the water.

\n\n

Wang Ze reached out and pulled at his clothes, his muscles bulging on his arms.

\n\n

The water was sucked up by his coat, creating a "water dam" over a meter high out of thin air.

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, the "water dam" solidified into ice, perfectly blocking the three people who had been swept away.

\n\n

The others rushed forward and pulled the three people out of the water with all their might.

\n\n

As soon as the three people's feet touched the ground, the ice dam was shattered by the rushing water.

\n\n

Only then did Wang Ze get a good look at the people he had just saved, and was shocked to the point of dropping his cigarette: "This...this is the suspect? Are all suspects this good-looking now?"

\n\n

He had never seen Sheng Lingyuan before, but both Ping Qianru and Gu Yuexi had been close enough to the great heavenly demon at Chiyuan Hospital to have the same intense reaction.

\n\n

Ping Qianru's legs went weak: "Oh my god! Why is it him again! Help!"

\n\n

Gu Yuexi shouted in a stern voice, "Be careful, Mr. Wang! Stay away from him!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had no time to deal with them and waved away Wang Ze, who was in the way, with a flick of his sleeve.

\n\n

"Little demon, real fire!"

\n\n

Although their "brainwave Bluetooth" violated personal privacy, it was not entirely without benefits. At least in this situation, it greatly reduced the communication time between two people who did not speak the same language.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't need to speak, his mind moved slightly, and Xuan Ji already understood what he wanted.

\n\n

Xuan Ji immediately pricked his middle finger and squeezed out a drop of blood.

\n\n

As soon as the blood droplet left his skin, it immediately turned into a ball of real fire and flew into the air.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan made use of the surrounding materials and beckoned, causing a row of fake trees nearby to fall down. The paper-made branches and leaves fell to the ground and were rolled up into human shapes in an instant, forming eight fake people.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan said, "Lend me some vitality from living people."

\n\n

He spoke in a refined tone that no one, except for Xuan Ji, could understand.

\n\n

Everyone stared at him dumbfounded.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan took their silence as agreement and continued.

\n\n

Suddenly, a shiver ran through everyone's body, as if they were standing naked in the midst of a harsh winter snowstorm, with the northwest wind mercilessly stealing their body heat.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's fiery energy suddenly shattered into countless points of light, each one nailing the vibrant energy of the people to the heart of each dummy.

\n\n

The hollow eyes of the dummies lit up with fire, as if by some mysterious magic.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan waved his hand and the dummies flew out in unison, landing in the eight positions of the Fuxi Bagua on the mountainside.

\n\n

At the same time, everyone felt a strange sensation, as if they had suddenly grown a second pair of eyes, following the dummies as they flew off into the distance.

\n\n

As soon as the fake person hit the ground, the witch's altar had already completely floated on the water's surface. With a loud rumble, a large number of mirror flower water moon butterflies were submerged in the pond, but countless fish that had slipped through the net still flew out of the mountain cave in groups.

\n\n

They gracefully and elegantly weaved through the false grass and trees, making the forest on the hill look like a legendary firefly forest.

\n\n

Whether it was the Wind God team or the Aftermath Department, everyone was left speechless by the beauty of this scene.

\n\n

However, in the next moment, those creepy butterflies seemed to be guided by something and began to split up, flying towards the fake people. Through the eyes of the fake people, several people could "see" groups of butterflies hovering above their heads, some getting very close, revealing the happy and sad human faces on their wings.

\n\n

Even experienced field agents were now covered in cold sweat. Zhang Zhao stood frozen, his neck stiff, muttering to himself, "What kind of nightmare is this? I think I'm developing entomophobia."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan spoke in a somewhat awkward modern Chinese, "Everyone, repeat after me."

\n\n

Then, he uttered a sentence in the language of the witch people.

\n\n

Perhaps afraid that they wouldn't be able to learn it, Sheng Lingyuan spoke slowly, with a lower and gentler tone.

\n\n

It is taboo to repeat something you don't understand, as taught in the first lesson of the induction training for employees of the Bureau. However, Sheng Lingyuan's voice seemed to have a certain allure, even causing Wang Ze, who had mistaken him for a suspect, to hesitate for a moment and mutter along with the others.

\n\n

As soon as he spoke, Wang Ze was suddenly startled, and upon reflection, he couldn't understand why he had repeated after him.

\n\n

"What level of spiritual manipulation is this? He actually skipped over a dozen protective spells on him!"

\n\n

Wang Ze immediately wanted to bite his own tongue, but before he could close his teeth, he heard Sheng Lingyuan command, "Repeat it over and over again, don't stop."

\n\n

His tongue seemed to have its own willpower and involuntarily followed him in reciting.

\n\n

The hovering butterflies seemed to have heard something and scattered like scattered diamonds among the fake people, branches, and grass. Xuan Ji was the first to speak the witch language out loud.

\n\n

He didn't know if it was because of his connection with Sheng Lingyuan, but he inexplicably understood the meaning of the witch language - it was a call, meaning "come back."

\n\n

Although Sheng Lingyuan had a dark heart and could easily betray his teammates, Xuan Ji believed that he wouldn't play any tricks in this matter. After all, he was the one who sealed the altar with his own hands.

\n\n

The witchcraft of the witch people flowed out of the mouths of eight living people, and the fire in the eyes of the fake people grew stronger and stronger. The butterflies were gradually attracted and swarmed into the bodies of the fake people.

\n\n

On the distant highway, the streetlights came on as scheduled. The innocent city and countryside were preparing to sleep or start a round of revelry.

\n\n

The lanterns were lit, and the world was filled with smoke and fireworks.

\n\n

Halfway up the mountain, eight fake people filled with Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterflies were illuminated from inside. From a distance, they looked like gods guarding the mountain. They looked solemn and restrained the curse that should not belong to this world in the mountain.

\n\n

"What's that thing on the mountain?"

\n\n

At the foot of the mountain, the disciples of the Yue De Sect witnessed the unexpected commotion caused by the blast they just set off.

\n\n

It seemed as though a colossal creature buried deep underground had been awakened and roared its way to the surface of the earth.

\n\n

The old man in a Tang suit immediately realized the gravity of the situation - something forbidden from the underground "mine" of their family had been unearthed.

\n\n

His voice was hoarse as he said, "No matter what they have uncovered, we cannot let them leave this mountain alive."

\n\n

For generations, their family had been living here, receiving endless offerings from their followers during festivals and celebrations. The pursuit of worldly fame and fortune was child's play to them. Over the years, many believers who had been "saved" by the masters had come to worship them as gods.

\n\n

As time went by, the "masters" themselves began to have delusions of grandeur, thinking that they were born superior and had already transcended the mortal realm.

\n\n

The consequences of the secret leaking out from the mountain were beyond their imagination. Whether it was Master Yue De, who was in Penglai, or his disciples and grand-disciples, they all wished they could catch the traitor who leaked the "heavenly secret" and tear him apart a hundred times.

\n\n

"Fire..." The old man in a Tang suit squeezed out a word from his teeth, "Fire!"

\n\n

The disciples who carried the special "mithril cannon" received the order and opened the second round of fire towards the mountaintop. Without aiming, meteor-like white light flew out of the bowl-sized "gun", tearing through the night and smashing down towards the mountain.

\n\n

With a loud "boom", the second round of intense white light landed, and the fake tree forest on half of the mountain slope was blown up.

\n\n

The white light directly penetrated the ground and hit the pile of white bones in the witch's tomb. The immortal bones that had once been inhabited by butterflies and burned by the flames were now disturbed, causing a flurry of petals to scatter like a celestial maiden's dance.

\n\n

"Mithril!" Zhang Zhao suddenly opened his eyes. "Which team are they from? Who gave them permission to act on their own?!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked, "What's going on?"

\n\n

"The recently developed mass destruction weapon by the Research Institute, specifically designed to target various disaster-level mutant species," Wang Ze said quickly. "I... can't believe it. Isn't it still in the testing phase?! This can't be our people."

\n\n

Gu Yuexi exclaimed, "This is bad! The butterflies!"

\n\n

The butterflies that had already been sucked into the fake human bodies were now disturbed by the explosions, and it looked like they were about to fly out of the fake bodies.

\n\n

"Get back." Sheng Lingyuan knelt on one knee and recited a long incantation in a language that Xuan Ji had never heard before. As he spoke, his tall and straight back began to bend slightly.

\n\n

At the same time, Xuan Ji, who was forced to temporarily share his senses, felt a heavy pressure, as if a mountain had fallen on his shoulders.

\n\n

For a moment, he found it difficult to breathe. Then, he felt Sheng Lingyuan's mind waver under such heavy pressure, and he couldn't help but think of the words that Aluojin had said before he died.

\n\n

It was a spell in the language of the witches, and in this eerie "link" state, Xuan Ji found that he could understand it without a teacher.

\n\n

He discovered that Aluojin's last words were actually a blessing, saying, "May the mountain god and our ancestors bless the great emperor with eternal life, from me, Aluojin, and all the witches.

\n\n

"May the star of Chiyuan never die, Your Majesty's spirit and soul never die, blood never stop flowing, body never decay.

\n\n

"Long live for thousands of years, transcending ghosts and gods."

\n\n

These were clearly words of blessing for eternal life, but Aluojin's tone made Xuan Ji shiver. Before Xuan Ji could think further, at the next moment, eight fake people simultaneously burst into flames, engulfing the countless cursed Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterflies, turning the little faces on the butterflies into expressions of resentment.

\n\n

Yang Chao suddenly let out a hoarse and miserable scream, falling to the ground and rolling in agony, as if he too was being burned by the flames.

\n\n

Masses of "mithril" began to rain down like shooting stars. Wang Ze fiercely punched the ground, causing all the water on the mountain to surge up and form several large waterfalls, facing the mithril bullets head-on.

\n\n

Unfortunately, the mithril bullets were not afraid of water. They only hesitated for a moment before breaking through the barrier of water.

\n\n

Wang Ze roared, "Zhang Zhao! Time it!"

\n\n

Zhang Zhao raised his hand and took the stopwatch from around his neck. With a "click," everything around them except for a few people froze in time.

\n\n

Old Luo and Ping Qianru picked up Yang Chao from both sides, while Xuan Ji spread his wings on his back and lifted Sheng Lingyuan, who was half-kneeling on the ground, saying, "Let's go!"

\n\n

This young Zhang Zhao was truly worthy of being the leader of the Wind God's first team. His special ability was to temporarily stop time!

\n\n

Unfortunately, it only lasted for a moment. The next moment, the mithril bullet that had been suspended in mid-air smashed towards their previous location at an even faster speed.

\n\n

"He can only freeze time for one second!" Wang Ze shouted, "After that, there will be a long period of time with double speed fast forward. He's useless, don't expect too much from him! Birdman, can you still carry people?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji remained silent. He felt that it might be due to their different attributes that he and his water-based colleague didn't quite get along.

\n\n

So he shouted back, "As long as you're not afraid of getting burned!"

\n\n

Although he said that, the next moment, he still restrained the flames on his wings and leaped from a high altitude, diving towards the ground. "Jump on!" he yelled.

\n\n

In this critical moment, everyone's potential was unleashed as they collectively jumped onto Xuan Ji's wings in a cliff-jumping posture.

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt like his shoulder blades were almost broken by these shameless creatures, especially when plump Ping Qianru jumped on.

\n\n

"Can you guys...move to the sides and distribute the weight evenly?!" Xuan Ji gritted his teeth and blurted out, "Who the hell is stomping?!"

\n\n

"Woah, it's hot, hot, hot!" exclaimed Wang Ze.

\n\n

Forced to empathize with him, Sheng Lingyuan's back also tensed up as if he too had been weighed down by something heavy, and he suddenly lunged forward, his chin hitting Xuan Ji's shoulder.

\n\n

Both of them groaned in pain, but Xuan Ji suddenly realized that this kind of empathy wasn't entirely useless. It seemed to help him share some of the weight.

\n\n

He took a deep breath and, during Zhang Zhao's one-second pause, he quickly dove down the mountain, his wings blazing like fire, and burst out of the second wave of falling mithril bullets.

\n\n

The mithril accelerated as it fell, illuminating the mountains as bright as day.

\n\n

The witch people's altar, which had just been exposed to daylight, was shrouded in a bleak white light.

\n\n

The Wind Gods' field agents clung onto the outside, blocking any possible harm for the powerless aftermath department team.

\n\n

Ping Qianru's face, slightly panicked, was frozen by the white light. In that moment, she seemed to hear the mountain's mournful cry.

\n\n

The mountain... had collapsed.

\n","published_time":"2023-07-29T23:51:44.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":284,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":32,"chapter_title":"Chapter 32","content":"

Due to severe overloading, Xuan Ji's wings were completely unable to move and along the way, they were covered in countless fake branches and dead leaves.

\n\n

The way the group landed was as "hard" as it could be, not only shattering several pieces of slate, but also causing some of the fatter comrades to bounce a few times on the ground.

\n\n

All the talk of "maintaining civility" was thrown out the window.

\n\n

"My phone! I just got it replaced and now the screen is shattered again!"

\n\n

"Where did the car keys fly off to? Hurry up and find them, that's a public vehicle."

\n\n

"Who hung that key on a metal ball? Are you crazy? My head has been smashed into a weird shape...hiss, Your Majesty, your hair is tangled again!" Sheng Lingyuan's robe, made of patched-up withered vines, was caught by Ping Qianru's zipper, almost exposing him.

\n\n

Luckily, he managed to cover himself up with a dozen green leaves that he had just grabbed from Luo Cuicui.

\n\n

His hair got tangled up in Xuan Ji's wings, forming a complicated Chinese knot.

\n\n

For a moment, the two of them were stuck, with Xuan Ji unable to retract his wing and Sheng Lingyuan unable to untangle his hair.

\n\n

The emperor, who was probably out of patience by now, sat on the ground in his eccentric outfit, looking like an environmental ambassador in his shiny green attire. He had no expression on his face as he waited for Xuan Ji to untangle his hair.

\n\n

Behind them, the mountain range shone brightly from the explosion of the mithril cannon, as its immense energy collided with the burning flames, causing a terrifying cracking sound and triggering a local earthquake. After the loud noise, half of the mountain where the altar was located slid down as a whole. Countless white bones turned into powder along with the exquisite stone pillars and beams, and the howling wind was mixed with mournful cries.

\n\n

The illusions on the mountain shattered, and the paper-mache trees fell down in pieces towards the few people. Everyone ran for cover, but Xuan Ji couldn't release Sheng Lingyuan in time. In a moment of desperation, he spread his wings and covered them both underneath.

\n\n

Suddenly, everything became quiet around them. Xuan Ji could hear the noise in Sheng Lingyuan's mind, but couldn't make out the content. It seemed like he was desperately suppressing a thousand thoughts, and his consciousness was only mechanically counting.

\n\n

The two of them were in an awkward position, with Xuan Ji's wings spread out and the Emperor, whose hair was pulled, had to tilt his head to the side and almost collided with him.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's lips were dry and almost transparently white, devoid of any color except for the bloodstains that reminded people of the ancient legend of the "mermaid lamp." The whale oil was melted by the fire, and the clear flame of the wick was reflected in the translucent lamp oil, which was said to burn for millions of years without extinguishing.

\n\n

The two of them were connected in mind, and as soon as Xuan Ji had a thought, Sheng Lingyuan felt it.

\n\n

Even though the emperor had a mouth that could deceive people to death, he couldn't respond to this, so he silently wiped the blood off his lips and chin.

\n\n

It was awkward...

\n\n

Xuan Ji quickly averted his gaze and said, "It's just that the posture was too awkward, and, uh, it got in my eye."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan paused for a moment, then pointed his finger like a knife and cut off the small strand of hair that was tangled in Xuan Ji's wings.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's wings suddenly spread without warning, tilting his head back slightly. At the same time, a thought popped into his mind: "Isn't it said that 'the body is given by one's parents' and that ancient people avoided cutting their hair?"

\n\n

The word 'parents' flashed through Sheng Lingyuan's mind, evoking a vague smirk. He quickly suppressed it with his strong self-control.

\n\n

Just then, the shaking stopped.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan lifted Xuan Ji's wings and brushed away the fake trees around them.

\n\n

He glanced back at the altar of the Witch Clan, still unsure who was responsible for the chaos. However, the accidental destruction caused by those hidden rats seemed to have some benefits.

\n\n

At least with the collapse of the Witch Clan altar, the dangerous spells inside were also blown away.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao struggled to climb out from the side, breaking the silence with a trembling voice, "Director Xuan, what exactly is buried under that mountain?"

\n\n

The survivors looked at each other in confusion, but Xuan Ji glanced at Sheng Lingyuan, pondering whether it was appropriate to reveal the matter concerning the witch people.

\n\n

He knew that Sheng Lingyuan could "hear" him, but there was no response from the latter, who continued to calmly count forward, already surpassing 13,000.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was a shrewd person and quickly realized that Sheng Lingyuan's "indifference" was a form of tacit approval...

\n\n

He even had a feeling that Sheng Lingyuan actually wanted to make public the history of Dongchuan and the witch people, otherwise he wouldn't have allowed him to see so many memories of Aluojin.

\n\n

According to this big shot's personality, if he didn't want him to leak our secret, he would have tried to silence him in the witches' tomb. But...if that's the case, why were the witch people erased from history?

\n\n

Zhang Zhao pointed at Yang Chao and asked, "Also, is he okay? He's crying so miserably...What's wrong with you, young man?"

\n\n

"I don't...I don't know..." Yang Chao lay on the ground, gasping for air, and managed to say, "I feel so sad...so uncomfortable..."

\n\n

"Everyone, I have a million questions in my mind right now, but I think we should put these matters aside for now and discuss them when we get back," Wang Ze took off a fiery red feather that had fallen on his head, "Bird...Director Xuan? Is this the suspect you caught?"

\n\n

He pointed towards Sheng Lingyuan, who lifted his eyelids to give him a glance. Wang Ze shuddered inexplicably and involuntarily curled his fingers.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan, who had just counted to fourteen thousand, paused for a moment and thought to himself, "Carp."

\n\n

Xuan Ji said, "..."

\n\n

Who would have thought that this tough-looking guy would actually have such an auspicious bloodline.

\n\n

"No, he's not a suspect. We encountered some unexpected circumstances and the suspect died underground. This is a long story." Xuan Ji waved his hand and then turned to look at Sheng Lingyuan. "He..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan lowered his eyes and stood with his hands behind his back, calmly facing the guarded gazes of Ping Qianru and Gu Yuexi. He was clearly wearing a garment made of dry vines, with green leaves of aloe supplementing to cover his body. But as he stood there, he exuded an aura as if he were still wearing a royal robe, commanding the nine provinces with a snap of his fingers.

\n\n

Xuan Ji suddenly remembered the rooftop where thunder and lightning clashed, and the Yin Sacrifice ritual texts that covered the ground.

\n\n

It was enough to make anyone tremble with fear, but he didn't seem to care at all. With a single sentence, "I have always detested being bound," he would rather be struck by lightning than compromise even a single step.

\n\n

He didn't care about others' respect or fear towards him.

\n\n

"He is..." Xuan Ji's thoughts raced, and as the words were about to leave his mouth, he had a sudden inspiration. "my sword spirit."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan looked at him with surprise.

\n\n

The three field agents of the Wind God, upon hearing the words "sword spirit," seemed to be stimulated and collectively shook.

\n\n

Their three pairs of eyes were like searchlights, all focused on him.

\n\n

"Sword spirit," Xuan Ji quickly concocted a rubbish story and turned to Gu Yuexi.

\n\n

"I have a sword, a family heirloom. This beautiful lady has seen it at the Chiyuan Hospital, it's that one! Well, it's an antique. I was thinking of selling it online if I couldn't make ends meet one day. But then, I encountered the Yin Sacrifica ritual at Chiyuan last time, and I...well, I was too eager to take the lead and got too close to the thunder. I don't know what kind of energy reaction happened between the 80-odd thunderbolts and my antique sword...anyway, after that, I had a sword spirit."

\n\n

Everyone listened in stunned silence, no one said a word.

\n\n

"Sigh, let's not talk about it," sighed Xuan Ji.

\n\n

He knew that the second captain Gu Yuexi probably suspected something thanks to her abilities, but he wasn't afraid. After all, the demon at Chiyuan and the current emperor really had different bodies.

\n\n

Xuan Ji put on a show of lamenting, "Why did he have to make him look like that big demon who was struck by lightning? Who knows how many people he'll scare."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan looked at her with interest and asked in his mind, "Why are you covering for me?"

\n\n

"Shh," Xuan Ji quickly exchanged a glance with him. "You don't want to be locked up in a lab for 24 hours of surveillance, and I don't want you to go on a killing spree. Just cooperate and don't cause trouble."

\n\n

The resurrected emperor from three thousand years ago was still a demon.

\n\n

If either of these two things were revealed, it would cause chaos and potentially challenge people's beliefs.

\n\n

In this society full of instability, how will the Bureau handle it?

\n\n

Xuan Ji doesn't know, and for some unknown reason he's not too keen on thinking about it.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi stared at Sheng Lingyuan carefully for a moment, her pupils changing shape slightly.

\n\n

After a moment, she seemed to have figured something out, her expression becoming slightly puzzled, but her raised shoulders suddenly relaxed a bit.

\n\n

"I... can't quite tell," Gu Yuexi hesitated, "but the sword he had at the Chiyuan Hospital... does have a similar aura."

\n\n

After speaking, she noticed everyone looking at her, and Gu Yuexi lowered her eyelashes. "I have the 'X-ray vision'."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Luo Cuicui and Yang Chao were both shocked and covered their crotches at the same time.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi is used to people's reactions to her X-ray vision.

\n\n

She coldly added, "I only use it when necessary."

\n\n

"Comrades in the aftermath department haven't seen much of the world, so please understand," Xuan Ji quickly excused. He continued, "My sword spirit knows a little bit of everything, especially ancient history. He even remembers many lost martial arts moves, but his Mandarin isn't that great...and his personality is terrible. Everyone, please try not to provoke him. He's like an antique, right? Let's be understanding."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan listened on the side, seemingly indifferent and not sure if he understood everything.

\n\n

He neither supported nor opposed the conversation.

\n\n

"It's okay, I understand. When the ancient swords and spirits first awaken, their Mandarin isn't very good," Wang Ze said absentmindedly as he gazed at Sheng Lingyuan for a moment.

\n\n

Suddenly realizing his lack of manners, he averted his gaze and cleared his throat before addressing Xuan Ji with a much better attitude.

\n\n

"I don't like staying at headquarters. Director Xuan, I haven't met you before, so let me introduce myself. I'm the leader of 'Wind God,' Wang Ze. You can call me Old Wang if you want. I used to work with Old Xiao, but his team 'Thunder' took the upper route. They handle major security projects or foreign affairs, while we, the ragtag army that saves the day everywhere, can't compare."

\n\n

Despite being part of the same special forces unit, Wang Ze's style was completely different from Xiao Zheng's. Every time Daddy Xiao appeared, he was dressed in a uniform, gloves, and had long legs.

\n\n

He had the air of a domineering elite CEO, with a strong sense of distance. He was decisive and his team followed his every command.

\n\n

Wang Ze, on the other hand, had a more down-to-earth personality. He had the aura of a well-connected gangster, with informants all over the country. With just one phone call, he could summon a group of henchmen to solve any problem.

\n\n

After a brief introduction, Zhang Zhao said, "The local gangsters in Dongchuan have been causing trouble because of the old gangster, Master Yue De. The police station has been unable to do anything about it. This old gangster is so powerful that even their disciples act like members of the underworld. I bet they've been watching us as soon as we got off the plane... And what's with that mithril cannon they have? It's unbelievable! If you didn't know any better, you'd think Master Yue De had some kind of grudge against us."

\n\n

Xuan Ji let out a sigh of understanding, "Ah, cutting off someone's financial path is like digging up their ancestors' graves. If what the suspect said is true, then not only are we cutting off their financial path, but we're also ruining their reputation. It's normal for someone to act out of desperation. We're all in this together, let's try to understand each other."

\n\n

Zhang Zhao remained silent, unsure of what to say.

\n\n

He couldn't believe that Xuan Ji, who was supposed to be a "thunder and fire" ability type like Director Xiao, could be so easy-going and understanding.

\n\n

If it weren't for Gu Yuexi's trustworthy eyes, he wouldn't have believed it.

\n\n

Just then, Luo Cuicui interrupted, "Comrades, excuse me for a moment. My phone got damaged by the water. Does anyone have a working communication device? We need to report this situation to headquarters."

\n\n

Xuan Ji shook his broken phone in frustration and expressed concern, "Last time in Chiyuan, they just reimbursed me for this phone, and now it's broken again in less than a week. If this keeps up, will the Bureau think I'm not worth keeping?"

\n\n

As Luo Cuicui took the phone borrowed from Zhang Zhao and dialed the number for the headquarters, she casually remarked, "Director, you're overthinking it. The bureau has regulations for us aftermath department personnel who are not on the front lines. To save on budget, each person is only allowed one reimbursement for valuable items per year. You have to take care of your own things."

\n\n

As soon as he finished speaking, the Wind God agents saw the face of Director Xuan, who had just seemed like he wanted to save all living beings, change. A sinister aura emanated from the top of his heads, "These people are extremely insane and are insulting our civilized and lawful society. I think we should put everything else aside for now and go kill those old bastards together. Wang Ze, what do you think?"

\n\n

The collision of the "mithril" and the "Nanming fire" created a mountain-shattering effect. Not only did it force the elite field agents of the Bureau to jump off the cliff, but it also stunned those who were secretly firing from the shadows. Some of the slower ones even got buried in the mountain.

\n\n

"What's going on? Why is there such a big commotion?"

\n\n

The leader, an old man in a Tang suit, didn't even go up the mountain. As soon as he realized that something was wrong, he immediately wanted to get in the car and run away.

\n\n

"Master, did we just blow up the 'Forbidden Area'?" The disciple driving the car was stepping hard on the accelerator, his voice filled with fear. "Will there be any problems?"

\n\n

The old man, who was also sweating on his back, was more sensitive than his half-baked disciples. Just now, he vaguely heard the strange sound of the mountain collapsing and felt the thick, unbreakable hatred and anger inside.

\n\n

The old man in a Tang suit glared at his disciple with a stern look.

\n\n

"Shut up, what problems could there be? That was a mithril cannon. Even if there was a Sun Wukong under the mountain, he would be blown up too! I don't believe in ghosts and gods. Even if there is karma, it won't fall on our heads. Give me your phone!"

\n\n

As the old man in a Tang suit spoke, he snatched a cellphone and was about to send a message to Master Yue De in Penglai when the sudden braking of the car caused him to jerk forward.

\n\n

"What are you doing? Are you trying to kill us?"

\n\n

"Master..." The driver turned his head in horror. "Those...those..."

\n\n

In the middle of the road stood a row of fake figures made of branches and grass, holding hands and blocking the way. The streetlights on both sides had long gone out, and the eyes of the fake figures flickered with a faint flame, making them even more eerie in the darkness. From hundreds of meters away, they could still hear the fake figures chattering and laughing.

\n\n

The driver couldn't help but think of all the legends about the "forbidden area," and a sudden urge to urinate overwhelmed him.

\n\n

Suddenly, the fake figures seemed to "see" them and fell silent, creating an eerie silence around them.

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In the next moment, a laughter of an owl came from somewhere, and those fake people suddenly moved - not walking or jumping, but teleporting several meters forward out of thin air, getting closer and closer, just like a classic scene in a horror movie!

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The driver's mind went blank with fear, and he instinctively shifted into reverse, frantically backing up and colliding with the apprentices who were catching up from behind.

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The old man in a Tang suit almost had his waist broken by the chain collision, cursing, "Useless! Why run away? Bring the mithril cannon and blast those monsters to pieces!"

\n","published_time":"2023-08-06T02:00:02.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":291,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":33,"chapter_title":"Chapter 33","content":"

The fear of intangible and invisible things can probably be traced back to the era of human origins.

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Bacteria, viruses, toxins, misfortune, and later, ghosts that people imagined to scare themselves based on the above things, are all more terrifying than tangible monsters.

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The very promising disciples of Master Yue De worked together to take out the mithril cannon from the trunk, and then hugged the deadly weapon, shoulder to shoulder, squeezing back and forth.

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Sheng Lingyuan watched coldly, finding it quite interesting that these people were using the same "weapons" to blow up mountains and deal with ghosts.

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Before he could fully examine these so-called "mithril cannons," he felt a mischievous glint in the little demon's eyes. He turned around and saw Xuan Ji make a gesture towards Luo Cuicui.

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Luo Cuicui held his breath and made a strained posture, his face turning red and his neck thick.

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After a moment, several green vine stems "extended" from his wrist, and the lush vines fell to the ground. Like a small green snake, they quietly approached the disciples holding the mithril, sneaking around their ankles.

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Xuan Ji nodded at Luo Cuicui, then gestured towards Ping Qianru - who was likely the true lucky carp with in the aftermath department. Despite running through a perilous situation, she emerged unscathed and even had 60% of the battery power left in her phone.

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Luo Cuicui suddenly pulled a vine, while at the same time, Ping Qianru played a pre-downloaded audio clip of a female ghost's piercing scream that coincided perfectly with the beat.

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"Ghost! A ghost is grabbing my foot!" The crowd erupted in panic.

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Then, with a loud bang, the mithril cannon misfired! Sheng Lingyuan shielded his eyes with his hand, almost feeling the heat emanating from the mithril.

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On one hand, he had never seen anything like it before and was amazed by the powerful energy and simple operation of modern technology. On the other hand, he was completely lost when it came to the clichés of modern horror movies and couldn't keep up with the plot, feeling completely confused as to why these people were so scared.

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The old man in a Tang suit and his disciples held the mithril like toddlers holding sharp knives. If they were to encounter danger, their weapons would not only be useless for self-defense, but also insufficient for them to commit suicide. The exploding mithril shot out a white light like a meteor, drawing a beautiful parabolic arc before crashing onto the road and splitting it in two. The panicked disciples were thrown into chaos.

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Wang Ze called: "Zhang Zhao!"

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With a snap, Zhang Zhao pressed the pause button, freezing the disciples of the Yue De Sect in place. Wang Ze and Xuan Ji acted simultaneously, their rhythm perfectly synchronized...perhaps a little too perfectly. Without prior discussion or coordination, their teamwork was not quite seamless.

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Wang Ze's snap of his fingers caused water droplets to immediately condense in the humid air of Dongchuan, quickly forming a layer that stuck to the Tang-dressed old man and his disciples. Upon contact, the layer solidified into a transparent handcuff, firmly "shackling" them and preventing them from firing any more shots.

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Meanwhile, Xuan Ji planned to directly heat up the "mithril" gun barrel, causing the disciples to release their grip on their weapons.

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Their goals were similar, but their methods were opposite. The result of their simultaneous actions was a perfect "clash of water and fire" - Wang Ze's "water handcuffs" caused Xuan Ji's gun barrel to sizzle and evaporate!

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What a pig teammate!

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Wang Ze's veins were bulging: "Director Xuan, do you remember that you are in charge of the aftermath department?"

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Xuan Ji replied, "The whole world has forgotten, only I remember. Does it matter?"

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Sheng Lingyuan: ...

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His migraine was still bothering him, and the two of them were shouting at the same time, making his temples throb.

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A precious second of paused time was wasted, and the old man in a Tang suit immediately regained his senses and asked, "Who is it?!"

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Zhang Zhao was extremely desperate.

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Time waits for no one.

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He used the one second he had snatched to wedge a nail into the vast net of time. The "net" around the dent would twist for a long time before returning to its smooth state. This meant that after the one-second pause, everything around them would slow down for a long time, turning them into slow-motion athletes!

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As a disciple of Master Yue De, the old man in a Tang suit was quite skilled.

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In the blink of an eye, he realized that he had been tricked and the ghostly audio clip that had scared the disciples earlier had just revealed their location!

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"Tsk, vermin!" The old man in a Tang suit shook something out of his sleeve. It was a piece of cloth, about the size of a handkerchief, and it looked like a dirty rag.

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The "rag" fell to the ground and immediately spread outwards, turning the ground beneath the feet of the members of the Bureau into a swamp.

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Everyone, except for Xuan Ji who had wings, was dragged down by the swamp.

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Quick to react, Ping Qianru immediately lay flat on the ground, right next to Sheng Lingyuan's feet. Ping Qianru blinked her eyes, as if trying to confirm that this person was the so-called "Sword Spirit" and not the notorious villain who was struck by lightning. With courage, Ping Qianru explained to him, "Increasing the surface area of force will decrease pressure."

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Xuan Ji interrupted, "I know you got a perfect score in middle school physics, now get out of the way!"

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At the same time, the old man in a Tang suit snatched a mithril cannon and aimed at the several people who were "captured" by the swamp.

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Sheng Lingyuan sighed, he could probably understand why the "Qingping Division" later had to close down. He raised a hand and formed a hand seal in the air, quietly reciting a spell in the language of the witches.

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Due to the difference in time flow, his movements were slowed down, but he appeared calm and composed. As soon as he finished speaking, the swamp beneath their feet obediently "rolled" up like a blanket, soaring into the air and striking back at the old man in a Tang suit and his disciples.

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The old man in a Tang suit was shocked and panicked, accidentally firing his mithril cannon, which crashed into a nearby hillside, causing boulders to tumble down.

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Wang Ze dodged a rolling stone and exclaimed, "Director! Could you please give us mortals a heads up before unleashing such a powerful move?"

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Xuan Ji laughed bitterly and replied, "Do I look like I can control him, a mere mortal like myself?"

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The field agents quickly gathered their colleague in the aftermath department and fled for cover, holding their heads in fear. Only Ping Qianru remained lying on the ground, with only Sheng Lingyuan by her side.

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She was scared stiff and didn't move, and Sheng Lingyuan by her side didn't move either. He didn't try to save anyone or dodge, and even closed his eyes slightly, as if carefully listening to the whistling mountain wind passing by.

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Xuan Ji lifted Yang Chao out of the landslide and pushed him to Zhang Zhao. He was about to fly over to rescue Ping Qianru, but found that the rocks seemed to have a life of their own, sliding away in unnatural trajectories and avoiding the spot where the two were.

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Ping Qianru was stunned: what kind of power was this?

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But Sheng Lingyuan just waved at her, and she felt light all over her body, as if she had turned into a helium balloon, gently lifted up by the air until her feet touched the ground. Ping Qianru looked at Sheng Lingyuan in surprise, only to see the usually expressionless Sheng Lingyuan smile at her and say in unskilled Mandarin, "The mountains and waters here really like you."

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Ping Qianru: "...Huh?"

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He spoke Mandarin like a foreigner, but could even use personification as a rhetorical device?

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Xuan Ji happened to come over and pushed Ping Qianru to a safe place. He couldn't help feeling a little sour in his heart: How come the little girl gets special treatment?

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Sheng Lingyuan glanced at him with a smile that wasn't really a smile.

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Xuan Ji immediately regulated his thoughts and asked Sheng Lingyuan, "Was that swamp also a 'curse' of the witch race?"

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Sheng Lingyuan responded with a "Mmhmm".

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Xuan Ji asked again, "But how did that old man know how to use it? Did they decipher the language of the witch race?"

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Sheng Lingyuan didn't answer, but Xuan Ji saw a scene in his mind - the young emperor was lying on a stone table, dipping a fish bone into a special flower juice and carefully writing down the witch language onto the non-decaying leaves stroke by stroke in ancient Chinese characters.

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Ancient Chinese characters were different from the witch language, especially the characters of that era, which were mostly written on bamboo slips and stone tablets, with horizontal and vertical lines and sharp edges.

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One careless stroke could easily damage the leaves, requiring careful carving like on an eggshell.

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Little Aluojin propped up his head and watched on the side, but was lulled to sleep by his slow movements. His eyelids became heavier and he swayed left and right for a while before plunging into the ink used for writing, splashing it everywhere.

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Sheng Lingyuan was covered in "peach blossoms" because of him, and the carefully written leaves turned into a riot of colors. So he grabbed Aluojinn and gave him a violent beating.

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The scene flashed by so quickly that Xuan Ji almost thought it was just his imagination.

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The Emperor himself... translating a portion of the witch people's literature?

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The witch people, who had no recorded history and seemed to have never existed.

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Only things like "Mirror Flower Water Moons Butterflies" were passed down.

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If people found out about the butterflies' origin, the "witch people" would probably become a villainous material for novels and movies. The Yue De Sect disciples probably thought that the ancient tomb they had excavated belonged to some strange ancient tribe that liked to dabble in witchcraft and curses.

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This tribe had no cultural heritage and appeared silently, perhaps disappearing before they could evolve from a primitive slave society to a feudal one, lost in the waves of history. Even if their scheme was exposed, people would only care about how the Yue De Sect deceived the world and endangered public safety. No one would know what kind of cultural relic they had destroyed.

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These thoughts flashed through Xuan Ji's mind, but he didn't have time to think them through before he saw Sheng Lingyuan's face suddenly turn cold.

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The curse of backlash hit the old man and his gang of disciples. Before they could recover and get up, the old man felt a "crack" in his wrist, where he held the mithril.

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He was stunned for a moment, then the pain struck and he screamed.

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As the white light dissipated, the disciples were shocked to see their master kneeling on the ground, his broken wrist tied behind his back with a green vine, his neck unnaturally tilted and his eyes rolled back.

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The man who did this wore a tattered robe, with wet and messy hair, and his eyes were as cold as stars, like a mountain spirit or water ghost.

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Xuan Ji felt his murderous intent again and quickly called out in his heart, "Your Majesty, spare him!"

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At the same time, he shouted at the stunned disciples, "Drop your weapons! Otherwise, I'll twist your master's head off!"

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The old man in a Tang suit responded with a swift strike, causing the "mithril" in the hands of his disciples to scatter all over the ground.

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Despite the late hour, the commotion caused by the collapse of the Dongchuan mountains had awakened half the city, immediately becoming a hot topic among night owls. The reinforcements from the Bureau, gathered from the surrounding provinces of Dongchuan, had finally arrived and apprehended several of Master Yue De's top disciples, while simultaneously notifying the police authorities.

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For nearly a century, Master Yue De has been ruling over Dongchuan with countless descendants and an unshakable power. Evidence of various transactions and spells were found, leaving all the big shots in the Penglai Conference Room speechless and afraid to challenge the Bureau, for they lacked the advantageous conditions that the Yue De Sect possessed. They didn't have the ancient curses of the witch people, nor did they have such a crazy "profit model". However, if investigated thoroughly, no one could guarantee that their own disciples had never done anything similar.

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Xiao Zheng obtained direct evidence and immediately tore off the mask, calling in the nearby field agents to capture Master Yue De and protect Chief Huang before leaving triumphantly.

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Afterwards, he personally dispatched two special and capable teams from "Thunder" and "Storm" to fly overnight from the Yong'an headquarters to Dongchuan. As dawn broke the next day, Xuan Ji and the others finally finished their tasks and were sent to a hotel in the city.

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At the end of Dongchuan, mist rose from the mountains, and the mountain road was torn apart by mithril, exposing the bones.

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The bronze coffin also sank into the deep pool with the rolling rocks. Aluojin had a dark red steel nail in the center of his eyebrows, which made his originally elegant and delicate features look a bit cramped, adding a strange and eerie temperament to him.

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It was like he was trapped in a nightmare that he would never wake up from.

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A string of bubbles rose from the water and slipped into the weak morning light.

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Rolling dark clouds gathered from all directions towards the mountain cliff.

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From the moment Xuan Ji received this unlucky task, he realized that his sword was no longer his own. Then he was dragged into the grudges and conflicts between the emperor and the witch people. He felt like his entire worldview had been overturned several times, and he was exhausted.

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He fell asleep on the road.

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A white light flew from the west, as fast as the passing headlights on the road, and flashed over Xuan Ji.

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Sheng Lingyuan, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, was suddenly disturbed by something.

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He opened his eyes and looked around, but there was nothing except for the snoring descendants of the "Qingping Division" in the car. He furrowed his brows in confusion, feeling like he had caught a familiar scent in the air.

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What was it?

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Sheng Lingyuan tentatively released his divine sense, but all he could sense was the unfamiliar and murky wind of Dongchuan. Then, he noticed that the little demon connected to his mind had been dragged into a dream.

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Despite being far from the realm of "sages and gentlemen" and not adhering to the principle of "not looking at impropriety," Sheng Lingyuan knew that the human heart was most vulnerable in dreams. He couldn't miss this opportunity.

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After all, he was also curious about what kind of clan would dare to keep a corpse like his.

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Sheng Lingyuan withdrew his divine sense from Dongchuan and followed the murmurs overflowing from Xuan Ji's dream, diving into the depths of his consciousness.

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However, before he could break in, he sensed something and quickly retreated. He saw a towering wall of fire rising up in Xuan Ji's consciousness, with snow-white flames that turned out to be the Nanming Fire.

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Legend has it that Nanming Fire is the true fire of the divine Vermilion Bird, capable of burning everything and is the bane of all demons.

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As the residual heat of the flames washed over him, Sheng Lingyuan felt a hint of a fishy smell in his throat. He forced himself to swallow a mouthful of blood and hesitantly stared at the little demon's sea of consciousness, which was engulfed by the raging fire.

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"Vermilion Bird..." Sheng Lingyuan couldn't help but reach out and press his chest, which was throbbing with pain. "The Vermilion Bird clan has long since perished, so where did this descendant come from?"

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Moreover, even if the Vermilion Bird was a demon, Sheng Lingyuan had to admit that it was the most divine clan among all demons. Although this little demon looked carefree and bold, with true fire to ward off evil and protect the home, there was always a faint lingering aura of evil around him.

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With the fierce fire protecting his sea of consciousness and the attribute of his body seeming to be "gold"... but gold and fire are mutually exclusive, so what exactly is this?

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Sheng Lingyuan frowned as he was uncomfortably scorched by the flames. Just as he was about to step back, he heard fragments of words leaking from the dream of a little demon.

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People have no rationality in chaotic dreams, so dream talk is often nonsense and of little value.

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But Sheng Lingyuan suddenly paused - because the broken and incomplete dream talk was not spoken by anyone here... That language was the elegant one of the Great Qi country!

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With an evil demon lurking nearby, Xuan Ji was originally refusing to fall asleep.

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But before he could struggle, he suddenly heard a hallucination that sounded like the shattering of stones in his ear. He was knocked out like he had been hit by a flower.

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In his dream, he seemed to have returned to the era of chaos during the Nine Provinces War, his perspective constantly changing from being a person to being something else. He was either running for his life or fighting. Sometimes he felt like he was immersed in a sea of blood, with the pungent smell of death clinging to him. Other times, he was filled with a murderous rage, roaring as he chopped off head after head of strangers.

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In the midst of flames and slaughter, he shivered with cold and instinctively moved towards the only source of warmth - a pair of hands. At first, they were small and delicate, belonging to a child covered in wounds. But over time, the fingers grew longer and calluses formed on the palms. It was as if he had relied on those hands for many years, never once separating from them.

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Suddenly, the hand was struck with a heavy blow and the strong fingers loosened their grip on him.

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Despite struggling to reach him, the hand slowly slipped away, leaving him feeling helpless and increasingly distant. A wave of indescribable sadness washed over him, and the excruciating pain spread throughout his body.

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Xuan Ji woke up in a cold sweat, and the car that was sent to pick them up had already stopped at the hotel entrance.

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The excruciating pain still lingered in his chest, and his gaze blankly met with Sheng Lingyuan, who was leaning against the car window. Perhaps just having escaped from a nightmare, Xuan Ji felt an extreme sense of relief and almost wanted to cry upon seeing Sheng Lingyuan.

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Then he heard Sheng Lingyuan say with a smirk, "Your dream was quite interesting."

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Xuan Ji: ...

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Oh my goodness, his mind was currently like an open-top convertible with a malicious villain sitting next to him!

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Xuan Ji regained his senses and forced all his thoughts down, focusing on listing all the dishes he wanted to eat to satisfy his hunger. He was a glutton who never refused any food, and in his ten years on earth, he saved up money just to indulge in eating, drinking, and having fun. He had tasted every dish, from "sauce chicken, waxed meat, shredded pork with dried tofu, and pork tripe" and could vividly imagine the taste, aroma, and appearance of each dish as he listed them.

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Sheng Lingyuan: ...

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Their car quickly arrived at the hotel reception, where the receptionist was already waiting at the door.

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Sheng Lingyuan had intended to tease Xuan Ji, but he was momentarily stunned by the magnificent lobby of the hotel, and forgot what he wanted to say.

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It turned out that even an ancient person, even the emperor, when faced with the abundance of modern material wealth, would become a country bumpkin who had never seen or tasted anything before.

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Sheng Lingyuan got off the car and, despite his shock, still remembered to thank the doorman with a hint of dignity: "Thank you... What kind of palace is this?"

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"It's a hotel," said Wang Ze, yawning as he crawled out of the car.

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Finally thinking he understood a word coming from Sheng Lingyuan's mouth, he struck up a conversation, "Brother Sword... Ah, what a terrible nickname, it sounds like an insult. Welcome to the 21st century!"

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Sheng Lingyuan had been here for a while, but first he was quarantined in a county hospital, and then he became a sword.

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Although everything looked new and exciting, it was only limited to "looking."

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It wasn't until now that he truly "descended to earth" and was engulfed in the reality of the world.

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His face was covered in the dust of the mortal realm.

","published_time":"2023-08-13T02:07:07.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":298,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":34,"chapter_title":"Chapter 34","content":"

It took Sheng Lingyuan quite some time to realize that although this place was called a "hotel", it was not actually a place that specialized in selling alcohol.

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When they arrived, it was already the middle of the night, yet the lobby was still bustling with guests coming and going. To his surprise, Dongchuan was a bustling city even at this hour.

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He first saw a group of elderly men and women chattering away, all of them in their golden years but far from dignified. The old men pushed wheeled suitcases while the old women competed with each other over their colorful headscarves, looking like a flock of birds in disarray.

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One old woman held a "box" in her hand and after scanning the crowd, her eyes lit up when she saw Sheng Lingyuan standing out from the crowd. She strode over to him and said, "Young man, can you take a picture for me?"

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Xuan Ji had just taken the room key from his colleague's hand when he heard a voice that almost scared him to death. He quickly intercepted the fierce old lady who dared to flirt with even the emperor, saying, "Let me do it, my friend is not good at taking pictures, they all come out blurry."

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Sheng Lingyuan didn't understand what they were talking about, so he stepped aside and looked at the small screen of the digital camera, ignoring the noisy crowd around him.

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He saw a clear image on the few inches of "magic tool" and with a "click," it was captured, but he didn't know what kind of soul-capturing object it was. He instinctively dodged backwards without looking carefully, and a very thin and weak young girl rushed past him in a hurry.

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The girl was dragging a suitcase that was almost half her height and holding a phone, talking to someone, "Yes... I'm on a business trip and heading back to Yong'an. The flight is at night... Don't worry, I'll show you the latest version of the plan before boarding!"

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Sheng Lingyuan's gaze was drawn to her phone, and then his attention was diverted to the rolling suitcase in her hand. She was alone, without any guards or attendants.

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Everyone ignored her, and no one even helped her with her suitcase. The journey from Dongchuan to Yong'an was over a thousand miles, and traveling alone at night, even a small team of armored cavalry would have to be extra vigilant.

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Could this ordinary girl really be some kind of rare and exceptional master?

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Sheng Lingyuan couldn't help but wonder. "Could she be some kind of expert?"

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"Looks like a miserable second-rate worker to me," Xuan Ji had settled the old lady. "Hearing" his confusion, he followed his gaze and glanced over.

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As a former second-rate worker who had quit his job, he had plenty of experience and said, "When you travel alone and there's no one to receive you, you have to work around the clock for 24 hours. Of course, you have to take a red-eye flight to save money... Oh, a 'red-eye flight' is a plane that takes off in the middle of the night - you know, the one we took when we came here."

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The young girl shivered in the hotel lobby doorway, clearly not looking like she had any special abilities.

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After a moment, a yellow car drove by and she casually waved it down. Without even asking a question, she jumped in and drove off, looking as fearless as the sea.

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As the smoke cleared, Xuan Ji suddenly noticed that the bloody and violent aura around the old demon had faded away. He was like a fierce beast returning to his territory, retracting his claws and suppressing his unpredictable emotions. He even gently avoided the plants and trees under his protection.

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No wonder the old lady earlier dared to charge straight at him.

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It was only then that Xuan Ji truly felt that he had been an emperor that had ruled over thousands.

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"That yellow car is called a 'taxi'," Xuan Ji couldn't help but interject, introducing it to him. "The driver - also known as a chauffeur - specializes in transporting people and charges based on distance. If you have the chance, you can experience it... Your Majesty, this way please, let's move to the guest room."

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Sheng Lingyuan couldn't help but ask, "Isn't she afraid... that little girl?"

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"She can't afford to be afraid, she has to make a living. But the security in Dongchuan is well-known, even if you're catching a flight in the middle of the night, the only danger is getting fatigued," Xuan Ji replied.

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Sheng Lingyuan couldn't help but exclaim "Good!" and asked, "What dynasty is it in the mortal world? Who is in power?"

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"There is no dynasty, the emperors have all been laid off and re-employed... sigh!"

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As they were speaking, a receptionist from the local branch of the bureau walked over, carrying several large bags. Their group had experienced a "plane crash" and had rolled around in the swamp, looking disheveled and unrecognizable.

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The receptionist who arranged their accommodation was very thoughtful, bringing over some clothes and daily necessities, and even packed some fast food from the 24-hour store.

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The receptionist said, "These are all from the sports competition our company organized last year. We bought a few extra, and they're all new, never been worn. Originally, the leaders from the headquarters were supposed to buy everyone something nice, but we didn't know your sizes and were afraid the clothes wouldn't fit. These are all sports clothes, so it's not a big deal if they're a little big or small. Please make do with these for now, leaders."

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"Thank you so much for your help. You've all worked so hard, and it's already late at night, yet you still have to follow us around," Xuan Ji warmly expressed her gratitude and turned to call out to Sheng Lingyuan, who was still lost in thought, to come upstairs.

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Sheng Lingyuan had just seen in his mind the ever-changing times, the complex social systems of modern society, and the vast world map that he had never heard of before.

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It was all too overwhelming for him to take in at once. Xuan Ji took a big gulp of cola and sighed, "When I'm in dire straits, it's my good colleagues who save my life. Your Majesty, would you like to try a bottle?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't react in time and was handed a bottle of cola. He stared at the small black water bubbling inside with a serious expression.

\n\n

After descending to the mortal world, the first taste of human indulgence for the Emperor was "Coca Cola", as if it had set the tone for his future lifestyle.

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"I told people that you are my sword spirit. Today, you can only stay with me for one night and we'll talk about other things later." Xuan Ji led him to the thirty-first floor.

\n\n

The hotel had a grand KTV-style decor, a bit tacky but in good condition. The hallway was spotlessly clean with a subtle floral scent from the diffusers.

\n\n

As they stepped out of the elevator, they were greeted by a magnificent painting of plum blossoms and a dazzling crystal chandelier overhead. Carefully treading on the sound-absorbing carpet, Sheng Lingyuan heard Xuan Ji mutter, "The host has good intentions... but the rooms in this inn are too tightly packed."

\n\n

The soundproofing in the hotel rooms was limited, and with Sheng Lingyuan's sharp hearing, he could already hear various noises coming from nearby rooms before even leaving the elevator shaft. One room was filled with earth-shattering snores, as if the person inside was struggling to breathe and would stop for a few seconds every now and then, as if on the brink of death. Next door, a group of people were playing some game, laughing and chatting away. They didn't seem to be getting any sleep even though it was almost dawn. In the room to his right, a couple was busy talking furiously.

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His Majesty was still learning modern Mandarin and his listening skills were average at best. He didn't dare say he understood everything, but even if he had to guess, he could tell that these two were discussing how to get rid of their respective partners.

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Xuan Ji, who shared some of his thoughts and senses, was forced to listen to the "live broadcast" and his hand trembled as he swiped the room card. "Your Majesty, you should move on quickly!" he urged.

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Why was his curiosity so strong?

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Was he not afraid of getting an ear infection?

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Sheng Lingyuan's demeanor remained calm no matter what he saw, as if nothing could surprise him. Perhaps it was due to his previous profession. If it weren't for the fact that he and Xuan Ji were still connected through their "Bluetooth," Xuan Ji would have been fooled by him.

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The Emperor's ability to adapt to new environments was truly impressive.

\n\n

Upon entering, he quietly touched everything and quickly deduced their uses.

\n\n

Surprisingly, he guessed correctly for most things, with only a few minor errors.

\n\n

"That's soap for washing hands, not a dessert."

\n\n

"The hole in the wall is for electricity... it's safe since every household has it. There's no lightning charm inside... and it's not Xiao Zheng's spell, but rather distributed by the power plant."

\n\n

"That's the air conditioning vent... no need to block it, no one will poison it."

\n\n

"The water from the faucet is not for drinking, it's not clean."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan took a handful of tap water and was surprised to see the clear and cold water leaking through his fingers. He didn't know what else could be considered clean if this wasn't. At least there was no medicinal taste in the water.

\n\n

Xuan Ji said, "Are you insulting our Coca Cola?"

\n\n

As he spoke, he opened another bag of fried chicken, and the strong aroma wafted out without restraint.

\n\n

Even though Sheng Lingyuan didn't have a strong desire for food, he couldn't help but be drawn to the taste of modern junk food.

\n\n

When he was still in the sword, he had once seen Xuan Ji cooking at home, and the feast was unimaginably sumptuous. At that time, he thought this little demon was exceptional and rare as the last of his species, so it was okay to live a "luxurious" life. But now, he vaguely realized that everyone here seemed to be living like this.

\n\n

He saw the greasy meat haphazardly piled together, without any attention to presentation, and there were no utensils beside them.

\n\n

They were only wrapped in a layer of colorful skin, which Xuan Ji tore off and casually bunched up on the side.

\n\n

Upon closer inspection, Sheng Lingyuan was shocked to find that there were actually words on the "skin"!

\n\n

In his lifetime, there was no paper, and writing was done on bamboo or stone tablets, which was taken very seriously. Even the witch people who wrote on leaves considered those recorded leaves to be precious and sacred...yet these people used them to wrap rice and wipe oil!

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan refrained from making any hasty comments, but couldn't help but furrow his brow and think, "It's one thing to be extravagant, but this is just improper."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: ...

\n\n

"We not only have writing on the oiled paper, but also on some of the cheaper paper that we use for wrapping other things. They are all mass-produced and not luxury items. I'll explain it to you slowly later," Xuan Ji was already starving to the point where his front and back were sticking together. "Your Majesty, aren't you hungry?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan remembered the overwhelming scent of the "Coca Cola" from earlier and decided not to make things difficult for himself. He shook his head reservedly and said, "No, thank you. I don't need to eat. But as for you..."

\n\n

This little demon can fly, he has wings, so he must belong to the winged clan. What's wrong with him to be eating these things...

\n\n

Xuan Ji took a big bite out of half a chicken wing without any feeling of guilt.

\n\n

"Huh? What's wrong with eating these things?" The golden crispy skin was so delicious that it made a satisfying "crunch" sound when bitten.

\n\n

As Emperor Sheng Lingyuan watched his companion eat, he heard a faint noise in his ear, like a mouse scurrying about. "It's nothing," he said.

\n\n

Feeling uncomfortable staring at someone while they ate, the Emperor shifted his gaze and looked around the room.

\n\n

It was small, a standard room with two snow-white single beds visible as soon as one entered. The bedding was soft and clean, and even by Sheng Lingyuan's standards, it was not shabby. However, it was also quite plain, lacking even a canopy over the bed. The windows were sealed shut, but the curtains were not drawn. This was the 31st floor, and standing by the window, one could see the bustling city below.

\n\n

Unlike the small county near Chiyuan, Dongchuan was filled with neon lights at night, making even the stars pale in comparison. The city was built into the mountains, with tall buildings stretching as far as the eye could see. The highways and overpasses twisted and turned, outlined by tall street lamps, making one dizzy just looking at them.

\n\n

It was already late at night, and although there was no traffic, there were still many pedestrians on the street. Just below the hotel was a large theater, and it was unclear whether there was a concert or a performance going on, as the crowd only dispersed in the early hours of the morning. A large group of spectators poured out, and little girls holding light-up signs gathered on the sidewalk, jumping and dancing in groups of three or five.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan couldn't help but be drawn to the window, staring intently at the crowd below the neon lights. He looked out the window, while Xuan Ji was sizing up his back. In that moment, Xuan Ji discerned a hint of positivity in Sheng Lingyuan's calm demeanor. It wasn't necessarily happiness, but rather the dark and constant noise that had been surging and forcefully suppressed in Sheng Lingyuan's heart disappeared momentarily, leaving behind a somewhat nostalgic question: "Just how many people are in Dongchuan?"

\n\n

"Dongchuan?" Xuan Ji munched on a french fry, pondering for a moment. "I'm not sure, but I estimate there must be at least ten to twenty thousand people."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was stunned, and Xuan Ji sensed his confusion. Perhaps his imagination was limiting his mathematical abilities, and the Emperor was unable to construct a concept of this magnitude. This rare confusion finally gave him a hint of humanity - in many countries' folklore, there is a setting that the earthly atmosphere is an irresistible temptation for ghosts and monsters in the underworld.

\n\n

Some of them will even kill and do evil in order to taste the flavor of food and return to the living world. In the story, the desires of ghosts and monsters are the same as those of humans, but Sheng Lingyuan does not have such desires. He witnessed things that ancient people could not imagine, smelled flavors that he had never smelled before, and he did not even inquire about how the Great Qi country perished or the fate of its descendants.

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt that he had no longing for the world of the living. But...heavenly demons arise from obsession, and without desire or attachment, one cannot become a demon.

\n\n

What is his obsession?

\n\n

Xuan Ji's mind was filled with various thoughts, some of which were probing in nature, but Sheng Lingyuan paid no attention, as if he hadn't heard anything.

\n\n

Xuan Ji then spoke up: "Your Majesty, during your lifetime... ahem, this may sound a bit impolite, but you understand my intentions - did you have any unfulfilled wishes? If you tell me, perhaps I can help."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan smiled and replied, "I had none."

\n\n

"Well, do you have any plans for the future? Um... do you want to visit any places, like the capital or the palace... what was your palace called again?"

\n\n

"Du Ling Palace," Sheng Lingyuan said indifferently. "Du Ling Palace was built of ordinary stone and tile, and after thousands of years, it should have turned to dust. What you see now is mostly the result of later renovations and embellishments. It's just a casual sightseeing spot, nothing to take too seriously."

\n\n

"Oh," Xuan Ji said. He was so naive, even someone from ancient history was now educating him.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan said, "Don't worry, I just want to catch the crazy person who disturbed me with the Yin Sacrifica ritual, and bury them in the ground. I have no intention of staying in this world for long."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's probing intentions were exposed, but he wasn't embarrassed.

\n\n

He smiled innocently and said, "I know. Why don't you take a shower first? It's convenient for me to teach you how to use the shower while we're both in this unlucky state. Your change of clothes is in that bag over there."

\n\n

"The showerhead sprays water, and the switch is here. Turn it to the red side for hot water and the other side for cold water... The bottles contain shampoo, shower gel, and other things. They all look the same, so just pick one and wash up..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji pointed out the tools in the bathroom to him. Sheng Lingyuan could naturally "see" how to use them in his mind, so there was no need for too many words, which was quite convenient.

\n\n

However, there were too many new things, and after thousands of years, everything he was familiar with during his lifetime had been overturned. Despite the emperor's astonishing ability to adapt, he still couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. His gaze was always a few seconds slower than Xuan Ji's finger, making him appear somewhat bewildered.

\n\n

He had a pair of almost translucent eyes, like those of a child who had never been exposed to wind and sun, and knew nothing of good or evil.

\n\n

As soon as Xuan Ji saw those eyes, even though he knew it was a dangerous situation, her tone involuntarily softened a bit: "Actually, it's not complicated at all. You'll get used to it after using it twice... If you have any questions, just let me know."

\n\n

"Mhmm." Sheng Lingyuan pretended to be nonchalant, shifting his gaze from the shampoo and nodding. "Very good."

\n\n

"Fine," Xuan Ji thought helplessly, "whether he becomes a demon or a fairy after death, he was an emperor for his whole life, and dignity is everything."

\n\n

As soon as this thought arose, the next moment, he met the Emperor's subtle smile.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's heart tightened, and he was immediately alarmed. Without warning, there was a buzzing sound in his ear, and a thin black mist rose from his feet, enveloping his entire body.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's thoughts suddenly became incredibly slow, as if his brain had become an open book, allowing others to read it at will. As for Sheng Lingyuan's thoughts that should have been in sync with his own, he didn't hear a single word - the other party had somehow unilaterally blocked him. Even the irrelevant thoughts he heard from Sheng Lingyuan's mind were just a trick to confuse him!

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan asked calmly, "Little demon, how old are you? Why are you so easily hungry? Don't you pure-blooded demons all practice 'fasting' from a young age? What exactly are you?"

\n\n

This sentence was like a precise and ruthless hook, and Xuan Ji was caught off guard.

\n\n

He was suddenly hooked into countless memories -

\n","published_time":"2023-08-21T21:30:42.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":305,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":35,"chapter_title":"Chapter 35","content":"

For ten years, he had experienced the ups and downs of life like an ordinary person.

\n\n

He struggled to make ends meet at the end of each month, indulged in late-night drinks during the World Cup and savored spicy crayfish. He enjoyed the bustling atmosphere of the university town, where the air was filled with the aroma of grilled skewers and spicy hot pot. He lived life to the fullest, like a tourist in this world.

\n\n

But before all of this, he had to be careful not to accidentally write traditional characters. He had to be cautious when interacting with his "family" and secretly observe and imitate the behavior of other young people. He learned how to play games, keep up with the latest trends, crack jokes, and smoke. He regularly updated his slang dictionary.

\n\n

And even before that, he was born and raised in the chaotic depths of the Chiyuan altar. Suddenly, Sheng Lingyuan realized something and was startled. At the same time, in Xuan Ji's sea of consciousness, a violent white light, like the fire of the Vermilion Bird, burst out and forced him to quickly retreat. Xuan Ji broke free from his shackles and the fiery long chain flew out of his palm, smashing towards Sheng Lingyuan's head.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's mind stirred and his killing intent arose.

\n\n

The white light and black mist fiercely collided with each other.

\n\n

At the same time, a thunderbolt struck, shaking the thirty-plus layers of windows with a rustling sound.

\n\n

Both of them suddenly came to their senses - they were in a high-rise building in the bustling city!

\n\n

The two suddenly separated.

\n\n

Xuan Ji leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window while Sheng Lingyuan pressed his hand against the hotel room door. Their reactions were surprisingly synchronized as two almost identical talismans, one black and one white, fell onto the door and window, wrapping around half of the room and connecting to form a Tai Chi ball that sealed off the entire space from the outside world.

\n\n

There was a deafening roar inside the room. Sheng Lingyuan's face turned pale, and Xuan Ji tilted his head slightly, a thin line of blood trickling from his ear. The barrier they had erected together suddenly dissipated, and just then, a tourist rushing to catch a red-eye flight rolled their luggage past the room, completely unaware of what had just happened behind the thin wooden door.

\n\n

At the Chiyuan altar, led by Dao Yi, all the weapon spirits gathered near the stone forest. Under Dao Yi's command, these scraps of metal and broken bronze struggled to form a formation, attempting to protect the stone tablets that had already been shattered into two pieces. The blood-like eerie moonlight peeked out from the mountaintop and spilled onto the altar hidden deep in the Chiyuan.

\n\n

With a "crack," to Dao Yi's horror, the third stone tablet disintegrated into dust in an instant, without any warning.

\n\n

The connection between Xuan Ji and Sheng Lingyuan's consciousness was severed.

\n\n

The two stood facing each other, one by the door and the other by the window, less than ten meters apart. The hotel room had already been reduced to ruins by the shockwave.

\n\n

"It is an honor to be in your presence, Your Majesty," said Xuan Ji, breaking the silence with deliberate enunciation. "I believed the person who can end the chaos in the Nine Provinces is a hero, but now it seems more like you're a scoundrel."

\n\n

As the white light faded, Sheng Lingyuan's pupils dilated once again.

\n\n

His almost stunned expression disappeared, replaced by a slight smile as he said, "I am truly sorry for that."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's ears were ringing from the earlier explosion, and now they were buzzing incessantly. His head began to spin, and it was already deep into the night.

\n\n

The hotel was almost fully occupied, with not less than eight hundred mortals inside. Even the great heavenly demon knew better than to engage in a fight here, and it was not suitable for a life-and-death battle.

\n\n

Xuan Ji stood there silently for a moment, then without a word, he picked up his takeout bag and walked out the door. With great elegance, Sheng Lingyuan stepped aside to let the door open. As they passed each other, his meaningful gaze remained fixed on Xuan Ji until the little demon's presence disappeared into the elevator.

\n\n

Only then did he suppress his smile and raise his hand, causing a black mist to spread throughout the messy room. The mist separated into small strands and seeped into the broken furniture, causing the shattered wood and glass to come to life and spontaneously gather together. In no time, everything was restored to its original state, and not a single flaw could be found even upon check-out.

\n\n

The black mist dutifully repaired the furniture and then dissipated as if it had never existed. However, outside the room, half of the hotel's ornamental plants suddenly withered away, and a cricket that had been resting on a flowerpot suddenly stopped moving. With a gust of wind, it turned into a pile of dust.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan relaxed his shoulders and leaned against the door, looking up at the buzzing air conditioning vent. He still wanted to block it. Finally, he learned about the origin of the little demon... It was really a long and messy story.

\n\n

According to historical records, the Nine Provinces War was launched by Emperor Ping, Sheng Jun. As the initiator, this person has only played two roles in the stories compiled in later generations: a greedy and ambitious person, or a clueless fool.

\n\n

But in fact, a war that can last for a long time and cause great suffering to living beings cannot be blamed on a single mortal. This matter involves ancient secret history, which the younger generation today knows nothing about...

\n\n

Three thousand years ago, Chiyuan was not called "Chiyuan", but "Nanming Valley", which was the habitat of the Vermilion Bird clan, a divine bird. The divine Vermilion Bird held a special status. On one hand, it was highly respected among the demon clan, and on the other hand, it was revered by the human race as the guardian deity of the southern land. Strictly speaking, it was a member of the demon clan, but it enjoyed the treatment of a god. For generations, it had temples dedicated to it and was ranked among the Four Saints.

\n\n

Legend has it that there is a magma-filled border in the Nanming Valley, with extremely high temperatures. Except for the Firebird, no living creature can approach it, making it an insurmountable barrier. The human and demon races were separated by this barrier, living their own lives.

\n\n

The origin of the great battle can be traced back to a natural disaster. Before the first Battle of Pingyuan, there was a massive earthquake in the Nanming Valley. It was said that the earthquake turned the entire valley upside down, with strong tremors felt as far north as the capital and as far south as the demon city.

\n\n

Afterwards, strange phenomena occurred frequently. In the winter of that year, the snow in the demon city was more than two inches thicker than usual. The following year, even in April when the rest of the world was in full bloom, the willows in the demon realm remained barren.

\n\n

By the third year, even the temperature in the Nanming Valley had dropped, and the demon realm was losing a significant amount of spiritual energy for unknown reasons.

\n\n

Unlike humans, demons cannot survive by simply planting crops in the ground. For some of the more noble demon tribes, having offspring was already difficult. Due to the drastic changes in the climate and the loss of spiritual energy in the demon realm, the number of young demons born that year decreased sharply, with over 40% of demon infants being stillborn.

\n\n

As the temperature dropped in Nanming Valley, the raging fire became less intense. Many demon tribes showcased their unique skills and crossed the barrier, hoping to migrate to the human territory for a better life. However, humans faced the same problem - they didn't need "spiritual energy," but they still needed to eat. With sudden climate change, famine was inevitable.

\n\n

When everyone was living a prosperous life, outsiders were welcomed as "friends from afar." But when everyone was struggling to make ends meet, outsiders became unwelcome "uninvited guests." Moreover, humans and demons had huge differences and had been isolated from each other for thousands of years. It was only natural for conflicts to arise.

\n\n

The divine Vermilion Bird was caught in the middle of the two tribes in Nanming Valley, torn between two worlds. The leader of the Vermilion Bird clan had no choice but to take action. With both sides constantly engaging in battles that could lead to a full-blown war, he had to "invite" the clan's fire elementals to forcefully ignite the Nanming Valley, separating the human and demon clans.

\n\n

However, at this very moment, the power-hungry Emperor Ping did something despicable, which is why he is often blamed for the chaos that ensued in the Nine Provinces. He formed a "Pacification Army" made up of human cultivators and targeted the demons who had crossed the Nanming Valley and were unable to return due to the blockade. With his superior numbers, he mercilessly slaughtered and hunted these demons, even declaring, "Any demon who sets foot in the royal territory will be executed."

\n\n

The demon king was enraged, and the demon capital was in turmoil. The eighty-one demon tribes were filled with a burning desire for battle. The Vermilion Bird clan, perhaps feeling entitled due to their popularity, believed themselves to be gods. Despite this, they still attempted to mediate between the human and demon clans, refusing to yield.

\n\n

At the time, the demon king was a ruthless character with no moral boundaries. He was blocked by the "gods" in Nanming Valley and pretended to submit, setting a trap during a visit and wiping out the entire Vermilion Bird clan in what became known as the "Slaughter of the Gods."

\n\n

With the collapse of the clan, the chaotic era of demons and monsters began.

\n\n

That day, the blood of the divine bird stained Nanming Valley red. The demon king seized the power of the Chiyuan, and the first battle of Pingyuan broke out, resulting in the deaths of 100,000 humans and demons, including the Emperor. From then on, Nanming Valley became a human purgatory, renamed "Chiyuan".

\n\n

Even after the great battle ended with the fall of the demon king, the furious flames of the Chiyuan continued to burn. The reason why the divine bird clan was chosen to guard the Chiyuan was because it was said that the underground fire in Chiyuan was actually the source of "demonic energy".

\n\n

Whoever controlled Chiyuan would have the power to control the demons. If Chiyuan was not controlled, the fire and demonic energy would spread to all living beings. Except for humans who were born with unblocked seven apertures, all other races would be enslaved by the demonic energy, and war would inevitably break out. Whether this was true or not, even the Emperor himself couldn't say for sure.

\n\n

Throughout history, whenever something bad happened, it was either blamed on the gods not protecting them or on ghosts and monsters deceiving people.

\n\n

However, it was true that Chiyuan could enhance the combat power of all creatures except for humans. This was the reason why the human race was powerless when the demon king took control of Chiyuan.

\n\n

If the human race was not favored by the heavens and earth, what could they do?

\n\n

As the Emperor of mankind, it was only natural for him to move mountains and fill seas - after he had pacified the four corners of the world, he set out to extinguish the Chiyuan fire. He dug up the ancestral tomb of the divine Vermilion Bird and unearthed several bones that the Chiyuan fire could not burn. Using a secret method that greatly harmed himself, he carved thirty-six fire-sealing orders and sealed them within the Chiyuan.

\n\n

These orders were born from the bones of the divine bird and had been soaking in the heart of the world for many years, eventually giving birth to spirits.

\n\n

That little demon was probably one of the spirits born from the fire-sealing orders.

\n\n

Thirty-six fire-sealing orders, thirty-six "Nanming Fire-keepers" for three thousand years, every time the Chiyuan was in turmoil, one of the orders would sacrifice itself to suppress it.

\n\n

If this could also be considered a "clan"...

\n\n

Then the Nanming Fire-keepers were a clan that he had created with his own hands, born only to be sacrificed. No wonder they wouldn't let him rest in peace - turns out he was their creditor. However, Sheng Lingyuan was born into a poor family and was used to things not going his way. He didn't care about this little "creditor" and wasn't bothered by the thought of his body being desecrated. He found the situation somewhat amusing.

\n\n

Suddenly, he laughed and felt a sharp pain in his chest. It was as if something that didn't belong to him was stuck there and couldn't be removed. What could it be?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan furrowed his brow and pressed his fingers against his chest. He quickly reached in, but couldn't grasp anything. He vaguely felt like he knew what it was, but after thinking for a moment, he couldn't remember.

\n\n

"I must be getting old," the emperor sighed and rubbed his temples. "My memory is failing me...this is not good!"

\n\n

Suddenly, he remembered something and lifted his head abruptly. Xuan Ji stepped out of the building and waited for the staff to prepare his new room. He lit a cigarette at the entrance and felt a bit nauseous, perhaps due to the aftermath of having his brain scrambled.

\n\n

Uncontrollable images kept flashing through his mind - either rivers of blood or mountains of corpses, ruins or scorched earth. He couldn't remember where he had seen these scenes, maybe in some movie fragments. He rubbed his temples and exhaled a long puff of smoke into the chilly night air.

\n\n

When Sheng Lingyuan sealed Aluojin, Xuan Ji had actually wanted to suggest destroying the body, just to be safe since it was said that demons never truly die. But when he saw the blood that the other person coughed up while covering up the coffin, he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

\n\n

Perhaps his filter for the emperor in history was too thick, leading to some illogical expectations. In fact, when you think about it calmly, achieving great things and using despicable means are not necessarily conflicting.

\n\n

Some people being widowed and lonely is a tragedy of fate, while others simply deserve it. People like Sheng Lingyuan, who is nothing but despicable, are better off being worshipped in history books and don't need to form deep relationships in the mortal world.

\n\n

Xuan Ji is a person with stable emotions and a very open-minded attitude. When faced with a problem, he will first try to solve it. If he finds that the problem cannot be solved, he will solve his own attitude - finding a good posture to lie down and accept it.

\n\n

He won't lose himself in great joy, nor will he hold onto great anger for more than a cigarette's worth of time. But today, for some reason, the more he smoked, the more restless he became, and the ringing in his ears grew louder. Tar and nicotine were indeed toxic and harmful substances that briefly rushed into his respiratory tract, causing him to suddenly feel suffocated.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's vision blurred, and he had a hallucination that he was in the midst of a sea of fire, facing the Chiyuan altar, his eyes covered in blood. He could vaguely see outside the flames, and the Dao Yi were anxiously shouting something at him.

\n\n

He couldn't hear them, nor did he want to listen. He carefully took out his life sword from his back - the sword that always followed his heart's desire, painless and itchless.

\n\n

But the moment he drew the sword, he felt as if he had dug out his own heart, and an indescribable despair flooded into his empty back. He fell to his knees, as if his bones had been taken away.

\n\n

"This time it's been 232 years," he knelt on the ground, muttering to himself, trying his best to lift the corners of his mouth. "It's probably the longest I've ever persisted...but the Nirvana Stone broke...I really..." He couldn't catch his breath, the choked sound in his throat turning into a sharp tremble, yet he still tried to maintain a smile. "I really can't go on anymore, I'm sorry, I'm really...useless...I'm sorry..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji realized that he seemed to be talking to the sword.

\n\n

Whose perspective is this?

\n\n

Wait, 232 years...this number seems familiar.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's mind quickly turned, suddenly remembering that the oldest ancestor on the thirty or so ancestral tablets next to the Chiyuan Altar had lived exactly 232 years!

\n\n

Is this a coincidence, or... In the next moment, in his hallucination, he heard the sound of his bones shattering. Suddenly, a clear bird chirping broke through the flames. Xuan Ji swayed violently.

\n\n

"Director Xuan!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji turned his head in confusion and stared at the person pulling him for a moment before reluctantly recognizing the local receptionist who had arranged their stay. The receptionist had probably rushed over in a hurry, with sweat on his forehead and a phone in his hand. The WeChat notifications on the phone were constantly popping up. It turned out that the bird chirping that had made him shudder just now was a notification sound.

\n\n

The receptionist had come in a hurry and didn't notice that Xuan Ji's face was off. "I was just about to go upstairs to find you, but I didn't expect to run into you here. Hurry, Director Xiao is looking for you, it's urgent!"

\n\n

As he spoke, a phone call came in on the receptionist's phone. He quickly answered it and shoved the screen to Xuan Ji's ear. "It's me," Xuan Ji responded slowly, his mind still foggy. A long string of words came through the phone, and he finally began to regain his senses.

\n\n

His bewildered gaze refocused as he asked, "What?"

\n","published_time":"2023-08-27T01:47:07.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":312,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":36,"chapter_title":"Chapter 36","content":"

The top of the witches' tomb was ablaze with lights. The ridge had collapsed halfway due to the bombardment of mithril cannons, and the fake trees and grass used to deceive the eyes had almost been burned bare. The water from the altar flowed towards the low-lying areas, rushing into several depressions that had been bombed out, and the accumulated water temporarily formed a "lake."

\n\n

The special forces were indeed special forces. Xiao Zheng directly transferred six water type elites from the special forces unit "Storm," each carried by three helicopters hovering above the witch's tomb. Together, they "pulled" the water on the ground like a piece of cloth, lifting it up into the sky.

\n\n

The ground operatives were divided into several groups and conducted a carpet-style search on both sides of the 'water curtain'. Xiao Zheng urgently summoned all the field staff he could find from nearby provinces and cities.

\n\n

Half of them went to capture the disciples of the Yue De Sect, while the rest gathered at the witches' tomb, blocking off the entire area. Dongchuan has a large population and many tourists, so they need to quickly investigate the scene, deal with the dangerous relics of the witch people, and ensure that there are no safety hazards left behind when someone else comes. Most importantly, they need to find the bronze coffin that had sunk into the water.

\n\n

It's another demon awakened by the Yin Sacrifice ritual, even more eerie and mentally unstable than the previous one. Thinking about it in detail is terrifying.

\n\n

First of all, the dark and mysterious Yin Sacrifice ritual is not something commonly known. Even in the top-secret files of the Bureau of Paranormal Control, there are only a few brief mentions, and even Dr. Wang only has a partial understanding. Whether it's Bi Chunsheng or Ji Qingchen, they either awakened their special abilities after reaching adulthood or were just low-life tomb robbers.

\n\n

So how did they come into contact with this kind of thing?

\n\n

As for the so-called Witch Clan or the mysterious figure that appeared in Chiyuan before, their origins are shrouded in mystery and extreme danger. If someone is manipulating the Yin Sacrifice ritual from behind the scenes, then that person is definitely qualified to be a professor of archaeology - how else would they know where all these big bosses are buried?

\n\n

The most pressing issue now is that, based on Xuan Ji's description, the on-site investigation team had calculated the possible location where the bronze coffin may have rolled to. Xiao Zheng has led his team to search the area eight times, but they haven't even found a trace of bronze rust!

\n\n

"Are you sure?" Xiao Zheng asked Xuan Ji, holding his phone and stepping over the uneven ground of broken stones and bones. "I'm right at the ruins of the stone platform, and there are still traces of the Yin Sacrifice text on these broken stones. But where is the coffin?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji held a cigarette in his mouth and forced himself to stay calm with nicotine. His ears were full of scabs and itchy, and he still had symptoms of post-concussion syndrome. Xiao Ji's voice on the phone was also sometimes distant and sometimes close, and his reactions were slow: "...I think so. Or maybe you should look again?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was furious: "Who's the field agent and who's the aftermath department support staff?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji let out a sigh of white smoke and held the phone, saying in a world-weary tone, "I wonder that too."

\n\n

Suddenly, a field agent not far away raised their flashlight and exclaimed, "Director Xiao, come look!"

\n\n

The field agents of the Bureau were equipped with the "Fourth Generation Flashlight" - about the size of a household flashlight, it could emit a soft white beam of light. If it encountered an abnormal energy object, the light would turn from white to red.

\n\n

This thing was quite sensitive, and it was said that when shining it on the ground, it could detect a mutated plant a hundred meters underground.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng looked up and saw several flashlights focused on an empty space. Under the white light, a rectangular area on the ground suddenly turned blood red, and judging from its size, it was exactly like a coffin.

\n\n

"Is this the imprint left by the coffin?" The field agent with the lantern approached. "But Director, this doesn't make sense!"

\n\n

Of course it didn't.

\n\n

The "probe light" was designed to detect abnormal energy reactions.

\n\n

Even if the bronze coffin was on fire, it had been soaked for so long and should have cooled down by now. At most, there should be some residual energy detected, so why was it this color?

\n\n

And such a large bronze coffin, whether it was washed away by water or moved by people, there should be some traces of dragging on the ground. This was too neat and too square.

\n\n

"Be careful, there may be something on the ground." As soon as Xiao Zheng's voice fell, the dark clouds on the mountaintop were blown open by the wind, and the faint moonlight leaked through the cracks in the clouds, falling directly on the imprint of the coffin. The ground reacted as if something had happened, and suddenly a layer of white mist appeared, causing the field agents to collectively retreat two meters. As the white mist began to resemble dry ice on a stage, it suddenly thickened as if more water vapor had been stirred in. After tumbling for a moment, the mist began to condense into the shapes of people and objects. It was like a three-dimensional sand painting.

\n\n

First, the mist condensed into the shape of a coffin, fitting perfectly with the marks on the ground. Then, more mist gathered around the "coffin" and formed the silhouette of a person.

\n\n

"What kind of water type ability is this? It even has sound?"

\n\n

"What are they saying? Could it be the witch language that Director Xuan mentioned?"

\n\n

"Shh..."

\n\n

The misty figure spun around the coffin, and a delicate chanting sound flowed with the water waves, gently tapping on the four walls of the coffin.

\n\n

Dong. Dong.

\n\n

The walls of the coffin, formed by the condensed white mist, began to seep liquid that was incompatible with the surrounding water. Against all physical laws, the mist traced out a the Yin Sacrifice text within the coffin. Meanwhile, the chanting and knocking on the bronze coffin grew more urgent. With each clang, the text within the coffin became clearer and more pronounced. Once fully highlighted, the text suddenly began to move, creeping from the walls to the bottom of the coffin and burrowing into the body of Aluojin.

\n\n

Dong—

\n\n

The nails in Aluojin's palms lightly jumped, and his fingers trembled fiercely. The person circling the coffin reached out and stroked Aluojin's forehead. Amidst the sound of water, an ancient and unknown language was mixed in. The voice coiled within the dense mist, growing higher and sharper. Although the content was incomprehensible, it seemed to carry immense anger. With a loud "dong," the nail in Aluojin's leg bone came loose.

\n\n

Then, the bronze coffin emitted a teeth-grinding "creak," and the nail in Aluojin's forehead was slowly pushed up by the blood-red text.

\n\n

The "person" formed by the bubbles leaned down and spoke slowly into Aluojin's ear.

\n\n

The Yin Sacrifice text spread from Aluojin's body like blood, and the man wearing a half-mask slowly sat up from the coffin, causing it to collapse suddenly. The field agents of the Bureau of were all stunned - no wonder there was no trace of the coffin on the ground!

\n\n

Then, Aluojin's shadow in the white mist looked up, seemingly facing the direction of the withces' tomb. Suddenly, he struck a pose and let out a long howl, but no sound came out as he soared into the air.

\n\n

The field agents instinctively scattered as the white figure representing Aluojin seemed to reach the surface and darted off towards the direction of Dongchuan City.

\n\n

Meanwhile, the white mist hovered down and settled on the ground. After stirring for a moment, it once again condensed into the culprit who had awakened the great demon. The white figure stood where the bronze coffin had been, in a relaxed posture with hands clasped in front, as if waiting for something, while the field agents stared in disbelief.

\n\n

Suddenly, Xiao Zheng turned his head and demanded, "Did anyone capture the scene just now? Give it to me!"

\n\n

He selected the clearest video clip and sent it to Dr. Wang at the headquarters and and Xuan Ji. Dr. Wang was on standby at headquarters and quickly called back after receiving the video. "Well, this is called 'the art of revealing'," Dr. Wang said, dragging out his words and trembling as he spoke. "It's an ancient technique that people used to use to prevent theft. Ah, the public safety in the old society..."

\n\n

"Doctor, focus please."

\n\n

"Oh, right. So, this art of revealing involves marking something beforehand, and then for a period of time, everything that happens near that mark can be recorded and revealed - just like what you saw earlier. It's kind of like...what's it called again? Oh, a camera! But since it's an ancient technique, it can't capture faces as clearly as a camera can, and the energy dissipates after a while. It also requires a high level of skill from the cultivator, so not just anyone can do it. Plus, nowadays, phones can record videos, so not many people know about this anymore..."

\n\n

Director Xiao's head was throbbing from the lengthy and tedious lecture given by the old man with no sense of direction. Before he could interrupt Dr. Wang again, the white mist suddenly began to expand, engulfing half of the mountain. Then, from the edge of the mist, came the sound of commotion and the formation of helicopters and cranes, followed by groups of people.

\n\n

"Director," a field agent whispered, "that seems to be us...the scene when we first arrived here."

\n\n

"Wait, you mean to say we were cleaning up the area next to...to..." another field agent pointed at the figure standing with arms crossed, trembling with fear, "this thing, we don't know if it's a person or a ghost...watching us from the side? But why didn't the alarm go off?"

\n\n

A chill ran through the group of field agents, causing them to tense up. Just then, a figure representing one of the field agents walked by, completely unaware of what was happening. They happened to walk by the side of the white figure, who had just awakened Aluojin. In a flash, the white figure disappeared into the field agent's body, and the two became one!

\n\n

"Wait, what does this mean?" Xiao Zheng slowly turned his head, his face turning pale. He looked at all his colleagues and said, "It means that the mastermind behind the dark ritual is now possessing one of us!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji and Dr. Wang received the video message from Xiao Zheng at the same time.

\n\n

After watching it, Xuan Ji casually flicked his cigarette butt into the nearby trash can and made a strange, self-deprecating expression.

\n\n

"I knew it," he said. He didn't know how he had been fooled by Sheng Lingyuan, and actually believed that the emperor was "reluctant" to destroy the body of Aluojin.

\n\n

What nonsense, did that old man really care about anything?

\n\n

The Witch Clan was like flowing water, unable to be reborn after death, so why pretend to protect a corpse?

\n\n

How could that old devil have such sentimental feelings as ordinary people?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan clearly calculated that the person who used the Yin Sacrifice ritual would not be able to bear it when they saw him "reluctant" to destroy Aluojin's body. Once they left, they would definitely not be able to resist and make another move. After all, who would be willing to give up the power of the Witch Clan?

\n\n

A gust of night wind blew, carrying a sweet but overpowering fragrance with a faint stench.

\n\n

"Spitting blood while covering the coffin, I actually thought this old actor would be sad. Tsk, what was I thinking?" Even spitting blood didn't stop him from tampering with the coffin. Xuan Ji had his hands in his pockets as he approached the receptionist from the local branch.

\n\n

"Can I borrow your phone for a moment?" he asked, shaking his own damaged phone in front of her.

\n\n

Before she could even respond, he pulled out a cigarette, flicked his finger, and a small flame shot out from his fingertip. He squinted as he lit it up and blew a puff of smoke towards the receptionist, who was suddenly lifted off her feet and carried away by the smoke like a kite in the hotel lobby.

\n\n

"Go hide inside and don't come out unless it's safe," he warned her. The receptionist, still in shock, watched as Xuan Ji disappeared in a flash. Xuan Ji leapt onto the open-air observation deck on the sixth floor. Not far away was a high bridge, and a slender figure stood on top of a lamppost like a kite, eye level with Xuan Ji. The person had long hair and wore a long robe, with a thin and delicate frame like paper. Between their beautiful eyebrows was a terrifying bloody hole.

\n\n

Aluojin was just a bait, a pawn controlled by the mastermind behind the scenes.

\n\n

"But in the eyes of that person, who isn't just bait?" Xuan Ji sighed almost inaudibly. Aluojin was nailed into the coffin again, and his resentment must have reached its limit. He would definitely track their whereabouts.

\n\n

The person who conducted the Yin Sacrifice ritual behind the scenes is most likely to be mixed in with the security department of the Bureau of Alien Control, otherwise they wouldn't be so familiar with the inside workings of the Bureau.

\n\n

The mastermind behind the scenes knew they were resting in the downtown area of Dongchuan City and would let their guard down. He carried the fire of the divine Vermilion Bird, which was in opposition to all evil spirits. In the middle of the night, he stood by the roadside, resembling a conspicuous bonfire, which had a great attraction to all kinds of mischievous creatures. This ensured that Aluojin, who had been resurrected once again, would be lured to him without fail.

\n\n

This had two benefits: firstly, Sheng Lingyuan could free up his hands to deal with the person behind the ritual, and secondly, with him restraining Aluojin, it would prevent him from causing trouble in the mortal world for the time being.

\n\n

"Leaving me with such a glorious and arduous task, well, I guess he really thinks highly of me," Xuan Ji chuckled bitterly, finally understanding the meaning of "using every means possible". He flicked his cigarette ash and gestured towards Aluojin from afar, not intentionally speaking loudly, but his voice carried with the hazy fireworks and swept across the wide street and block, as if speaking face to face with the demon in the bronze coffin: "I have clarified previously, chief, I am really not that Dan Li. Look at my face full of collagen, do I look that old?"

\n\n

Perhaps because he didn't speak the ancient language of Sheng Lingyuan accurately, Aluojin didn't understand and remained unmoved, staring at him coldly.

\n\n

The remaining scroll of the "Dongchuan Witches Book" says that a person who is possessed by a thought will no longer be the same person in their body, and they will become a puppet controlled by that "thought".

\n\n

Now it seems that the scroll may have been referring to Aluojin. The author of this unsigned piece must have been someone familiar with the history of the witch people during that era, documenting their entire story. However, for some unknown reason, it did not get passed down through the ages... perhaps it was banned by the tyrannical and mysterious Martial Emperor.

\n\n

Aluojin clearly had memories, and theoretically, he should have retained some of his human thoughts. However, after becoming a demon, his way of thinking could not be measured by conventional means.

\n\n

Xuan Ji did not expect him to follow the rules, but he hoped that his muddled brain could retain some logic and that he would listen to reason.

\n\n

"Of course, if you want to form an 'Anti-Sheng Xiao Fraud' alliance with me, I would be very happy," Xuan Ji said. "We are both victims, and we do have things to talk about..."

\n\n

"Vermilion Bird." Suddenly, Aluojin spoke in the ancient language of the human race, his voice cutting through the cool night air and flying over the streets.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was taken aback, "Huh?"

\n\n

"On you, just like him, there is the blood of the Vermilion Bird clan..." Before the demon's words could finish, he suddenly disappeared from Xuan Ji's sight.

\n\n

The next moment, a strange voice exploded in Xuan Ji's ear, "It stinks."

\n","published_time":"2023-09-02T19:32:40.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":323,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":37,"chapter_title":"Chapter 37","content":"

Without thinking, Xuan Ji pointed his finger like a knife and swiped it back towards his side.

\n\n

His left hand held half a cigarette, while his right hand had turned into metal, sharp as a knife, with flames flickering at his fingertips.

\n\n

Aluojin laughed sharply and with a "whoosh," he flipped into the air.

\n\n

Suddenly, a huge white bone butterfly appeared out of the night sky and landed steadily under his feet. Its bone wings stirred up a strong wind, while the ember on the cigarette struggled to stay lit.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was first stunned by this dramatic entrance, but then he finally realized his duty as a guard.

\n\n

"Wait!" Xuan Ji's face turned pale as he thought to himself, 'Could this Witch Clan chief have flown all the way from the outskirts on this thing?'

\n\n

Even though it was the middle of the night, the city was full of night owls and the surveillance cameras were still on!

\n\n

Who would be responsible if this made front page news tomorrow?

\n\n

How could they explain it away?

\n\n

But Aluojin didn't care about any of that. He strutted around with his butterfly kite, showing off in mid-air.

\n\n

The hotel was located right in the city center, next to a major transportation hub, with a three-story overpass in front of it. Passing drivers only had to look up to see this strange giant kite. Although there weren't many cars on the road at this hour, if someone did happen to look up and catch a glimpse of Aluojin and his "steed," it could cause a serious accident!

\n\n

Last time, when the Emperor himself got involved with this guy, they caused a mountain to collapse, leaving nothing but skulls behind.

\n\n

But that was just a mountain, and no one complained. This forty-story hotel couldn't afford to collapse.

\n\n

They had to lead him away. Xuan Ji had a sudden change of heart and turned around to run, jumping straight off the sixth-floor observation deck.

\n\n

To avoid being seen, he didn't open his cool-looking fire wings, but landed with incredible lightness, as if his bones were a few pounds lighter than everyone else's.

\n\n

He rolled with the momentum and landed without a scratch. Then he darted into a narrow alley next to the hotel, used the receptionist's phone to log into his WeChat account, and called Ping Qianru directly.

\n\n

"Create a group chat! Quick, drag in those guys from Wind God Team One and let them lend a hand... What are they sleeping for? The bad guys are already up and about!"

\n\n

Before he could finish his sentence, a fierce wind came at him from behind. Without looking back, Xuan Ji leaped onto a nearby trash can, and the flimsy plastic lid bounced him up a meter high without breaking under his weight.

\n\n

Something flew past his pant leg and made a "whoosh" sound as it sliced into the nearby cement wall - it was actually the wind! The wind blade left a crack in the cement wall before dissipating.

\n\n

Through the reflection in an open window, Xuan Ji caught a glimpse of Aluojin's "mount" - too flashy to fit through the narrow alley, its wings were each half stuck and it looked like a "screenshot not fully loaded" butterfly.

\n\n

Aluojin didn't seem to care about his mount, and his appearance became even more terrifying. The broken wings of the butterfly reminded Xuan Ji of the dismembered skeletons in the Witch's Tomb, stirring up an indescribable feeling in his heart.

\n\n

"Little clan leader, I know you're wronged, your whole family is wronged," Xuan Ji's feet didn't stop, and his mouth didn't stop either. "What grievances and demands do you have? Can't we all sit down and talk about it? Why do we have to be at odds with each other? Be clear-headed, where did I get the Vermilion Bird scent from? Clearly, there's only the smell of fried chicken!"

\n\n

Unfortunately, his proficiency in ancient language was only barely passable, and his spoken language was really not good. He tried to mix modern and ancient language in a few sentences, completely missing the mark.

\n\n

Aluojin didn't have the same language talent as the emperor, and couldn't translate for himself, so he was immune to all of Xuan Ji's "flowery language." He waved his robe sleeve, which was billowed by the night wind, and the second invisible wind blade was about to take shape, measuring over two meters long and wide enough to cut through a narrow alley.

\n\n

In a moment of desperation, Xuan Ji suddenly shouted, "Dan Li!"

\n\n

Finally, Aluojin understood a word. The name "Dan Li" made him pause for a moment.

\n\n

"I don't believe it. We still can't clear this up today," Xuan Ji gasped for breath, lightly tapping h1is toes and turning to face Aluojin. He used the same set of body language he used to communicate with his foreign friends, pointing to himself and saying, "I really am not Dan Li."

\n\n

Aluojin tilted his head and watched him dance around without saying a word.

\n\n

"That's right! Your brother lied to you! Your brother's conscience..." Xuan Ji gestured to his chest to represent "heart," but couldn't think of a gesture to describe the conscience, so he pinched his nose with one hand and held the "conscience" far away from himself with the other, as if he were holding a hot, steaming diaper.

\n\n

"Your brother's conscience is just as disgusting!"

\n\n

With his hands stretched out, the ghostly expression on Aluojin's mask flattened as he murmured, "You are not Dan Li."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was on the verge of tears, "Yes, yes, finally you understand. I...oh!"

\n\n

Before he could finish his sentence, three wind blades came crashing down, narrowly missing him.

\n\n

"You are the 'Fire-keeper'," Aluojin's cold gaze locked onto him as he conjured up more wind blades, "He said that in order to reignite the flames of Chiyuan, he must first eliminate the 'Fire-keeper'. I will kill you."

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked, "Who is he?"

\n\n

After the successful sacrifice, Bi Chunsheng made several demands to the spirit he had summoned, most of which were for personal revenge.

\n\n

However, it was the last demand, "Reignite the flames of Chiyuan", that was particularly eerie and it was this statement that truly enraged the heavenly demon.

\n\n

Upon closer inspection, it seemed that the two Yin Sacrifice rituals were indeed the work of the same person, with the goal of "reigniting the flames of the abyss."

\n\n

Aluojin didn't respond, instead conjuring up another wind blade with his hands.

\n\n

"Wait!" Xuan Ji hastily called out, "I still have something to say! Wait..."

\n\n

But Aluojin wasn't interested in listening to his nonsense, and the wind blade quickly swept towards him.

\n\n

Xuan Ji had intended to dodge, but he was backed up against a homestay - one of those small inns commonly found in tourist areas, all decorated in an antique style, with windows facing towards the alley.

\n\n

Perhaps due to poor sound insulation, the guests staying in the homestay were startled by Aluojin's piercing laughter and turned on the lights to peer out the window. Xuan Ji caught a glimpse of a figure behind the window, lazily reaching out to pull the curtains...

\n\n

If he dodged, that person would surely be cut in half at the waist!

\n\n

Without thinking, Xuan Ji turned his back and opened his wings like a shield, hoping it would be enough to block the attack. At the same time, he smashed open the window of the inn and threw the curtain over the tourist's face, knocking him out with a coin.

\n\n

The tourist stumbled and was about to fall, while the icy wind blade grazed the feathers on Xuan Ji's wings.

\n\n

Suddenly, someone shouted, "One second!"

\n\n

Time froze.

\n\n

His teammate had arrived!

\n\n

Xuan Ji's coin in mid-air turned into an iron chain, pulling the tourist to the ground as he rose up.

\n\n

The frozen time effect wore off, and the wind blade that had been forcibly stopped flew twice as fast, slicing through the inn's wall like tofu. Several figures landed in the narrow alley, and three "Wind Gods" rushed out in their pajamas, creating a scene like a pillow fight.

\n\n

"Let the aftermath department handle the scene, the rest of us will lead him away!"

\n\n

Wang Ze forgot once again that Director Xuan was in charge of the aftermath department and shouted at him, "Director, why are you unarmed? Where is your sword?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was furious, "I sold it for scrap metal!"

\n\n

Wang Ze may have been surprised to hear that someone could be so angry about losing a sword, and kindly advised, "Oh, don't worry about it. We've all had to make do before. What else can you do?"

\n\n

"Stop talking and lead him out of the city!"

\n\n

"Alright," Wang Ze confidently pointed the way, "Follow me, we're heading south!"

\n\n

Little did Xuan Ji know that the esteemed Wind God Leader was actually directionally challenged on the ground.

\n\n

He blindly trusted him and without a word, took to the air and flew towards the south.

\n\n

The bone butterfly of Aluojin, with its "toothless grin," shattered into pieces, yet it still chased after them relentlessly!

\n\n

On the hill of the witch's tomb, the story unfolding in the white mist projection kept all the field agents rooted to the spot, unable to distinguish friend from foe.

\n\n

Suddenly, the white mist contracted and solidified into a sword, with swirling incantations and faint electric sparks dancing along its edge.

\n\n

But there were other symbols superimposed on the "projection"!

\n\n

At the same time, the sky darkened abruptly, thick clouds gathering and distant thunder rumbling in unison with the sword made of white mist.

\n\n

The tip of the sword slowly turned, pointing towards one of the field agents in the crowd.

\n\n

The pit dug out by the Emperor was certainly not just a "camera".

\n\n

When he sealed away Aluojin for the second time, he left behind both the "projection" and a "Nine Heavens Divine Thunder" on the corpse.

\n\n

The person behind the Yin Sacrifice ritual must have been acting under restrictions, and may even not have a physical body.

\n\n

After removing the nails from Aluojin's body once again, the most likely scenario is that he will stay in place and blend in with the field agents, attaching himself to someone. This not only allows him to control the situation, but also makes it easier to avoid Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

As for Aluojin...

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan originally intended to let the cunning little demon delay Aluojin temporarily, while he went to deal with the hidden figure and catch the mice who dared to disturb his sleep.

\n\n

He never expected that the fire that the little demon was a keeper for, was actually the Chiyuan Fire - the most troublesome thing was that he saw the thirty-five stone tablets next to the Chiyuan altar in the little demon's memory.

\n\n

In other words, that little demon was the last seal of the fire, and the Vermilion Bird bone seal was already partially broken. No wonder all sorts of evil spirits have come out. If something happens to that little demon, won't Chiyuan set everything ablaze?

\n\n

The wise may have a thousand plans, but they can still make mistakes.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had made Xuan Ji fly off in a fury, but he finally remembered something important and couldn't waste any more time pretending to be mysterious.

\n\n

He turned around and chased after them.

\n\n

However, even many native residents of the modern high-rise luxury hotel can still get lost, so how could an ancient person possibly find their way around?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was dizzy from the winding corridors and had to listen to the walls for a long time before finally finding his way into the elevator. The complex layout of the hotel left him confused as to which floor to go to. The hotel was located in a city complex, and all floors below the fourth were called "such and such hall". He didn't recognize the Arabic numerals and English, so he had to rely on his intuition and press the bottom floor.

\n\n

Generally speaking, if a person is too scheming and overthinks everything, their intuition is usually not accurate. Sheng Lingyuan was startled by the elevator buttons that lit up as soon as he touched them, and was then directly pulled into the pitch-black underground parking lot.

\n\n

The strong smell of gasoline gave him a headache and made him even more confused.

\n\n

Just then, the night duty security guard happened to be on patrol and saw a figure in the distance, so he raised his flashlight to shine it on him.

\n\n

This was a matter of life and death. The security guard stumbled upon a figure with disheveled hair, standing alone in the empty parking lot in the middle of the night, covered in blood!

\n\n

The guard was so frightened that before Sheng Lingyuan could even ask for directions, he let out a scream and flailed his limbs in a doggy-paddle motion, howling as he swam away like a torpedo.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "......"

\n\n

Several "Wind God" agents somehow managed to get a car and sped off at a speed that would have gotten their licenses revoked eight times over.

\n\n

Xuan Ji followed closely behind them, attracting firepower by bobbing up and down in mid-air to prevent Aluojin from wielding his knives everywhere. Sometimes he flew in a breaststroke style, and other times he flew in a backstroke style, but the strong winds blew his hair back, and he could still speak without any delay.

\n\n

"Chief, you were always deceived and helpless during your lifetime. Why are you still like this now? Do you even know what kind of person summoned you? How can you trust him like this? Look at what's happening now. If it weren't for someone using a Yin Sacrifice ritual to disturb your rest, would the Witch Clan's altar be destroyed like this?"

\n\n

As soon as the words "Witch Clan's altar" were mentioned, a bloody flash passed through Aluojin's eyes, who had been chasing behind him.

\n\n

Xuan Ji said, "I just don't understand. What do you villains, who make destroying the earth your life's goal, want? If the world falls apart, how does that benefit you? Chiyuan is a perfectly good dormant volcano. Why do you have to make it erupt? What about geological disasters...dodge it, my darlings!"

\n\n

As they spoke, a flock of birds flew towards them. Caught off guard, they found themselves in the midst of danger. Wind blades came at them from both sides.

\n\n

Exclaiming a curse, Xuan Ji quickly extinguished the flames on his wings and gathered all the frightened birds into his embrace. They plummeted towards the ground in free fall.

\n\n

The wind blades grazed the tips of his wings, shaving off two fiery red feathers.

\n\n

Xuan Ji suddenly spread his wings, causing the birds to scatter in all directions. He soared towards the south like a brilliant sunset.

\n\n

"Did Chiyuan provoke you?" Xuan Ji asked.

\n\n

Aluojin softly uttered a word in the language of the witches. It swept over Xuan Ji's wings with the wind, but he didn't understand.

\n\n

"What did you say?"

\n\n

"The demon clan can traverse heaven and earth, the Shadow clan can move between yin and yang, the Mountain clan possesses the power of iron, and our clan is blessed by the mountains and waters, all thanks to the Chiyuan. But he used us, causing the various clans to hinder and destroy each other, using forbidden techniques to trap our souls and powers in the Chiyuan Fire Prison, eradicating all abnormal energy from the world. From then on, only you ordinary mortals remained in this world!" Aluojin's voice became erratic in the raging wind, "I demand that you return it all!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was momentarily distracted and narrowly avoided being sliced in half by a wind blade that came from behind.

\n\n

He stumbled in the air and managed to grasp the key point in Aluojin's words, "Wait, are you saying that the Chiyuan is the source of abnormal energy?"

\n\n

In other words, special abilities are becoming rarer and rarer. The new generation recruited by the Bureau is not as good as the previous one.

\n\n

The Yue De Sect even struggles to meet their KPIs and begins to consider using dark magic...

\n\n

All because the Chiyuan has been sealed, and the abnormal energy in the world is decreasing.

\n\n

"Abnormal..." Aluojin's mask on his face twisted into a smile that was both crying and laughing. Then, the mask and its owner burst into laughter together.

\n\n

This is the world thousands of years later.

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There are no demons, no humanoid races, and most of the magic and spells have become legends on paper. The Chiyuan continuously absorbs spiritual energy, and when it occasionally leaks, it becomes an "abnormal energy reaction" that makes the authorities panic.

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In this world, prosperity and peace are built on the bones of the entire witch race.

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Why?

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"Once the Chiyuan is reignited, the world will return to its original state," murmured Aluojin. "The mountain god of Dongchuan will give birth to a new tribe of witches, and we are..."

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Children of the mountain god.

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Xuan Ji watched as he began to lose his mind and quickly called out, "What are you thinking?

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Do you have any scientific evidence?

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Do you think people are carrots that can grow out of the ground? You..."

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"Shut up! Shut up!" Aluojin interrupted.

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Xuan Ji's scalp tingled, and he immediately had a sense of foreboding.

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The next moment, a huge vortex formed in mid-air around Aluojin, and Xuan Ji's pupils contracted violently.

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It was too late to dodge as the sharp wind blades rained down like a torrential downpour, enveloping him completely!

\n","published_time":"2023-09-09T20:37:49.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":335,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":38,"chapter_title":"Chapter 38","content":"

When Aluojin appeared near the hotel, Sheng Lingyuan immediately sensed it.

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At that time, he had already gone around the mysterious underground garage for eight laps. He didn't want to attract too much attention, but in his haste, he couldn't care less.

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If the person behind the Yin Sacrifice ritual knew the true identity of the Fire-Keeper, that madman Aluojin would tear apart the little demon with his bare hands.

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Sheng Lingyuan raised his hand and the ceiling of the garage collapsed, triggering various alarm sounds. He directly crawled out of the hole and arrived at the shopping mall lobby on the first floor, smashing the glass and breaking out of the window.

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Little did he know, this was not the end.

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Just as he escaped, several strong lights swept towards him and the sirens sounded twice: "Don't move! Put your hands up!"

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It turned out that while His Majesty was still trapped in the underground, Xuan Ji and his team had already completed a round of "homestay demolitions" and moved south with the "big kite" Aluojin, leaving behind a chaotic scene...and three aftermath department personnel who were at a loss for what to do - the Director of the aftermath department was even temporarily reassigned as a field agent.

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During the peak tourist season, the various security departments in Dongchuan were already on edge. When they heard that someone was demolishing houses on a street of homestays in the middle of the night, and the insane "criminals" even broke into a room and knocked out a tourist, which was extremely shocking, the police immediately responded and rushed to the scene. But before they could even park their cars, the underground garage of the nearby hotel exploded.

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The police took a look and found that there were still some "accomplices" who hadn't escaped yet. They had such audacity, but they were caught!

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And so it was that Sheng Lingyuan found himself surrounded by a circle of flashing red and blue police cars at the entrance of a large shopping complex in the bustling city center.

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The leader of the operation used a colleague's flashlight to take a peek at the "suspect" and saw that this person was wearing a completely empty "skirt" made of a material that looked like woven grass rope, and had a wig styled in a rather impressive manner.

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"This suspect...could there be something wrong with their mental state?" the police officer asked the person next to them. "They may have carried a weapon with them to blow such a big hole in the floor. Quick, we need backup!"

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Sheng Lingyuan remained silent. Meanwhile, Ping Qianru, Yang Chao, and Luo Cuicui hid nearby, afraid to show themselves and unsure of who to contact first.

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The Bureau is a secret department. They requested cooperation from the public security department, but they had to follow the formal process of "top-down" and show their work permits to the police. However, the police would not recognize them and might even think they were crazy.

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Meanwhile, their department leader was in "flight mode" and could not be reached for the time being.

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Watching his two precious hairs on the verge of falling out, Luo Cuicui was at a loss and pulled out his phone to call Xiao Zheng. The phone rang for a moment and then hung up.

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On Xiao Zheng's side, the sword made of condensed white mist trembled and pointed at an undercover agent in the crowd. Before anyone could react, the agent shuddered violently, fell to his knees, and shouted, "What the hell is this?!"

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As soon as he finished speaking, he slightly moved the tip of his sword and pointed it towards the person next to him.

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The second field agent stiffened until the sword tip pointed towards someone else, then he jumped up in terror: "Something just passed through me!"

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The group of field agents erupted into chaos, as if an invisible ghost was using their bodies as springboards, playing hide-and-seek with the sword made of white mist.

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Meanwhile, the sparks swirling around the sword made of white mist grew larger and larger, and the sound of thunder from the sky grew closer and closer. Several lightning bolts flashed across the night sky, one after another, as if they were about to connect with the electric light on the "sword".

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The field agents outside the scene were horrified to discover that they were playing a deadly game of "hot potato", not knowing which unlucky person would be struck by lightning along with the invisible enemy.

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Xiao Zheng gritted his teeth and said, "Everyone except for those who specialize in lightning magic, scatter...uh..."

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Before he could finish his sentence, a wave of icy coldness washed over him. It felt as though he had been submerged in cold water, unable to control his limbs and with his senses blocked. He could feel the hairs on his arms standing on end. Just then, his colleague Luo Cuicui called him on the phone. Xiao Zheng cursed the ancestors of the aftermath department in his mind, as he was engulfed in a flash of lightning.

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Surrounded by his colleagues, he had no choice but to gather all his strength and try to minimize the range of the lightning attack. The violent lightning broke through his mortal body in an instant, and he felt as though his veins were about to burst.

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Amidst the thunderous explosion, a white figure disappeared in a flash, accompanied by a mournful roar.

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After making a phone call that resulted in her Father Xiao, who could have provided them with compensation for the demolition, being killed, Luo Cuicui couldn't reach Xiao Zheng.

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She looked at Ping Qianru and Yang Chao with a panicked expression and silently mouthed, "What do we do now?"

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Ping Qianru was even more frightened than him, afraid of the long-haired man.

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Although their leader claimed that he was just a "sword spirit" and could be identified with Wind God's penetrating eyes, Ping Qianru had a gut feeling that when she saw the man's face, she immediately thought of the scene where he killed someone and disposed of the body with a smile.

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She felt that if this big shot became unhappy, he would start a killing spree on the spot. To her surprise, when surrounded by the police, Sheng Lingyuan did not react violently.

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He only glanced in the direction of a few officers who were trying to clean up the mess, and then even cooperated by raising his hand - although his gesture was not quite right, as he only raised one hand when asked to raise both.

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The head of the police team was furious. This lunatic had been destroying public property in the middle of the night, and now he dared to mock the police when caught!

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"I told you to raise both hands, not to answer a question in class!"

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Ping Qianru was sweating profusely and wanted to rush over to cover the mouth of the police officer.

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Just then, Sheng Lingyuan's calm voice suddenly sounded in her ear, asking, "What do you usually do in this kind of situation?"

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The sound was like a thin thread, and she knew it came from far away, but it was as clear as a phone call, piercing through her ears without anyone else noticing.

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Ping Qianru shuddered.

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"It's just a message, don't panic," Sheng Lingyuan said in unfamiliar Mandarin.

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"Just answer me quietly, I can hear you."

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Ping Qianru peeked out and realized she was at least fifty meters away from Sheng Lingyuan. She felt helpless and thought, only a radar would be able to hear me?

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But since it had come to this, she had no other choice but to try.

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She whispered, 'In the past, if someone saw something they shouldn't have seen, we used 'Echo Sound' to deal with it. It's a special sound wave that can quickly modify people's memories.'

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Sheng Lingyuan watched as several police officers approached and handcuffed his wrists.

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He didn't resist and asked, "Why didn't you use force?"

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"I'm not sure," Ping Qianru whispered, "using the 'Echo Sound' device requires very high environmental standards. You have to first evoke the memories of the parties involved through conversation, and then play the audio. The principle of Echo Sound is brain resonance, which weakens the neural synapses associated with the memory and stimulates the hippocampus to input the modified memory and reattach it. It's very complicated because the memories to be modified generally come with a lot of strong emotions.

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"When the parties involved recall these things, there will also be other physiological reactions - such as the amygdala being activated and the HPA axis continuing to be stimulated. Sometimes, even if a memory is modified, the person's other neural activities cannot be coordinated together, and the parties involved may experience unexplained seizures and fear afterwards. If not handled properly, they may even collapse. To handle this well, even the most experienced person would have to go back and rework it.

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"Many times...sigh, actually, ever since Sister Bi - Bi Chunsheng came, things have been much easier with her special abilities, but..." The speaker trailed off, lost in thought.

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Sheng Lingyuan: "..." Who is this little girl? Why is her hometown dialect so difficult to understand?

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Sheng Lingyuan: "Can you simplify it? What's the problem?"

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"I don't have time, and we don't have enough manpower," Ping Qianru said. "Little Yang is too empathetic and can't handle this.

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He always gets carried away by the people involved. I've never used the 'Echo Sound' device before, and it's just me and Brother Luo. My experience is not that rich..."

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Sheng Lingyuan interrupted her: "It's okay."

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Ping Qianru hurriedly said, "And the Echo Sound can only be played in a closed environment, otherwise the range of sound wave radiation is too large, and any passerby's brain can be resonated. The operator's mental state cannot handle it."

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Sheng Lingyuan said, "Install it, I'll do it."

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After some thought, Ping Qianru had no other ideas and could only comply. She gritted her teeth and pulled out a small round box from her bag, about the size of a palm, and placed it on the ground.

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Immediately, several antenna-like "tentacles" extended from the corners of the box.

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When traveling outside, the only option for handling emergencies was to bring a simple and convenient 'Echo Sound' device. This 'travel kit' could only operate within a very limited range and target one or two people, and even then, it required a mental amplifier.

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Luo Cuicui and Yang Chao looked at each other in confusion. Yang Chao asked, "Qianru, what are you doing?"

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Ping Qianru didn't have time to answer and instead handed the specially made earplugs to Luo Cuicui and Yang Chao, instructing them to put them on. Then, she opened the lid of the round box and took out a device that looked very similar to wireless earphones.

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"I only brought one pair of ten-fold amplifiers, how can I give them to you?"

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Sheng Lingyuan was wearing handcuffs and was pushed by a police officer, stumbling a half step, but he showed no signs of anger.

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His voice and tone remained very calm as he asked, "Amp...what is that?"

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He didn't even know what an amplifier was, and he couldn't even speak Mandarin properly. How could someone like that operate an Echo Sound?

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Ping Qianru looked extremely desperate and said, "Simply put, it's a tool that allows your consciousness to dominate within the range of the Echo Sound."

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Sheng Lingyuan replied, "No need for that, just do it."

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Ping Qianru thought to herself, what kind of method is this?

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It's like asking for death. However, just as she hesitated, she suddenly found that her hands were not under her control, as if they were a mouse reaching for discounted items on Singles Day. She widened her eyes in horror and watched as she put on earplugs and pressed the play button. A special sound wave "wooo" suddenly rose up and spread in all directions, quickly covering the entire area.

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Sheng Lingyuan didn't quite understand what "Echo Sound" was, but he could make a comparison.

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If "Echo Sound" was similar to Bi Chunsheng's ability, then he probably understood how to operate it.

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As Ping Qianru mentioned, Bi Chunsheng had a bit of the "Nightmare Clan" bloodline, which was quite rare and almost drowned in the flesh of ordinary people. If it weren't for her going crazy, he might not have been able to smell it.

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The true "Nightmare Clan" was extremely difficult to deal with. The experts of the Nightmare Clan could single-handedly trap an entire army in the dream world it created, unable to distinguish reality from illusion until they were trapped to death.

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In order to deal with the Nightmare Clan, the human cultivators and the Witch Clan tried every method possible. In the end, they joined forces to create a "Windproof Stone" - after being refined in a special way, it was cut in half. One half was carried with them, and the other half was given to their comrades in the army.

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If either side was trapped in the Nightmare formation, the other side could sense it through the "Windproof Stone" and use it to keep the trapped individuals clear-headed, breaking the formation from both inside and outside.

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When the Windproof Stone was activated, the two people holding the same stone could share the same joy and sorrow, just like the "Echo Sound" that Ping Qianru spoke of, but this "Echo Sound" was much more sophisticated. As the audio started playing, countless noises filled Sheng Lingyuan's ears. The sound waves captured all the active brainwaves, whether the person was awake or asleep.

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Ping Qianru widened her eyes in surprise. She knew for a fact that she did not connect the "amplifier" to her device, yet the indicator light was on.

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She quickly recalled the principle of the amplifier she learned during her training. The amplifier contains an energy conversion device that can expand the range of the Echo Sound's influence. This "Mr. Sword Spirit" had a special ability that allowed him to simulate the Echo Sound's signal using his own ability.

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He treated himself as an amplifier.

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The range of the Echo Sound's influence suddenly expanded by a hundred times or more!

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Ping Qianru couldn't believe that it was possible to operate in such a way!

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The police officers holding Sheng Lingyuan saw the person they caught lift their head, pause for a moment, and then meet their gaze with a pair of eyes as deep as an abyss.

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As soon as the police officers saw those eyes, their minds went blank with a "buzz", and they stood there in a daze.

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The "suspect" smiled at them, silently uttered something, and with a gentle flick of their wrist, the sturdy handcuffs slipped off their hands like oversized bracelets.

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Everyone heard a dreamlike voice say, "Just now, what did you all see?"

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The voice carried a powerful enchantment, like the demon in Faust tempting the dying, and for a moment, everyone who heard it recalled what had just happened.

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Sheng Lingyuan pinched a hand gesture and silently merged his illusion technique with echoing sound waves.

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Countless people were pulled into the illusion, where the night was calm and their chaotic thoughts were forcibly settled. Some unwilling consciousnesses instinctively struggled and rebounded through the echoing sound.

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Sheng Lingyuan furrowed his brow slightly, and his face lost some of its color. Like a calm sea, he accepted and then devoured countless fearful thoughts. After an unknown amount of time, the resistance became weaker and weaker. The echoing sound was like a thin thread, piercing Sheng Lingyuan's temple.

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At the same time, the people around him were first confused and then gradually calmed down. The closest police officer to Sheng Lingyuan fell down first, and Sheng Lingyuan caught him effortlessly, gently placing him against the nearby car.

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Then, one after another, people fell down as if they had been infected with a sleeping sickness, and finally, there was silence within the range of the echoing sound.

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In front of the bustling hotel entrance, there was only the figure of a man in a long robe standing.

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The aftermath department team, who had their ears blocked, looked on in shock as Sheng Lingyuan turned his back to them and waved his hand, indicating that Ping Qianru could turn off the Echo Sound device.

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Luo Cuicui stepped on the small box that was playing the Echo Sound and suddenly pulled out his earplugs, exclaiming, "Wow! What brand is Director Sheng's sword? This function is too powerful!"

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As soon as he finished speaking, Sheng Lingyuan swayed and barely managed to hold onto the hood of the car next to him, preventing himself from kneeling down.

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At the same time, Yang Chao let out a cry of pain and crouched down, holding his head. Yang Chao's ability to react was extremely weak, only able to empathize with exceptionally strong sensations, indicating the intensity of the feedback.

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Ping Qianru quickly approached, "Are you okay..."

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But before she could finish her sentence, Sheng Lingyuan's figure had already moved ten meters away in an instant.

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Ping Qianru said, "Wait..."

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Sheng Lingyuan turned his head and nodded at her, "Thanks for your help with the rest."

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Before she could respond, he had already disappeared.

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Ping Qianru was stunned.

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In her previous job, she had encountered "non-human" beings with similar consciousness. These things were either powerful or strange, with varying levels of intelligence, but without exception, they did not respect human social norms - some of them could not even understand them.

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But this "sword" was different.

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She had a strange feeling that he was very familiar with the confidentiality regulations of the Bureau.

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"Wow, it's so spiritual..."

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"Don't be amazed, hurry up!" cried Luo Cuicui. "I'll clean up the scene, Little Yang, you come up with a story for the accident, and Qianru, you handle the surveillance and all kinds of driving records!"

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Over ten green ivy vines fell off Luo Cuicui's body, quickly taking root on the ground and growing into a lush cluster of ivy. Old Luo gritted his teeth and lifted a police officer who was almost twice his weight, and the ivy vines tried to help and quickly realized that plants couldn't handle physical labor.

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The sturdy police officer, unaware of his surroundings, lunged forward and crushed Luo Cuicui and the pile of stems and leaves underneath him, releasing a fragrant scent of plants.

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Yang Chao quickly ran over and used both hands and feet to rescue Luo Cuicui, who was covered in grass juice. Together, they dragged and pulled the police officers and stuffed them into separate cars.

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Ping Qianru asked, "Brother Luo, are you okay?"

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Luo Cuicui, covered in green, had a sticky green vine broken on his neck. He forced a smile and said, "What's the big deal? Watch my skills."

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As he spoke, he held his breath and his face turned from green to red. He made a constipated expression and a new wave of green vines crawled out of him, rolling into several straw men on the ground.

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Luo Cuicui turned around and got into a police car. The straw men followed his actions and got into the other police cars, perfectly copying his movements of shifting gears and stepping on the gas pedal.

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They drove the police cars back to where they came from. The aftermath department team had a god-like teammate, and their work went smoother than expected.

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In contrast, things were looking grim for Director Xuan.

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Aluojin was provoked by his words and suddenly erupted, unleashing a storm of wind and rain. Xuan Ji had nowhere to hide, but then his huge wings evaporated into thin air, and his body quickly turned to metal.

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The wind blades struck him with a "clang" but couldn't penetrate his "metal body."

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Meanwhile, the metal body couldn't resist the force of gravity and fell straight down from mid-air. Zhang Zhao leaned half his body out of the car and pressed his stopwatch.

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All the wind blades were frozen in mid-air.

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As Xuan Ji fell, he slid horizontally at the same speed and instantly slid out of the wind blade area. He rolled in mid-air and suddenly pulled out his wings less than ten meters from the ground, narrowly saving himself.

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"Beautiful!" shouted Wang Ze, who was driving.

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"Thank you!" Xuan Ji's voice came from mid-air. "But can you please tell me where the hell this is?"

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Xuan Ji had trusted Wang Ze, but this lousy navigation had led him out of the city and towards the south... where there was a large forest park in Dongchuan.

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The ecological environment in Dongchuan was really impressive, but the only problem was-

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"Mr. Wang, hello? Do you remember that I'm an arsonist? Why don't you just tie me up and hand me over to the other side when you take me to the forest park?"

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Xuan Ji couldn't take it anymore and questioned, "Which side are you on?"

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"It's not like that," Wang Ze cried out, "North up, south down, west left, east right - the map says there's an inland lake to the south. Director Xuan, are you also lost?"

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Gu Yuexi focused her gaze, piercing through their boss's flesh and seeing his phone map.

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She was speechless, "Boss, you got our starting position wrong."

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Wang Ze said, "That's impossible, the real-time location is marked!"

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Zhang Zhao said, "The signal is bad near the hotel, there's a delay in the real-time location."

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Xuan Ji: "..."

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It was impossible to fly out of this forest with Aluojin.

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Although Aluojin was a bit slow, he grew up in troubled times and had been fighting with the Emperor since he was a teenager. The first time they fought together, Aluojin realized that Xuan Ji was constrained by the environment.

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Although he didn't understand why, he could feel that Xuan Ji dared not set fire in the forest park. Without hesitation, the white bone butterflies under his feet suddenly disintegrated into a bunch of arrows, shooting towards Xuan Ji's outstretched wings.

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Xuan Ji finally saw the shape of those bones - they were all human bones. He didn't need to think about where they came from and shuddered all over.

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He quickly dove down, and the "bone arrows" followed him like cruise missiles, relentlessly pursuing him around the corner.

\n","published_time":"2023-09-17T03:40:07.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":343,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":39,"chapter_title":"Chapter 39","content":"

Bones rained down like drops of rain, thudding as they hit the ground, almost turning Xuan Ji into a specimen.

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He landed on a slight slope, and due to inertia, rolled forward for about twenty meters. A wind blade followed closely behind, splitting open the crown of a thick tree and smashing towards him.

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Xuan Ji: "..."

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But it wasn't him who had nailed Aluojin to the coffin board for thousands of years.

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Who could he reason with about this?

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Wang Ze: "Look out for the car!"

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Three "Wind God" team members drove a van and rushed over.

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Zhang Zhao stepped on the brakes and sharply turned the steering wheel, sweeping the back of the car out and hitting the fallen tree, while Gu Yuexi opened the car door and pulled Xuan Ji up.

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"Hold on tight!"

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As Xuan Ji scanned the car, his eyes fell upon the words "Some Seafood Supplier" on the side, and a sense of foreboding washed over him.

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"Wait, where did you guys get this car?" he asked.

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"We commandeered it from the side of the road. It was an emergency," Wang Ze explained, showing off his feet. One foot had a shoe on it, while the other was adorned with a disposable hotel slipper. "I didn't even have time to put on proper shoes."

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Xuan Ji was shocked. "So now field agents of the Bureau have to resort to lockpicking?"

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Wang Ze nodded towards Gu Yuexi. "She's got X-ray vision and is an expert at lockpicking."

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Xuan Ji was about to praise them both when he noticed a flicker of hesitation in Gu Yuexi's expression.

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He awkwardly averted her gaze and swallowed his words.

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Just then, the van shook violently and the window on one side was pierced by a bone. The bone was still attached to half a finger bone, wriggling in a creepy way. Wang Ze elbowed it out, and as he turned his head, he saw Aluojin flying down beside the speeding van.

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Aluojin's feet were slightly off the ground, and he looked like a ghostly figure. He seemed to feel Wang Ze's gaze and turned his head, revealing a creepy smile on his mask and face at the same time.

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"Damn, this smile is so damn seductive, it's making my leg hair stand up!" exclaimed Wang Ze.

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Gu Yuexi quickly said, "The places on his body with bloody holes are the energy cores."

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Wang Ze reached out his hand and Gu Yuexi handed him a gun in perfect harmony.

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Wang Ze aimed his gun directly at the broken window and fired three shots at Aluojin with precision.

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Although he was terrible with directions, his shooting skills were definitely at the level of a national athlete. The special bullets flashed with a dazzling white light as they entered Aluojin's body, one of them hitting the bloody hole in the center of his forehead.

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Xuan Ji exclaimed, "Great shot! Bullseye, bro!"

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But before he could finish speaking, the bullet holes exploded with blood and quickly healed. The specially treated bullets were like sand thrown into the sea, not even causing a ripple before being absorbed.

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Aluojin's speed did not decrease, and another wind blade formed in his hand!

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"What the heck is this thing, my goodness!" exclaimed Wang Ze. "Director Xuan, do you have any other tricks besides setting fires? If all else fails, try burning him, but if you accidentally set the forest on fire, I'll put it out for you!"

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"Don't be ridiculous," replied Xuan Ji.

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It wasn't that he had high environmental standards and couldn't bear to burn a tree.

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It was just that this forest park was too close to the city. Creatures like Aluojin, born from fire, had a fire resistance that was probably higher than asbestos. They could withstand the heat of a cauldron, like the Monkey King who had rolled around in one. Ordinary flames would only warm him up.

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The fire that could harm him would be enough to turn the entire Dongchuan into an oven, something that even Old Wang couldn't handle with his hybrid carp bloodline.

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At the same time, a question flashed through Xuan Ji's mind: How could he be so strong?

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He watched Sheng Lingyuan use coffin nails to nail the demon's head, which was almost as easy as hanging a painting on the wall with a few nails. It was so effortless that Xuan Ji even had the illusion that this demon only knew how to play some small tricks.

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Was it just because he was incompatible with Aluojin's attribute?

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But he didn't have time to think about it. He saw another wind blade forming in Aluojin's hand, the air flow swirling and making a sound similar to metal friction. This "knife" could probably slice a small loaf of bread into toast.

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"Give me a gun," Xuan Ji said, lifting his hand and pressing it on Zhang Zhao's shoulder. "Brake!"

\n\n

Zhang Zhao slammed on the brakes, and Aluojin, caught off guard, continued to rush forward. The flying wind blade grazed the front windshield. Xuan Ji's hand caressed the gun given to him by Gu Yuexi, which was engraved with inscriptions all over the body.

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As his fingers brushed over it, the inscriptions seemed to come alive, bursting into flames of light.

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"Can you help me out?" Xuan Ji asked Wang Ze in a deep voice. "Wrap the bullets I shoot with water."

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Wang Ze was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

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Wrapping a flying bullet with a water film was not the same as carrying a bucket of water up the stairs.

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The former required an extraordinary level of visual acuity, reaction speed, and control over abilities, as delicate as carving a masterpiece on a fly's wings.

\n\n

"We can't afford to make any mistakes. The GDP of Dongchuan is nearly two trillion yuan a year. We can't afford to lose it all," Xuan Ji said quickly. "Mr. Wang, you are the top expert amongst water abilities in the Wind God. I believe in you!"

\n\n

Wang Ze said, "But I don't have confidence... Hey!"

\n\n

The big boss didn't give them much chance to communicate. Aluojin reached out and hooked a big tree, using it as an axis to spin himself around, facing them.

\n\n

The former Witch Clan leader still had a bit of childishness on his face, his long hair and robe sleeves jumping around like butterflies dancing among flowers and trees, almost showing a bit of innocent and romantic beauty.

\n\n

The "Water and Fire Incompatible" duo rolled out of the van from both sides at the same time.

\n\n

Xuan Ji lifted his head, revealing a flame-colored pattern on his forehead.

\n\n

It was an ancient totem that had been passed down for three thousand years, born from the flames and bones, both sad and solemn.

\n\n

So when he stood there without smiling or showing any expression, that strange, ancient, and contradictory divinity once again pierced through time and emerged.

\n\n

As Aluojin saw the totem on Xuan Ji's forehead, he grinned menacingly and pushed forward with a wind blade, bearing down on Xuan Ji. But Xuan Ji leapt up, his feet lightly tapping on the wind blade as if he could walk on air.

\n\n

He raised his hand and pulled the trigger: "Wang Ze!"

\n\n

The bullet, accompanied by a burst of flame, shot out and instantly formed a layer of water film in the surrounding air, tightly wrapping the sparks in the middle. However, the flame temperature was too high, causing the water to continuously evaporate. Wang Ze had to constantly grab the surrounding water vapor, sweating profusely.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi looked around and her X-ray vision fell on the cargo box behind the van. Through the car body, she saw what was inside and deftly pried open the box, pulling out a box of mineral water and tossing them into the sky one by one: "Use these!"

\n\n

Unfortunately, Xuan Ji's shot missed.

\n\n

The bullet, like a shooting star, grazed past Aluojin and landed in the ground. But for some reason, the fire inside the bullet did not extinguish. With the fire still burning, Wang Ze dared not retract the isolated water sphere and could only tell Gu Yuexi, "Don't stop the water!"

\n\n

As Xuan Ji landed, he stepped on Aluojin's shoulder.

\n\n

Aluojin fiercely grabbed his ankle, trying to throw him down.

\n\n

Xuan Ji, however, shot a second bullet from above and then kicked Aluojin's wrist with his other leg. After breaking free, he continued to spin gracefully like a figure skater... except for the slightly off aim - he still missed and the bullet was once again embedded in the ground.

\n\n

Without waiting for his teammates to protest, Xuan Ji fired the third and fourth shots in quick succession...

\n\n

Wang Ze was about to collapse because every bullet that hit the target sparked, and with each additional bullet, his pressure increased, making it almost impossible for him to hold the gun steady!

\n\n

Gu Yuexi: "We're out of mineral water!"

\n\n

Wang Ze howled, "Find a solution!" he continued, "Director Xuan, my brother! You're a ten-ring shooter, right? Please, I beg you, go get some treatment for your shaky hands! Wait, why are you shooting?"

\n\n

As he spoke, Xuan Ji calmly fired the sixth bullet without changing his expression. Wang Ze shouted, "Give me water!"

\n\n

With no mineral water in sight, in a moment of desperation, Gu Yuexi fearlessly braved the flying wind blades and climbed out of the car.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao exclaimed anxiously, "Sister, you're too brave, you..."

\n\n

Gu Yuexi ignored him and quickly dismantled the engine.

\n\n

She pulled out the water tank from the car and exclaimed, "This can still be used!"

\n\n

The sixth bullet narrowly missed setting the vines on fire. Wang Ze hastily scooped water from the tank and managed to extinguish the flames just in time.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was being chased by Aluojin and the wind blades, darting around in a frenzy. He narrowly avoided danger several times, dancing on the edge of a knife. Suddenly, he didn't notice a vine underfoot and stumbled.

\n\n

Although he didn't fall, his rhythm was immediately disrupted.

\n\n

"Let's burn him again," Aluojin glared at him fiercely and muttered in the language of the witch people, "Let's burn him again!"

\n\n

The gentle and deep voice of the witch language broke from his throat, sending shivers down everyone's spine. He conjured a three-meter-long wind blade in his hands and pushed it towards Xuan Ji like a small mountain.

\n\n

Xuan Ji rolled away in a panic, scraping a wound on his neck that perfectly matched the one Sheng Lingyuan had made with a nail in the witches' tomb.

\n\n

But before the first wind blade had fully pushed out, the next one had already formed and chased after him.

\n\n

This time, Xuan Ji had nowhere to hide. Wang Ze's face changed, Gu Yuexi couldn't help but turn her head away, and Zhang Zhao, in a state of panic, checked his watch.

\n\n

Time seemed to freeze, but Xuan Ji didn't dodge. Instead, he used this precious second of escape to shoot at Aluojin's feet, completely ignoring the wind blade that was closing in on him.

\n\n

Wang Ze wanted to push him away, but it was too late.

\n\n

"Are you crazy...?"

\n\n

At the moment the seventh bullet hit the ground, it somehow connected with the other six buried bullets, and a flame-colored net emerged, with Aluojin right in the center of it.

\n\n

Xuan Ji shouted, "Close!"

\n\n

Aluojin suddenly realized that it was too late to dodge.

\n\n

The "big net" was made up of seven real flames, each corresponding to one of the blood holes that had been nailed into Aluojin's body. The flames were like thin threads, piercing through Aluojin's body and "sewing" him to the ground.

\n\n

The dangerous wind blades dissipated, leaving only a shallow mark on Xuan Ji's clothes.

\n\n

Aluojin struggled fiercely, but he couldn't break free.

\n\n

The "threads" were immovable, causing the white bones around him to fall to the ground. Then, the "threads" tightened, bending his waist and causing Aluojin to scream in pain as his body began to stiffen.

\n\n

Wang Ze stared at the demon trapped in the net, intending to say something to Xuan Ji. But when he saw the totem on his forehead, he inexplicably felt a little fear and forgot his words for a moment.

\n\n

Above the forest park, only one morning star remained, and the east was faintly turning white. This chaotic night was finally coming to an end.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's expression flickered, and the pattern on his forehead disappeared. His smooth forehead shone, and his whole demeanor became gentle and bright.

\n\n

He took a half step back, exhausted, and leaned against a big tree behind him.

\n\n

He joked, "Wang, you're really a porter of nature. Do you really need have to have a ready source of water? Okay, now that the water tank is empty, how are we going back?"

\n\n

Wang Ze looked at him hesitantly, unsure of what to say. With just one glance, Xuan Ji saw through what he was thinking, 'Dream on, get lost! I'm not a commercial airliner!'

\n\n

Gu Yuexi and Zhang Zhao got off the car and didn't dare to approach Aluojin in the formation.

\n\n

From a distance, Zhang Zhao asked, "Director Xuan, how do we handle this?"

\n\n

"Who knows," Xuan Ji sighed, his hands stuffed into his sleeves. He looked worriedly at Aluojin, trapped in the formation. "I only know this one formation, and if I move it, it will break."

\n\n

He had just read about it in the "Dongchuan Witches Book" a few days ago.

\n\n

Wang Ze looked at Xuan Ji with interest. Xuan Ji was always silent and had a distant feeling, as if he was far away from the whole world.

\n\n

However, when he spoke, he always had a bit of a bitter and humorous temperament.

\n\n

"I think we should leave him here for now," Xuan Ji pondered, his expression becoming even more vexed. "Let's go back and ask that...that person."

\n\n

Ugh, he had to deal with that person again. Just the thought of them made Xuan Ji feel as if he hadn't slept in ten days.

\n\n

He let out a frustrated sigh, wondering if he quit now, would the Bureau still pay him for the first month.

\n\n

"Wow, you're amazing! Did you come up with this formation on your own or is it a family art?"

\n\n

Zhang Zhao carefully studied the formation and the more he looked, the more impressed he became.

\n\n

In his eyes, the seven bullets on the ground formed a closed loop, cleverly trapping Aluojin in the middle. Even if Aluojin had the power to move mountains and seas, he was only competing with himself. The more he struggled, the more he consumed himself.

\n\n

Aluojin's mask twisted into a grimace, blood oozing from the corners of his eyes and down his cheeks.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao cautiously stood a few steps away, observing the ancient demon trapped before him. Aluojin, trapped and facing the innocent yet curious eyes of the young man, suddenly let out a heart-wrenching roar. Zhang Zhao was startled as he saw the terrifying monster desperately trying to break free from the net.

\n\n

The thin threads were cutting into his flesh, and the mountains of Dongchuan were silent in the morning mist.

\n\n

Ever since he led his young clan members to leave their homeland, the mountains and rivers no longer responded to his voice. In one's lifetime, there will always be regrets and remorse.

\n\n

Many people have daydreamed about "if everything could start over," but when they wake up and realize it's impossible, they let it go.

\n\n

As for Aluojin, he was attracted by the worldly dreams since he was young, and his rebelliousness as a teenager was born out of his burning passion. He grew up in a land of flowers and luxury, unaware of the hardships of life, wandering in countless unrealistic dreams.

\n\n

Then those dreams shattered one by one, except for this last poisonous one that he won't wake up from.

\n\n

"As long as the Chiyuan fire is lit, Dongchuan will return to its original state, as long as..." He became obsessed with it and did not end well.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao suddenly felt a sense of unease and involuntarily shuddered, taking a few steps back.

\n\n

"We should quickly contact the headquarters and have them figure out a solution - oh, right, Director Xuan, is he the person sealed in the coffin? How did he escape? What's the situation with Director Xiao and the others? I'll contact them..."

\n\n

Before he could even unlock his phone, a call came in from an unknown number with a prefix indicating it was an internal line from the headquarters.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao answered without hesitation, "Hello, this is 'Wind God Team One' Zhang Zhao. We have a situation here that needs to be reported to our superiors... Hello?" All he could hear was the sound of rustling wind on the other end.

\n\n

"Hello?" Zhang Zhao furrowed his brow. "Is the signal not good... ah!"

\n\n

As Gu Yuexi looked over at him, she suddenly realized something was wrong and activated her X-ray vision.

\n\n

Her pupils contracted into thin lines and she gasped, slapping Zhang Zhao's phone out of his hand.

\n\n

But it was too late. Zhang Zhao suddenly felt a sharp pain in his palm, and the phone emitted a burst of black flames, corroding the skin of both people who had touched it.

\n\n

The phone fell to the ground, and a hoarse voice emanated from within, reciting incomprehensible words.

\n\n

It was... a Yin Sacrifice ritual text!

\n\n

"Step aside!" Xuan Ji was momentarily stunned, but then he pushed Wang Ze aside and flicked a coin from his fingertips, smashing the phone on the ground.

\n\n

But it was already too late...

\n\n

From his phone, dark and ominous Yin Sacrifice ritual text emerged. In an instant, it sank into the ground, causing one of the seven bullets to be jolted halfway out of the earth.

\n\n

With a furious roar, Aluojin struggled to pull it out, breaking the intricate formation. The fiery "threads" imbued with demonic anger doubled back towards Xuan Ji, ready to strike.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's vision went white.

\n\n

He was done for.

\n\n

He hadn't even received his first month's salary and now he was going to die on the job...

\n\n

But just then, a figure darted past and stood firmly in front of him.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's pupils dilated as the fiery threads pierced through the person's body. The figure trembled slightly but didn't make a sound.

\n\n

It wasn't until then that the breeze the figure brought with them finally caught up, ruffling Xuan Ji's hair.

\n\n

The wind carried a scent of antiquity and luxury.

\n\n

Could it be... him?

\n\n

As Aluojin saw Sheng Lingyuan standing between him and Xuan Ji, he was stunned.

\n\n

But Sheng Lingyuan raised his hand and grasped the "thin thread" that had pierced his chest. Blood suddenly flowed out along the "thin thread," and the blood was black.

\n\n

Aluojin, who was already crazed, suddenly felt like he had encountered his archenemy and quickly retreated.

\n\n

The clear night sky suddenly darkened, and the stars and moon disappeared in an instant. Absolute darkness spread out from the man with long hair at the center.

\n\n

Whether it was the experienced elite agents with over ten years of experience or mysterious folk masters, they were all instantly enveloped in the darkness and had no way to fight back.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's scalp tingled, but he was firmly rooted to the ground by an indescribable fear. What kind of power was this?

\n\n

That's right, the demon in the Chiyuan Hospital that seemed unbeatable was just a fake body, and the one standing in front of them now was the real deal!

\n\n

In an instant, a huge chill ran up Xuan Ji's spine, a foreboding feeling like ice water pouring into his body without his life sword.

\n\n

"Stop!" he shouted.

\n\n

As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt all the hairs on his body stand on end. Then, a bright light blinded everyone, and the violent lightning tore through the dark realm created by Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

When their retinas began to regain their blurry vision, the thunder finally sounded like an explosion.

\n\n

It was as if... something that was not allowed by the rules of the world suddenly broke into this time and space, causing the anger of heaven and earth and bringing down divine punishment.

\n\n

However, Sheng Lingyuan did not dodge or evade, enduring the blow without a flinch. His blood seemed to have a life of its own, quickly extinguishing the flames on the thin lines and piercing through Aluojin. Black energy spread from Aluojin's forehead, limbs, and chest, leaving spiderweb-like cracks on his face.

\n\n

The heavens, seeing that Aluojin showed no fear, became even angrier and sent down a thicker lightning bolt from the sky.

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't know what he was thinking, but he suddenly took a step forward, risking being struck by lightning, and pulled Sheng Lingyuan away from the spot.

\n\n

The thunderous bolt narrowly missed Sheng Lingyuan and broke the bloodline between him and Aluojin, piercing through Aluojin.

\n\n

Aluojin shuddered fiercely, but his gaze remained fixed on Sheng Lingyuan, piercing through the lightning and thunder.

\n\n

Suddenly, he smiled and spoke in the language of the witch people, "Brother Lingyuan, I heard them talking about your fate... The mighty Emperor of Man, in the end, couldn't even save himself... But you're the same, aren't you?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan may be truly anti-social, with an extraordinary psychological quality. No matter what the other party says, his eyes remain unchanged.

\n\n

Aluojin jumps with electric light all over his body, like a broken old doll about to fall apart.

\n\n

He whispers, "Otherwise, why can the Yin Sacrifice ritual awaken you? You were bound since birth, and life and death were not allowed by the heavens... Are you willing to accept that?"

\n\n

Aluojin's words were cut off as he, like a cracked mud embryo, started splitting along the black lines.

\n\n

"In your whole life," he froze, his throat making a dry and hoarse sound, his face frozen with a strange smile, "have you ever had even one day... of being carefree and painless..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't answer, he just closed his eyes.

\n\n

With a soft "pu" sound, the young clan leader disappeared into ashes.

\n\n

In that moment, all the silent birds in the Dongchuan Forest Park cried out together and flew up into the sky. The morning mist in the mountains suddenly dispersed, revealing the clear ridges.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan calmly pulled out the few "threads" that had been stuck in his chest, and as his fingers passed over them, his burnt clothes and wounds quickly healed and recovered.

\n\n

He glanced at Xuan Ji indifferently and said, "The thunder talisman I left behind was triggered by someone, but it seems that only a clone was summoned, not the real mastermind. I didn't know your identity before, sorry for the oversight."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's lips moved, still not recovering from the shock just now.

\n\n

What was his identity?

\n\n

This person... was shot through the heart by the fiery thread and struck by lightning, but is he really okay?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't even glance at the spot where Aluojin had turned to ashes.

\n\n

He lifted his leg and walked back and forth on the path.

\n\n

After a few steps, he suddenly remembered something and leaned against a tree.

\n\n

Xuan Ji thought he had something to say, but then saw Sheng Lingyuan's knees bend and he sank down against the tree.

\n","published_time":"2023-09-24T02:42:37.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":351,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":40,"chapter_title":"Chapter 40","content":"

Xuan Ji rushed forward and called out, "Hey, you..."

\n\n

Gu Yuexi looked over and saw something through Sheng Lingyuan's body, her face showing extreme shock.

\n\n

"Don't touch me," Sheng Lingyuan's meridians were all broken, his breath trembling, but he blocked Xuan Ji's hand, "There's...cough, there's blood."

\n\n

Xuan Ji choked and withdrew the hand that had already touched his shoulder, then turned and shouted, "Old Wang, come help!"

\n\n

But before he could finish his sentence, Sheng Lingyuan completely lost consciousness and fell into his arms.

\n\n

Xuan Ji should have dodged, but his hand betrayed his will and instinctively reached out to catch Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

It was so hot.

\n\n

"What do you need me to do? Should we take him to the hospital? But I don't think they specialize in treating sword spirits," Wang Ze leaned in and ran his hand through his hair, his thoughts jumbled. "Um...for someone in his condition, can he even have an MRI?"

\n\n

"He can't even go in a microwave," Xuan Ji snapped back, annoyed. "Quick, help me open the car door."

\n\n

Without waiting for Wang Ze to reach out, Xuan Ji carefully checked for any exposed bleeding on Sheng Lingyuan's body, then bent down and lifted him up, placing him in the van.

\n\n

Wang Ze withdrew his outstretched hand, muttering to himself in confusion, "When you called me, didn't you say you needed me to lend a hand?"

\n\n

Who knew which restaurant the van was delivering seafood to, but the inside didn't smell too good.

\n\n

Luckily, even the faux leather seats were soft enough for ancient people's standards.

\n\n

When Sheng Lingyuan was being moved, he unconsciously opened his eyes and his body instinctively tensed up. However, through the narrow opening of his vision, he happened to see the dawn of Dongchuan. For a moment, he was dazed and suddenly forgot where and when he was, and then fell into a deeper coma.

\n\n

The semi-reclined car seat gently enveloped him, and his thoughts followed the ashes blown away by the wind, returning to the distant and unreachable witch people.

\n\n

Childhood memories splashed up like the cold winter sea water with the waves.

\n\n

He remembered the time when he was also injured, but not like this time. His five organs were burned, and his whole body was on fire. That time, he felt very cold, as if his blood was about to dry up.

\n\n

The old chief of the Witch Clan covered him with a cloak and carefully carried him up the mountain. The little wooden house of the Great Sage was warm and dry, filled with the scent of licorice... It was too warm, and it suddenly broke the tense string in his heart.

\n\n

After what felt like an eternity, he was awakened by the sweet sound of a child's voice. A little one was pretending to be nonchalant as they walked back and forth beneath his window, humming a tune he couldn't quite make out, trying to catch his attention.

\n\n

It was dawn, and as soon as he opened his eyes, he saw the brilliant sun peeking over the mountaintop, casting a golden glow across half the hillside. Behind the small wooden house was a sturdy pear tree that thrived regardless of the season, half of it in bloom and the other half bearing fruit. Soon, people began coming in and out of the outer room, the wooden door creaking with each opening.

\n\n

Every time it opened, the tantalizing scent of fruit wafted in, just like the singing child, eager to show off their loveliness to anyone who would listen. The pear tree from the Great Sage's seed bore fruits as big as fists. Half of them were given to the clan, while the other half was stolen by Aluojin.

\n\n

That kid climbed the tree like a monkey, eating and taking at the same time. When he was full, he stripped off his clothes, revealing his sun-tanned back, and walked around with his bare arms, drying the pears outside the small cave near the altar. He thought no one knew about it.

\n\n

Under the altar was a cold pool, where Lingyuan liked to hang out. When he got tired of reading, he would sneak into Aluojin's "treasure trove" and grab a handful of dried pears.

\n\n

Lingyuan didn't bother hiding his actions, as he didn't consider it stealing. Unfortunately, Aluojin was always never on alert and never noticed his dwindling stash.

\n\n

"Lingyuan, come and see! I stole the Great Sage's human-faced butterfly!"

\n\n

"What...how did you manage to find this again? Quickly return it and avoid getting beaten up," he said.

\n\n

"Hey, don't tell dad, I just wanted to take a look and not release it. Do you think this thing can really summon ghosts and bring the dead back to life?" asked Aluojin.

\n\n

"When someone dies, they're gone for good. Death is like a light that goes out, and ghosts and spirits are just made up to deceive people," he replied.

\n\n

"So...when someone dies, they just disappear and there's nothing left? Can't they avoid death?" asked Aluojin.

\n\n

"What are you talking about? Everyone has to die, unless..." trailed off Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

"Unless what?" asked the curious Aluojin.

\n\n

"Unless they turn into a heavenly demon," he answered.

\n\n

"Really?" exclaimed little Aluojin, surprised. "Isn't that really powerful?"

\n\n

"That's just childish talk, what's so powerful about it?" scoffed the mature human prince.

\n\n

However, Aluojin refused to give up on the topic and continued to pester him, distracting him from reading his book.

\n\n

"Why not? Brother Lingyuan, if someone can live a long time, isn't that impressive?"

\n\n

"Because there are no good things in the world that can last forever. The most beautiful flowers take a long time to bloom, only once in a lifetime, and wither in an instant. Even the longest-lived person, when facing death, can only recall a few happy moments in their life, like a flash in the pan. My teacher said that only those who cannot seek life or death will not age or die. Enough with the nonsense, quickly return the butterfly to the Great Sage. Children should not talk about life and death recklessly, don't you know it's taboo? You still have a long way to go before facing death."

\n\n

"Brother Lingyuan, why do we have to avoid talking about life and death? Why can't things last forever? Oh, you've confused me. Can you explain what 'turning into a heavenly demon' means? Don't leave, brother!"

\n\n

But that was a long, long time ago.

\n\n

Who knew that this life could be so short and yet so long?

\n\n

Xuan Ji put down Sheng Lingyuan and noticed that when the man had just opened his eyes, his gaze was confused for a moment. Then his eyelashes slowly lowered, his features relaxed, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was taken aback, but before he could see clearly, the smile disappeared like a flower that blooms once in a lifetime and withers in the blink of an eye.

\n\n

His hearing was very sensitive, and he leaned in to hear the strange sound coming from Sheng Lingyuan's body. It sounded like the last layer of thin ice melting and breaking on the surface of a river in the warm spring.

\n\n

Xuan Ji reached out to find the source of the sound, but was stopped by Gu Yuexi's voice: "Wait, Director Xuan, don't touch it!"

\n\n

Gu Yuexi stepped onto the car and, standing half a step away, looked at Sheng Lingyuan curled up quietly in the back seat with some awe.

\n\n

"What's wrong?" Wang Ze heard the sound and immediately stuck his head in through the car window. "Yue'er, did you see something?"

\n\n

"His bones and organs were all burned by lightning," Gu Yuexi half-knelt down, her voice lowered as if afraid of disturbing something. "Now he's rapidly repairing himself, his meridians are being reshaped... It's so amazing, shouldn't the body of a weapon spirit be different from that of a human?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji's heart skipped a beat. "You know a lot about weapon spirits?"

\n\n

The ancient method of refining tools into spirits had been lost for thousands of years.

\n\n

He thought no one understood it now and was just casually making things up.

\n\n

Hopefully, he wouldn't be found out.

\n\n

"No, there is very little existing information. I just knew a sword spirit before... It turns out that there is a difference between each sword spirit," Gu Yuexi stared intently at Sheng Lingyuan. "My eyes can see the abnormal energy on special people, different spectra have different colors and textures. I have never seen this pure black kind of ability."

\n\n

Xuan Ji had excellent mental resilience and managed to maintain a smile - pure black ability... wasn't that the demonic energy on the heavenly demon's body?

\n\n

Before Xuan Ji could adjust his mental state, Zhang Zhao beside her asked carelessly, "Sister, didn't you say that the energy of the demon summoned by the Yin Sacrifice ritual in the Chiyuan Hospital was also black?"

\n\n

"There's something different about him, his ability is like a hollow black mist, just like the demon who was chasing us earlier, but he..." Gu Yuexi looked at Sheng Lingyuan and murmured, "His ability is even darker and more concentrated, made up of many small black characters, densely packed, I can't see clearly... Hmm? What is this..."

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, Sheng Lingyuan's body, which had been completely destroyed by lightning, had already begun to repair itself.

\n\n

As Gu Yuexi watched, she could see the clear flow of blood and the gradually forming heart. Suddenly, a flame-colored spot appeared on the heart, and she didn't know what it was. As if under a spell, her X-ray vision was drawn to the intense light.

\n\n

Before she could even make out what it was, Gu Yuexi suddenly felt a sharp pain in her eyes, as if steel needles had pierced straight into her eyeballs.

\n\n

Despite her usual composure and high pain tolerance, she couldn't help but let out a short scream and cover her eyes.

\n\n

"Yuexi!"

\n\n

"Little Yue!"

\n\n

Tears welled up in Gu Yuexi's eyes, and the sharp pain subsided slightly as she blinked a few times and opened her eyes. However, her expression turned to one of shock - all she could see was the man's body, seemingly unharmed, and her X-ray vision was no longer able to see anything.

\n\n

No peeping allowed.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi tried to explain to her concerned colleagues, but found that she had lost her voice.

\n\n

No speaking allowed.

\n\n

If even demons couldn't stop her from peeping, what kind of sword was this?

\n\n

Xuan Ji looked at her with confusion. "Second Team Leader?"

\n\n

"It's nothing," Gu Yuexi suddenly dared not look at Sheng Lingyuan anymore. "I used my X-ray vision too much today and it's a bit overdrawn - his self-repair is almost complete, so he should be fine. Director, don't worry... let's focus on fixing the car first."

\n\n

When Xuan Ji set up his formation, he evaporated an entire box of mineral water and the water tank of a van, causing warm water vapor to fill the air like a steamer. Wang Ze gathered the water vapor together and suspended it on top of the van, waiting for it to cool down before pouring it back into the car's water tank.

\n\n

Although the van looked a bit old on the outside, it unexpectedly proved to be "stronger with age" and ran all the way, bouncing and jumping. Despite being cut open and repaired by Gu Yuexi, it still ran smoothly on the return journey.

\n\n

"I heard Director Xiao got struck by lightning," Wang Ze finished his call with the colleagues cleaning up the scene and turned to the others. Seeing their eerie expressions, he quickly pointed to his own face, "No, comrades, please look at my serious expression. I meant it literally, not as an insult."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's hand holding the cigarette paused.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao flipped through his phone in confusion, "I've been meaning to say, it's been sunny in Dongchuan these past few days. Where did the lightning come from? Besides, isn't Director Xiao a lightning type himself? How could he get struck by lightning?"

\n\n

"That's not the point," Gu Yuexi frowned, "How is he doing?"

\n\n

"Thank goodness he's a lightning user, otherwise we'd have to hold a memorial for him tomorrow," sighed Wang Ze. "He's been taken to the hospital now, but a colleague who went with him earlier said the situation is stable and there shouldn't be any major problems."

\n\n

Hearing this, everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Xuan Ji looked at them and thought to himself, 'At least the special forces still have some camaraderie.'

\n\n

Then Zhang Zhao patted his chest and exclaimed, "You scared me! If something really happened to Director Xiao, how are we going to handle our budget for future operations? Who will we turn to?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: ...

\n\n

Wang Ze briefly recounted what had happened at the witches' tomb and then turned to Xuan Ji. "By the way, Director Xuan, did your sword spirit mention something about a thunder talisman he used earlier? I didn't mishear, did I?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji rubbed his forehead. "Hmm, he must have tampered with Aluojin's body, deliberately leaving something there to lure the person behind the Yin Sacrifiec ritual. But it seems like he only caught a decoy, which was struck by lightning. The real body could still call and trick us again. When we go back, we should investigate where that call came from."

\n\n

Gu Yuexi noticed his troubled expression and asked sensitively, "What's wrong?"

\n\n

"Aluojin - the villain we just encountered - mentioned that the person who set up the Yin Sacrifice ritual wants to reignite the Chiyuan fire. He mentioned a lot of terms that I didn't quite understand, but they sounded like 'demon clan,' 'shadow clan,' and 'Mountain clan'... Don't ask me what they are, I have no idea," Xuan Ji shook his head heavily with a heavy heart. "I suspect this matter is far from over."

\n\n

Will the Chiyuan Fire really reignite and bring back the chaos of the Nine Provinces War as Aluojin predicted? He couldn't help but glance at Sheng Lingyuan, who was quietly curled up in a half-tilted chair with his eyes closed and his head turned towards the window, as if longing for something.

\n\n

The day had already begun in Dongchuan, with smoke rising from various breakfast stalls and the early morning rush hour slowing down their return speed.

\n\n

As they approached the hotel, they could see a large group of people gathered in the mall downstairs, apparently discussing a "collapsed" floor.

\n\n

These experienced field agents pretended not to see and quietly returned the car, slipping away unnoticed.

\n\n

As the head of the aftermath department, Xuan Ji felt that he had taken on responsibilities that were not his own, and if he continued to neglect his duties, he would be playing with fire.

\n\n

So, he slipped away with the Wind God agents. He took Sheng Lingyuan back to the hotel and checked his temperature, which had already returned to normal.

\n\n

'Thank goodness,' Xuan Ji thought, 'otherwise I wouldn't know what to do.'

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's body was both strong and weak. Compared to the jade puppet in Chiyuan, he could bleed, get injured, and even get sick. He couldn't escape the suffering of being in a mortal body.

\n\n

However, the flames of Chiyuan couldn't burn him, and even the lightning from the heavens didn't hurt him. In an unconscious state, it could even defend against Gu Yuexi's X-ray vision. When Gu Yuexi used her X-ray vision, her pupils would become vertical, but when she stared at Sheng Lingyuan halfway through, her eyes suddenly stung, and then her pupils returned to normal. Xuan Ji guessed that her X-ray vision was forcibly blocked.

\n\n

This emperor was neither a god nor a human, neither alive nor dead.

\n\n

He was simply indescribable.

\n\n

Xuan Ji brewed himself a cup of tea and took a quick shower in the early hours of the morning. He leaned back on the other bed, intending to rest his eyes for a moment, but every time he closed them, the figure that stood in front of him would appear in his mind and refuse to leave.

\n\n

Why did he have to block his way?

\n\n

Unable to sleep, Xuan Ji reached for his phone and searched for a book on a reading app.

\n\n

He found "The Chronicles of Emperor Wu" and paid for it.

\n\n

It is said that although this is a popular book, it was written by an expert in ancient history with solid research and credibility. As soon as the book was opened, the portrait of Emperor Wu, with his imposing figure, jumped out from the pages of history.

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't help but glance at Sheng Lingyuan, then he tucked his phone under the blanket and secretly held it in his hand to read... Although it was a serious popular science book, his reading posture was like someone sneaking a peek at a pornographic book on the subway.

\n\n

"Emperor Sheng Xiao was born during the first Battle of Yuan, and some say he was 'born under a bad sign'. That brutal battle marked the beginning of twenty years of chaos, with Emperor Ping dying in battle, the dynasty declining, and the young prince lost in the chaos of fleeing officials. It took two years for the ministers to find him and bring him back."

\n\n

"It is unknown what kind of process was involved in determining the true identity of the young prince, and there are no relevant historical records of how the court officials at that time confirmed it. In academic circles, there has always been a theory that Emperor Wu was not the legitimate son of Empress Chen, otherwise his later act of matricide would be too much against human nature.

\n\n

"Personally, I believe that this kind of speculation lacks evidence.

\n\n

"First of all, there is indeed a record in the 'Book of Qi' that says 'Empress Chen is pregnant.' Based on the timing of the birth, it matches with the record of Sheng Xiao's birth. Furthermore, the claim of 'a fox spirit replacing the prince' is hard to believe because before Sheng Xiao, Empress Chen had another son named Sheng Wei.

\n\n

Emperor Wu, his biological older brother, was three years older than him and had many health problems, but luckily survived through the chaotic times and was later titled the Prince of Ning. Empress Chen had no reason to take someone else's child to solidify her position. It is even more unreasonable to abandon her own child and pass the throne to a child she took in.

\n\n

"In summary, although some 'fans' may not emotionally accept Shen Xiao's act of killing his mother and propose various hypotheses to try to rationalize it, there is not enough evidence to support them. Throughout Emperor Wu's life, there were moments of glory, such as using himself as bait to save the lives of the people in a city besieged by enemy forces, as well as a dark side of brutality, bloodlust, and disowning his own family. We should view historical figures from a more objective and fair perspective..."

\n\n

Skipping over the author's extensive historical viewpoint, Xuan Ji quickly flipped to the next chapter and saw the author quoting a personality psychologist's evaluation:

\n\n

"Legend has it that although Sheng Xiao was born and raised in the chaos of war, he had very refined personal habits and a strong sense of control. In the 'Book of Qi - Emperor Wu's Biography', it is mentioned that Sheng Xiao extremely detested untidy clothing and appearance. Even when his own mother came to see him, he would make her wait until he had bathed, changed clothes, and tidied up before he would show himself. Once, when he was seriously ill and unconscious for three days, the first thing he did upon waking up was to dismiss his attendants and attend to his personal appearance. This seems to be a compensation for his early years of instability and lack of control in his environment..."

\n\n

As Xuan Ji's gaze lingered on the words "extremely detested untidy clothes and appearance," it drifted over to Sheng Lingyuan's frayed hemmed robe and disheveled hair.

\n\n

Suddenly, he inexplicably got up and headed to the bathroom, grabbing a wet towel and adjusting the water temperature as he thought to himself, "What am I doing? Do I have a problem...no, this is just about repaying kindness and enmity."

\n\n

Director Xuan, who believed in 'clearly distinguishing between gratitude and grudges,' solemnly pondered as he held the damp towel and carefully studied how the 'ancients' tied their grass-woven robes.

\n\n

Finally, he found the complex belt buckle.

\n\n

"I'm not being a pervert," Xuan Ji thought as he untied the belt, 'I just want to take a look at the wound he got from the backlash of the formation earlier...'

\n\n

Suddenly, a pale hand reached out and grabbed his pulse.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: ...

\n\n

Can this emperor ever pick a good timing? It seemed like everything always happened at the wrong time - he fainted at the wrong time, his blood flowed at the wrong time, and even his 'Bluetooth' broke at the wrong time.

\n\n

And now, he couldn't even wake up at the right time!

\n","published_time":"2023-09-30T22:55:25.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":359,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":41,"chapter_title":"Chapter 41","content":"

In Xuan Ji's mind, ten thousand awkward thoughts were pulling and howling at each other.

\n\n

He wanted to explain, but his brain, trampled by awkwardness, forgot the words.

\n\n

For a moment, his "get on the bus and talk nonsense" persona was in jeopardy, and he truly experienced the feelings of someone with social anxiety.

\n\n

Who knew that Sheng Lingyuan's reaction was unusually calm.

\n\n

He didn't even know if he was awake or not. After seeing Xuan Ji clearly, he let go of him and waved his hand casually, "No need to serve me."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: ...

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan struggled to sit up, feeling a pull somewhere in his body. As he rose, his shoulders tightened and his hand lifted half an inch, as if he wanted to cover something, but then he stopped himself.

\n\n

He sat silently for a moment before standing up slowly and steadily, pointing to the bed sheet and calmly ordering, "Have someone change it."

\n\n

Xuan Ji stared at him incredulously, seeing that the emperor's face was completely nonchalant, without any shame for exploiting the labour of the people.

\n\n

With a hint of sarcasm, he asked, "Do you want me to help you bathe and change?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan flipped through the clothes in the bag thrown in the corner, feeling embarrassed by the shabby garments.

\n\n

He was too lazy to even move his hands, just lazily flicking his fingers and saying, "No need, you can go now."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: ...

\n\n

The feudal ruling class is so despicable, what a shitty attitude!

\n\n

As for Sheng Lingyuan, he knows how to dress himself. When he woke up from Chiyuan, he happened to meet those tourists. At that time, he didn't remember anything.

\n\n

Seeing that the local customs were very strange, he secretly followed those people for a while. Then, based on their clothing, he used leaves and simple illusions to create his own outfit - as a newcomer, he was afraid of unintentionally breaking taboos, so he studied the characteristics of each person's clothing and summarized the commonalities and the most common colors they wore to use for himself.

\n\n

But now he understands that he was too cautious at the time, as the people here have no taboos whatsoever.

\n\n

'They really live so recklessly,' the emperor thought with envy and disdain, 'they have too much freedom and don't know what is beautiful or ugly.'

\n\n

In recent years, the trend of 'long legs' has been popular. People are trying every possible way to raise their so-called 'waistline'.

\n\n

The tops are either short or tucked into their pants, which in the eyes of the emperor is simply 'barely covering the body'. Even if a laborer wears a 'short top', it is not as short as this!

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan threw a bright blue 'Superman' shirt aside, and he suspected that the green set was poisonous, so he didn't even touch it. In the end, he settled for a white sports suit, pinching his nose as he picked it up.

\n\n

The bathroom door had a lock, but Sheng Lingyuan didn't bother to use it. After entering, he awkwardly turned on the faucet, using his fingers to guide the water flow. As he turned to close the door, a forbidden seal quickly crawled up the surface of the door, solidifying into ice in his hand. The temperature in the bathroom plummeted, freezing the entire door and causing the air conditioning to automatically turn on with a loud hum.

\n\n

With just a few simple movements, Sheng Lingyuan was already sweating profusely.

\n\n

He reached out to support himself on the sink, his hand trembling uncontrollably. He tugged at his clothes a few times before finally managing to undo them.

\n\n

As soon as he removed the robe woven from the Life-Death Flower vine, it immediately withered into a pile of burnt grass. Sheng Lingyuan clutched his chest and stifled a groan in his throat. There was no blood on his chest, but instead, black mist swirled around it. Several flame-colored 'threads' were faintly visible, stuck in his chest, corroding the surrounding flesh and constantly healing themselves, causing a gruesome sight.

\n\n

The other injuries were manageable, but these few threads were troublesome.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's fingers, still pressed against his chest, suddenly exerted force and plunged in, as if he was digging out his heart. He grabbed hold of one of the 'threads' and forcefully pulled it out.

\n\n

Bored out of his mind, Xuan Ji turned on the TV outside the bathroom and randomly picked a channel for background noise. He then called room service to order breakfast from the menu. With nothing else to do, he wandered aimlessly around the room like a lost soul.

\n\n

He took out his phone and deleted the old history book he had just downloaded, as well as a few BL novels that somehow found their way onto his device.

\n\n

In the natural world, most creatures with wings are vain and lustful. Although Xuan Ji was not a real bird, he couldn't escape this stereotype because of the inappropriate organ on his back. He had an appetite for all kinds of pleasures, whether it be men or women.

\n\n

"But as good as it feels," Xuan Ji flipped his phone back and forth in his hand, reminding himself with a serious tone, "I still need to be rational."

\n\n

As he spoke, Director Xuan, the advocate of "reason," perked up his ears and listened to the sound coming from the adjacent bathroom.

\n\n

Silence.

\n\n

He had heard that these corrupt and decadent feudal ruling classes couldn't even feed themselves. Could they really take care of their own lives?

\n\n

"Your Majesty, did you forget how to turn on the hot water? The stainless steel thing on the wall - the iron handle. Lift it up and turn it a little towards the red side!"

\n\n

But Sheng Lingyuan ignored him.

\n\n

Xuan Ji crossed his legs and leaned back on the sofa, staring at the girl group singing and dancing on TV.

\n\n

They were his favorite group, but for some reason today, he couldn't focus on their performance. He quickly ran through all the chaotic events of the past few days in his mind, gradually furrowing his brow.

\n\n

What was the connection between him and the great emperor? For generations, they had been taking care of his corpse, and even forced to share their minds after giving him their blood... And then there was the sudden change in attitude from Sheng Lingyuan after he peered into his memories.

\n\n

Just then, Xuan Ji's borrowed phone buzzed.

\n\n

Someone wanted to add him on WeChat, it was Gu Yuexi.

\n\n

Xuan Ji accepted without hesitation. Gu Yuexi was an efficient person who never wasted time on small talk and got straight to the point.

\n\n

She quickly typed out a long message: "Director Xuan, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but just in case you are not aware, I wanted to remind you that the burns on your sword spirit will heal on their own. However, the part that was pierced by your formation has been corroded and shows signs of being 'purified.' I don't mean anything else by this, just wanted to remind you to be careful. After all, a sword comes into contact with many things, and it's possible for it to become contaminated."

\n\n

There was something hidden in Gu Yuexi's words, as if she had something to say but couldn't quite express it. Since her X-ray vision could be disabled, it wasn't surprising that she was "silenced" as well.

\n\n

Xuan Ji pretended not to notice and politely thanked Gu Yuexi.

\n\n

It was normal for the demon king to be corrupted. His Nanming fire burning formation was originally meant to ward off evil, but...

\n\n

Xuan Ji stood up and walked to the bathroom door. "Your Majesty, do you really not need any help?"

\n\n

As he spoke, he placed his hand on the door, and the bone-chilling coldness emanating from it made his fingers shrink.

\n\n

Xuan Ji narrowed his eyes.

\n\n

There was a restriction on it.

\n\n

Just then, there was a sudden suppressed cough from inside the bathroom, and Xuan Ji could clearly feel the restriction loosen.

\n\n

Flames erupted from his palm as he patted the door, and under the light of the fire, the hotel bathroom door became transparent, clearly revealing the frozen restriction on the other side. Xuan Ji pointed his fingers like a knife and sliced through the ice from behind the door, breaking the restriction. The door suddenly swung open--

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had just pulled out the last 'thread' from his chest, but he was still standing.

\n\n

The mirror, the bath, and the floor were all splattered with blood, like a string of beautiful red plum blossoms.

\n\n

As Xuan Ji took in the scene, he felt as though he had suddenly been suspended over a bottomless abyss, and his heart began to tremble uncontrollably.

\n\n

A vision flashed before his eyes - he was surrounded by rolling magma, and everything he could see was a brilliant, deathly glow. A figure fell from the sky and landed straight in front of him, only to be swallowed up by the magma and thrown back out again.

\n\n

In a panic, Xuan Ji rushed forward and grabbed the person, trying his best to protect them, but instead ended up dragging them deeper into the fiery depths.

\n\n

The last 'thread' seemed to be tied to his lungs, and before his wounds could heal, Sheng Lingyuan found it hard to catch his breath, his voice unsteady: "Go...I'm covered in blood, seeing me suffer, are...are you happy now?"

\n\n

As Xuan Ji regained consciousness, he fell back to the mortal world, drenched in cold sweat.

\n\n

After a while, Sheng Lingyuan finally gathered enough strength to reach out and grab the air. As he did, the water from the faucet began to wash away the blood splattered around him.

\n\n

"No need... cough," Xuan Ji's voice was hoarse as he quickly cleared his throat. "No need to go through so much trouble. Just take off the showerhead and rinse it. The showerhead is... oh, forget it."

\n\n

He flicked a coin and it transformed into a thin iron chain that wrapped around the showerhead. With ease, he removed it and used another coin to turn on the hot water. Thanks to modern technology, the blood splatters around him were quickly washed away and didn't flood the floor as he had feared. Instead, they flowed down the drain in the corner.

\n\n

"This is so convenient," Sheng Lingyuan couldn't help but exclaim.

\n\n

As soon as he spoke, Xuan Ji was startled and his hand trembled, causing the water from the showerhead to spray all over the Emperor.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's hair was instantly soaked and parted, revealing half of his shoulder.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was petrified.

\n\n

"Tch", the emperor didn't seem to mind much, perhaps because in times of war one couldn't be too particular. He had experienced a lot of clumsy servants, so the emperor just complained casually, "Why so clumsy? Come here, little demon, help me bathe."

\n\n

Xuan Ji choked on his own feathers as if she had eaten them by mistake, coughing like a dog.

\n\n

As the highest ruler of feudal society, Sheng Lingyuan was already a relatively simple and upright emperor for not having a group of beautiful women to massage and rub his back while bathing.

\n\n

He didn't think much of his casual command, but it unexpectedly caused such a big reaction. He turned his head in surprise and saw Xuan Ji's gaze, causing him to instinctively step back and bump into the wardrobe, looking like a pitiful little puppy that had been teased.

\n\n

The man was never a good person to begin with.

\n\n

Sensing Xuan Ji's embarrassment, he immediately had the idea of teasing him.

\n\n

With a malicious smile, he deliberately lowered his voice and asked, "What, are you afraid of water?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's body seemed to be accustomed to the rapid process of healing after being injured.

\n\n

He had pulled out the few fatal 'threads' and his face was relaxed. The oppressive coldness in the bathroom was also dispersed by the warm air from the air conditioning. With that smile, his defeated and gray demeanor was immediately dispersed, replaced by the demeanor of someone always ready to deceive and cheat, making people's teeth itch.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: ...

\n\n

He was used to it!

\n\n

If he were to reveal his movie-watching habits as a modern youth, it would scare these ancient people to death.

\n\n

Who was he afraid of?

\n\n

With that, Xuan Ji regained his composure and pulled the iron chain on the showerhead, causing it to snap back into his hand. Across from the bathroom was a wardrobe and a small bar. Xuan Ji leaned against the wardrobe and grabbed a beer from the fridge on the bar.

\n\n

As he drank, he teasingly said, "Your Majesty, you need to accept the values of our new society. Look at yourself, a grown man with hands and feet, yet you still need help with everyday tasks like eating, drinking, and using the bathroom. Don't you feel ashamed?"

\n\n

"Mm," Sheng Lingyuan picked up the showerhead that Xuan Ji had thrown down and tested the water temperature. He casually adjusted the faucet to the cold side, not caring that someone was watching. "Why should I feel ashamed?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji's throat began to itch again, so he quickly chugged a big gulp of ice-cold beer to maintain his serious demeanor.

\n\n

He said, "You old society exploiters, oppressing the working masses and deriving pleasure from their pain, aren't you ashamed? There are so many noble spiritual pursuits in the world, yet you indulge in material pleasures every day, wasting extravagantly and thinking highly of yourselves. Is that even reasonable? Besides, everyone is equal, so why should others serve you?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't even stumble and replied, "There is food to eat, a salary, and therefore expectations. You live in this house, do you expect to make your own bed and sweep the floor?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji responded coldly, "Oh, then I've never gotten any salary from you. Don't boss me around."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan immediately guessed the meaning of "salary" and casually flicked his hair, saying, "Well, tell me what you want. What if I have it?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was trembling with anger at the man's behavior - did this emperor have no limits just to find someone to wash his hair?

\n\n

The beer quality at this crappy hotel was terrible and made Xuan Ji's throat dry, so he cleared his throat and sternly rebuked, "Your Majesty, only the sick, injured, or those who cannot take care of themselves need someone to take care of them. Which category do you belong to?"

\n\n

Before he could finish his sentence, Sheng Lingyuan lifted the showerhead to wash his hair, causing his arm to strain and tug at his new injury in his chest. He paused for a moment, taking a slight breath, although he didn't make a sound.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: ...

\n\n

Oh, that's right, he belongs to the 'injured' category.

\n\n

In an instant, his temper dissipated as he resigned himself to the situation. He rolled up his sleeves and pants, turned up the air conditioning a few degrees, and walked into the bathroom.

\n\n

Regardless of the reason, someone had just stood up for him.

\n\n

Xuan Ji took the showerhead from Sheng Lingyuan and, with a tight jaw, pointed to the bathtub. He only looked at Sheng Lingyuan's shoulders and above, saying, "Just so you know, I'm only washing your hair."

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't help but have some naughty thoughts at this moment, wondering how hairdressers wash hair all day. Perhaps they have become numb to dealing with so many heads, but for Xuan Ji, whose preferences were unclear, it was hard not to have some mischievous thoughts.

\n\n

In this era, where the main characters of most novels couldn't wait to "take the ball and run", many romances were open and progressed so quickly to the point of being boring.

\n\n

Everyone was busy with their studies and work, preferring to get straight to the point. Couples either rushed to satisfy their desires and then parted ways, or sat together calculating their assets and planning for the future, as if they were two accountants having a serious discussion. As a result, many subtle and beautiful feelings were lost, and "ambiguity" became a derogatory term.

\n\n

However, in Xuan Ji's opinion, the two most subtle and ambiguous parts of the human body are the hands and the hair. Since ancient times, "green silk" has been associated with "romantic feelings," and there is a saying that goes, "tying the knot" with someone's hair can give you the illusion of directly touching their myriad thoughts... Especially with Sheng Lingyuan's long and dense hair, when it was soaked in water, it tangled around Xuan Ji's fingers in a seductive manner.

\n\n

Of course, Xuan Ji admits that this is just his personal secret fetish and is not widely accepted by social etiquette.

\n\n

What's even more frustrating is that he's the only one feeling awkward in this situation.

\n\n

"I say, Your Majesty," Xuan Ji tried to desensitize himself, "don't you check the sexual orientation of those you hire to wash your hair first?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan lazily lifted his eyelids and asked, "What does 'sexual orientation' mean?"

\n\n

"Well...this term may be too trendy for you ancient people. It means that in most cases, when it comes to dating and marriage, it's between a man and a woman. But besides that, some people prefer other combinations, like..." Xuan Ji hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing a euphemistic and easy-to-understand explanation, "for example, same-sex relationships."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan remained unfazed and asked, "Like the love between men in ancient times?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: ...

\n\n

During the chaotic period of war, the ancient people had seen it all. Except for hardcore technology like airplanes, cannons, and atomic bombs, there was nothing that could make the emperor feel out of touch in this world.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan then asked nonchalantly, "What about yourself?"

\n\n

"My situation is a bit complicated," Xuan Ji forced down the rush of blood to his face and made it as stiff as a coffin, "I'm quite 'broad-spectrum', if you know what I mean. So, to avoid any misunderstandings, I don't really develop friendships with other men by soaking in hot springs and rubbing each other's backs... um, do you know what I'm talking about?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan looked at him inexplicably, and Xuan Ji keenly read from his face a message that said, 'I understand, but what does that have to do with me?'

\n\n

Xuan Ji: ...

\n\n

Oh, those decadent feudal imperials used to have maidservants around, and they didn't seem to be embarrassed to be naked in front of a row of young ladies.

\n\n

The wicked old society really had no shame!

\n\n

The class struggle had intensified, dispelling his untimely daydreams. Xuan Ji's sudden "monkey mind" was now riding on a wild "horse of intention," fully focused on his hatred as he diligently worked as a hair washer.

\n\n

Half an hour later, his mind was completely clear, and he even contemplated shaving the Emperor's head bald - his luscious locks were just too difficult to wash!

\n\n

The hair was thick and abundant, with fine and soft strands that took forever to rinse with water alone. It was impossible to hold in one hand, even harder to scrub than a pair of jeans!

\n\n

The stingy hotel had provided travel-sized toiletries for each room, and the tiny bottle of shampoo barely lathered on his head. Xuan Ji had no choice but to mix everything together - face wash, body wash, shampoo - and smear it all over his head, rubbing and scrubbing haphazardly.

\n\n

In the cramped bathroom, there was no stool for washing hair. Xuan Ji had been bending over for so long that his thoughts were starting to straighten out.

\n\n

Exhausted, he was about to stand up and stretch when he absentmindedly grabbed the beer can that he had set aside earlier. Before he could take a sip, Sheng Lingyuan, who had been dozing off, suddenly opened his eyes and asked him a soul-searching question.

\n\n

"I forgot to ask," Sheng Lingyuan said, "what is your name?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to pour the beer on his face or dunk his infuriatingly stubborn head into the bathtub.

\n\n","published_time":"2023-10-08T00:40:20.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":367,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":42,"chapter_title":"Chapter 42","content":"

"When we were catching the demon in the Dongchuan Forest Park, the mysterious phone call made to Zhang Zhao was from the Bureau's control room."

\n\n

That afternoon, after serving His Majesty, Jing Xuan went to the hospital with Wang Ze to visit the victim of a lightning strike, Xiao Zheng.

\n\n

On the way, Wang Ze said, "The problem is that there was no one in the control room at the time. Our daddy Xiao, the general dispatcher, was still on the scene. I say, Director Xuan, why didn't you take a nap at the hotel? You keep yawning."

\n\n

Xuan Ji had a look of deep resentment. "Don't even mention it. The new society is better. Since the liberation, I have never suffered such a great injustice."

\n\n

Wang Ze was completely confused.

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't want to say much, waved his hand, and asked, "Doesn't the control room have special monitoring?"

\n\n

It was said that the monitoring system used by the Bureau was not an ordinary one. It could capture various abnormal energy entities, not even letting ghostly shadows slip by.

\n\n

"No," Wang Ze shook his head, "I had someone check all the monitoring."

\n\n

Xuan Ji took a drag from his cigarette, standing silently at the hospital entrance until he finished. There were two issues at hand. Firstly, the timing of the phone call was too coincidental, happening just as Aluojin was trapped by the formation.

\n\n

If the mastermind behind this wasn't clairvoyant, then they must have somehow "seen" the situation at the time.

\n\n

Secondly, could the Yin Sacrifice ritual really control things remotely through wireless radio waves? If that were the case, it would be too unbelievable.

\n\n

So in his opinion, the most likely scenario was not a problem with the incoming call, but rather an issue with the phone that received the call. The phone belonged to Zhang Zhao, the leader of the "Wind God" squadron... theoretically, there shouldn't be any problems.

\n\n

But then again, Bi Chunsheng had been in the Bureau for over 20 years, and didn't she still manage to betray the Bureau?

\n\n

In front of Wang Ze, it wasn't convenient to delve too deeply into the matter, so Xuan Ji extinguished his cigarette in the trash can and changed the subject: "Let's talk about it later. Come on, I heard that Old Xiao got struck by lightning and his hair is fried into curls. Let's go check it out first."

\n\n

"Hey," Wang Ze caught up with him in two steps and suddenly remembered something. He said, "There's one more thing, Director Xuan. I don't know how your aftermath department regulates things, but this is how it works for our security department. If our special abilities or special weapons mutate, we have to officially report and file it. Your sword spirit just appeared, right? What's your relationship with it now? What are your plans?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was taken aback by his questions and felt that Wang Ze's words were not very human-like.

\n\n

Reporting a mutation in special abilities to the bureau was one thing, but what did the other two questions have to do with anything? Was the government planning to arrange a honeymoon or something?

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked, "What...what plans?"

\n\n

"What method do you plan to use for registration?" Wang Ze gasped for breath. "You know our bureau has a 'human-like evaluation scale,' right? The highest score is one hundred, and those who score over sixty are considered to have a 'high human-like degree' and will be closely monitored. Like your sword spirit, who looks more human than you, I estimate he could score one hundred and one."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's eye twitched, feeling like this wasn't a compliment.

\n\n

"In this situation, there are two ways to register. Either you sign a 'full responsibility agreement,' and the bureau will issue him a special ID card that looks the same as a regular person's ID card, which can be used to open a bank account. However, it is actually linked to your identity information, and you will be responsible for everything he does in the future."

\n\n

Xuan Ji had a foreboding feeling. "In other words..."

\n\n

Wang Ze said, "In other words, if he owes money, you pay. If he kills someone, you take the blame."

\n\n

Xuan Ji exclaimed, "Wait a minute... Wang, can you help me check if there are four bloody words 'Professional Scapegoat' on my back?"

\n\n

Wang Ze shrugged, "If your sword spirit doesn't listen to you, then it's really hard to handle. How about this, I suggest you choose the second option, 'Ordinary Filing' - just tell the bureau that there is such a thing."

\n\n

Just as Xuan Ji was about to agree, Wang Ze added, "Then you have to send him to the underground 60th floor of the headquarters building for isolation and review. It starts at six months, and the higher the humanoid degree, the longer the review time. Finally, it must go through a series of experiments and safety tests, and be signed by three experts above the director level before it can be released."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was speechless.

\n\n

He wouldn't dare to do it even if he had the courage!

\n\n

"Why so strict?" Xuan Ji asked. "Aren't weapon spirits quite common? Haven't your team seen them before?"

\n\n

Wang Ze hesitated for a moment before answering. "Well, for safety reasons, weapon spirits are not like humans. If something goes wrong, we don't even know which hospital to send them to, and they can easily become contaminated. That's why..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji studied his expression. "Has there been an incident with a weapon spirit before in the bureau?"

\n\n

Wang Ze remained silent for a while before taking a cigarette from Xuan Ji and shaking his head.

\n\n

"It's not a secret. If you've been in the bureau for a while, you can find out. We just don't like to talk about it. But your weapon spirit is too human-like... too much like them."

\n\n

"Like who?" Xuan Ji asked. "The former leader of the Wind God team, who was my boss back then, was Yan Qiushan, a metal-type with the surname Yan. He had a longsword with the inscription 'Zhi Chun' on it. Now, the fragments of that longsword are in the underground 60th floor of the headquarters."

\n\n

"So, the sword spirit that Team Leader Gu Yuexi mentioned is referring to him?"

\n\n

"Yes, the Zhi Chun sword was very spiritual, with a blade that shines so brightly it can cast a shadow of a person. But if you see your own reflection from inside the blade, it feels off. You see your own face, but it doesn't feel like looking in a mirror. It's like there's someone inside, looking out through your face... Do you understand what I mean?" Wang Ze spoke softly.

\n\n

"The first time I saw it was during our company's team building event for Chinese New Year. It was my first year in the Wind God. Everyone was drinking, but us water-type folks had a higher tolerance. By the end of the night, I was the only one still standing, helping everyone call their families to come pick them up. That's when a man from Yan Qiushan's home came to pick him up. I still remember what he looked like - tall and model-like, with a refined air. Leader Yan was so drunk he told me to call him 'sister-in-law' and asked me to take care of him."

\n\n

"I was startled at first, but then I thought to myself, it's already modern times, so what if my boss was gay? I laughed it off with the help of alcohol and didn't take it to heart... But when I helped him onto the train, I heard him call out 'Zhi Chun' to my sister-in-law."

\n\n

"He was the sword spirit? What happened next?"

\n\n

Wang Ze sighed.

\n\n

"One time, a 'mirage island' drifted to the South Sea - do you know what a mirage island is?"

\n\n

A mirage island is a small island that floats on the sea. Legend has it that there is a type of marine creature called a "mirage bug," which can be understood as a type of dung beetle in the sea. They like all kinds of dirty things and often gather together to pile up sunken ships, corpses in the sea, garbage, and so on... forming a moving small island from afar.

\n\n

But in the depths of the sea, there are too many unknown things. Besides dirt, mirage islands often hide other deadly things that people cannot accurately distinguish and define at present, so they are collectively referred to as "sea poison.

\n\n

"Normally, mirage islands are active in the deep sea. But somehow, this one drifted onto the continental shelf. There were many fishing boats and work boats in the nearby waters, so it was too dangerous to leave it there. That's why we, the Wind God team, received an emergency mission to move it away. Leader Yan led us and we had it under control, but there were some uncivilized local fishermen who spread rumors that there were sunken ships and treasures inside. They secretly dug into the mirage island, causing a large amount of sea poison to leak out. Leader Yan was trapped on the island trying to save those idiots, and we thought he was going to die. But just as we were crying, we saw Zhi Chun carrying Leader Yan on his back, protected by a sheath that he had turned into a shield. Leader Yan didn't inhale any poison, but Zhi Chun was..."

\n\n

"Corroded by the sea poison inside the mirage island." Behind them, someone interjected.

\n\n

As they were talking, the two of them had already entered the hospital building.

\n\n

When Xuan Ji and Wang Ze heard someone interrupt, they turned around and saw the person clearly. The two of them had an unexpectedly identical reaction, taking a step back in unison.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was shocked, "Oh my Buddha!"

\n\n

Wang Ze seamlessly continued, "Goodness, goodness, it's my dad!"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng remained silent.

\n\n

He wondered if the suburban cemetery can add a "two-in-one" package. He really wanted to bury the two of them together.

\n\n

The one who spoke was Director Xiao, and they saw the "automatic ATM" from the Bureau with crutches and a bandaged foot...and a shaved head.

\n\n

Xuan Ji and Wang Ze exchanged a glance - it seemed that the rumor about "Director Xiao's hair being struck by lightning and turning curly was not unfounded.

\n\n

Fortunately, Xiao Zheng's head was quite round, and even with a shaved head, he didn't look bad, like a boiled egg that doesn't smile or talk much.

\n\n

The Serious Water-Boiled Egg lifted his chin at the two of them and said, "Come inside to talk."

\n\n

Director Xiao's hospital room was a single room with a huge energy detector at the door and symbols of warding off evil and bringing peace on the windows and doors.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng had been isolated in the room for twenty-four hours until it was confirmed that there were no other abnormal energies on his body. He had just regained his freedom and was out for a walk.

\n\n

"It's okay, being bald is pretty good," Xuan Ji remembered his own miserable experience as a 'hair washer' and rubbed his fingers, which had white marks from being soaked in water. He sincerely said, "It saves water and is convenient. I was even thinking of shaving my hair in a few days."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng was so angry at him that he couldn't even speak - it was this unreliable guy who was causing trouble!

\n\n

In the Bureau, he confidently claimed that he could figure out the mysterious Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly after lecturing on politics and history. However, not only did he fail to understand it, he ended up making a mess of it all.

\n\n

"You might as well shave your head, since you're not even thinking about the real issue with that ball on your shoulder," Xiao Zheng coldly glanced at him. "Did you leave behind the ancient camera technique and thunder talisman where the Bronze Coffin disappeared? You left such a big trap and didn't even mention it to your colleagues. Director Xuan, do you not value your colleagues' lives?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was stunned, only then realizing that Director Xiao had also blamed him for the unfortunate incident with the emperor.

\n\n

It was truly an unjust accusation.

\n\n

"No...it wasn't me...I didn't...he..." He stuttered for a while, realizing that he couldn't explain the situation clearly at the moment.

\n\n

He had no choice but to reluctantly take the blame and say, "I can't reveal anything, how can I? To be frank, in my opinion, the person manipulating the Yin Sacrifice ritual behind the scenes has too much insider knowledge of the Bureau. It's impossible for it to be an outsider. It's definitely an insider, and we don't even know if they did it willingly or if they were possessed by something.

\n\n

"Who could have predicted that the lightning would transfer to different people before it struck? I've only been here for less than a month, and I can count the number of familiar faces in the entire bureau on one hand. Who can I trust?"

\n\n

Wang Ze quickly intervened, "Hey, we weren't just lazing around. Old Xiao, you didn't see that huge 'moth' that flew out of the coffin and chased us for dozens of miles. It was like a barrage of wind blades and bone arrows, we almost got sliced into pieces."

\n\n

Xuan Ji remained silent, wondering who was responsible for their current predicament.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng sneered, "Well, if the wise Director Xuan can tell me whether my lightning strike was worth it, that would be great."

\n\n

Xuan Ji and Wang Ze then proceeded to recount their adventure in the forest park, exchanging witty banter like a comedy duo.

\n\n

Xuan Ji concluded, "The chief of the witch tribe awakened by the second Yin Sacrifice ritual is currently dead. Whether he will come back to life or not depends on his mood. I can't guarantee anything."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng swallowed his anger and asked, "What about the figure that appeared before me?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji rubbed his hands and replied, "Sorry, it seems to be just a clone."

\n\n

Anyway the old demon who laid this trap himself said so.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng's suppressed anger finally erupted, and the single room was filled with lightning and thunder, turning everyone's hair into a punk style. As a water-based cultivator, Wang Ze had a lower electrical resistance than ordinary people. Seeing this lightning god become bald and more powerful, he immediately slipped away.

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, only Xuan Ji was left in the room.

\n\n

He retreated to the door with crackling static electricity all over his body, but instead of running out, he turned back and put a anti-eavesdropping talisman on the door. With a wave of his hand, Xiao Zheng dismissed the lightning in the room and the chaotic electrical charges immediately settled down, restoring peace.

\n\n

Though his face was grim, his eyes remained calm as he lowered his voice and asked Xuan Ji, "Do you have any suspicions about who might be responsible?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji's expression grew serious as he shook his head.

\n\n

In theory, if Aluojin hadn't lied to him in the forest park, then everyone was a suspect. Deep within the Chiyuan, sealed away, was the "abnormal energy" that had caused chaos and war throughout the world before the Nine Provinces War.

\n\n

The demon clans and many others could harness this power, surpassing all other beings. However, the word "power" was too abstract for modern people. After all, three thousand years had passed, and contemporary humans with special abilities were almost indistinguishable from ordinary people.

\n\n

No one remembered the incredible abilities of the masters of old. Those ancient legends sounded like clichéd and unrealistic myths, far less attractive than paychecks and property deeds.

\n\n

"I have a feeling," Xuan Ji said, "that the person using the Yin Sacrifice ritual isn't just starting random fires everywhere. They're also dividing 'special abilities' and ordinary people."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

\n\n

"Look, the first Yin Sacrifice ritual was done in Chiyuan by Bi Chunsheng. But now, no one cares about her after she finished it. Everyone's attention has been drawn to the issue of the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterflies. The last victim in this case happens to be one of the main culprits in the Yin Sacrifice ritual case in Dongchuan. It's suspicious. Ji Qingchen and the boy he harmed disrupted our investigation. Especially Ji Qingchen, he risked his life to cover for Bi Chunsheng, which led us to Dongchuan and exposed the dirty secrets of the Yue De Sect. Otherwise, the symptoms of the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly parasite are so hidden, and the witches' tomb is buried underground. Even if Aluojin emerged, who knows who he is? Who can find his lair? These two incidents, especially the second one, give me the feeling that the person behind the scenes is leading us to discover him."

\n\n

"It's a masterplan," he thought to himself, "letting us pull out a carrot and dragging out a group of criminals in the process. If it weren't for the sinister and insane nature of the Yin Sacrifiec ritual, I might have thought the mastermind behind it was a true hero like Lei Feng."

\n\n

The case of Master Yue De is not an isolated incident. There are more than just his sect who lacked restraint and are willing to harm others for personal gain.

\n\n

Now that Master Yue De's wrongdoing has been exposed, what about those who haven't been caught? In addition to being afraid, what else will they do? Moreover, with the ongoing Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly scandal of the Bureau, it has reached a point where "internal handling" is no longer a viable solution. Not to mention, how will those who have participated in concealing casualty numbers feel?

\n\n

Xuan Ji remembered what His Majesty had said to him before leaving the hotel - Sheng Lingyuan said, "You and the leader of your company... um, what's his name? Oh, the chief. It's very wise of you to want to cover up the matter of the human-faced butterfly, but don't forget that this is not accidental. Someone has been scheming behind the scenes, and it's not something you can cover up just because you want to. Besides, you want to calm things down, but those who have ulterior motives below may not appreciate your efforts. Be careful, they may become more daring. It's better to nip it in the bud."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng asked, "What do you mean?"

\n\n

"Cut the Gordian knot." Xuan Ji took out a piece of paper from his pocket, which he had torn from the hotel notepad. There was a very round and smooth unknown script written in pencil on it.

\n\n

As soon as Xiao Zheng took it, the paper emitted a bright white light.

\n\n

Just after being struck by lightning, Director Xiao was still frightened and threw the paper away, exclaiming, "What is this again!"

\n\n

"It's the witch people's spell, what are you doing with it? It won't bite you," Xuan Ji clicked his tongue, picked up the note, and blew off the dust. "Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly, also known as the Human-Faced Butterfly, is a type of witchcraft from the ancient witch tribe. Most of their witchcraft has a solution, and it is forbidden to use evil curses to harm others. It is said that they believe this butterfly can communicate with the dead, and life and death are sacred matters. Except for the chief of the tribe, no one can implant this butterfly at will. This curse is used for inspection. Anyone who abuses the butterfly will reveal a butterfly pattern on their forehead when encountering this ancient curse. It is most suitable for detecting spies - you are clean, Director Xiao."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng: ...

\n\n

Ever since he met Xuan Ji, his desire to chop this person off has grown stronger day by day.

\n\n

"No need to thank me." Xuan Ji made a "shh" gesture, smiled, and removed the talisman from the door. "This talisman is known to the heavens and the earth, and now you and I know it too. Alright, I hope Old Wang hasn't gone too far, I still need to hitch a ride with him back. And maybe hear him finish telling the story of the 'Zhi Chun' longsword spirit corroded by sea poison."

\n\n

"Later, the longsword called 'Zhi Chun' was destroyed, and the remaining pieces were stored in an underground isolation room on the sixtieth floor." In the hotel restaurant, Ping Qianru followed Director Xuan's instructions and took His Majesty downstairs to eat - to prevent him from tearing another hole in the parking lot.

\n\n

The restaurant was a buffet, but His Majesty was not willing to "serve himself". He sat there like a lord, not feeling the least bit embarrassed about ordering her around despite being a fully capable man. Luckily, Ping Qianru had a good temperament and was willing to take care of people, constantly looking after him.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan observed the tea bag in the teapot with interest and casually asked, "What is that for?"

\n\n

"The sea poison's composition is unknown, so we can't completely eradicate it. We tried various methods, but the purification speed couldn't keep up with the corrosion. Moreover, the sea poison's corrosiveness is not just physical, Zhi Chun lost control and became increasingly delirious. Leader Yan had to lock him up. Unexpectedly, he broke the seal and ran to the downtown area, injuring six pedestrians and almost killing one. It caused quite a stir, and we had no choice but to destroy Zhi Chun. Yan Qiushan also left because of this incident and his whereabouts are still unknown. That's why the bureau is now strictly controlling you sword spirits."

\n\n

"Ah," Sheng Lingyuan wiped his hands and thought to himself, "then it's even more inconvenient to stay here for long."

\n\n

Ping Qianru said, "Actually, I think the bureau can be quite compromising at times, but also quite ruthless. When dealing with matters, it's not about right or wrong or reason, it's just about the outcome. For things that are difficult to resolve, we just cover them up with a blanket and wait until we can't cover them up anymore. Like the butterfly incident this time, we have to talk about 'prioritizing the overall situation and handling it with caution', and still try to keep it hidden. As for those things that can be handled without consequences, the decision to destroy them is made quickly - after all, isn't Zhi Chun just a knife, and Yan Qiushan just a single man with no background? If it can be destroyed, then it will be destroyed."

\n\n

As they spoke, she noticed that Sheng Lingyuan kept glancing at the small steak next to him, which had gone cold but he hadn't touched it. She knew he must not like the size of the steak, so she picked it up and cut it for him.

\n\n

After cutting it, Ping Qianru noticed that Sheng Lingyuan was looking at her in surprise. Her face turned red and she asked cautiously, "Do you want to eat this? I just...did it without thinking..."

\n\n

She was timid and introverted, and not very good-looking.

\n\n

From childhood to adulthood, she always seemed to be out of sync with those around her. If she didn't tread carefully and try to fit in, there was a risk of becoming a "freak". She didn't want to appear out of place, so she always tried to stick with others and silently serve one princess-type character after another. She thought that joining the Bureau would be the solution, since everyone here was a weirdo and she could finally be herself on "Weirdo Planet". But she soon realized that the rules of the weirdos were no less complicated than those of ordinary people.

\n\n

Just now, Sheng Lingyuan's reserved gaze of "I want that, but I won't say it. You have to understand and bring it to me proactively" was too familiar. Ping Qianru accidentally treated the big shot like someone with the princess syndrome.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's eyes curved slightly at the corners, and Ping Qianru's face turned even redder, and she even felt a little dizzy.

\n\n

"Do you... do you have a sword inscription?" She stuttered, but then felt that the pronunciation of "sword inscription" sounded like a curse word, so she panicked and changed her words, "No, I mean, how should I address you?"

\n\n

After some thought, Sheng Lingyuan decided to use a different name. "Lingyuan" was already known in Chiyuan, and since Xuan Ji had helped him conceal his identity, there was no need to cause trouble. "My name is 'Xiao'," he said.

\n\n

Fortunately, Ping Qian was a science student who had given up history after the high school entrance exam. She could still remember that "Sheng Xiao" shared a name with Emperor Wu, but if he only said "Xiao", she wouldn't have a clue.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan asked in a gentle voice, "Are you also 'special'?"

\n\n

"Indeed, my ID says so, but I have no idea what my special ability is. They just recruited me without any clear explanation," Ping Qianru said with a bitter smile. "Maybe the testing equipment was broken that day - otherwise, I should have stayed at school as a researcher. By the way, you don't know what a researcher is, do you?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan seemed to have hardly said a word from beginning to end, but after a meal, Ping Qianru inexplicably revealed her entire life story, not even sparing the 'personal privacy' of the neighbor's dog. She was introverted and timid, and at first, she was very afraid of this man. But after spending some time together, she inexplicably forgot her initial fear.

\n\n

After finishing their meal, they went to sign the bill. Ping Qianru was still feeling a bit dizzy and suspected that she had some secret infatuation towards handsome men, unable to control her tongue around them. While signing the bill, she unintentionally turned her head and saw the sword spirit called "Xiao" looking at her thoughtfully, but his gaze did not stay on her, as if he was looking through her at something else.

\n\n

His eyes were calm and content, but seemed to contain a hint of distant sadness.

\n\n

Ping Qianru was stunned, and when she tried to look closer, the man had already snapped out of it and smiled at her. His attention was drawn to an ice cream in the hands of a child, as if what she had just experienced was just her imagination.

\n\n

Ten minutes later, under the guidance of Ping Qianru, Sheng Lingyuan finally understood how to exit the hotel from the main entrance.

\n\n

Holding a colorful ice cream, he sat on the small square in front of the city complex downstairs, observing the people passing by.

\n\n

Thanks to him, the shopping mall had a hole in the floor and an emergency construction team was repairing it. However, it was still a weekend and the citizens were still coming and going on the square.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan tied his long hair into a bundle and sat next to the fountain. His appearance was too eye-catching, and people passing by couldn't help but turn their heads to look at him. As someone who grew up in the spotlight, he wasn't afraid of being watched. When someone met his gaze, he would even smile at them.

\n\n

As he walked through the square, half of the passersby had their faces blushing from his infectious smile. Within moments, several girls approached him, asking for his "WeChat ID." Although Sheng Lingyuan had no idea what a "WeChat ID" was, it didn't stop him from skillfully changing the subject and engaging in lively conversation with them.

\n\n

Xuan Ji returned from the hospital and took the elevator up to the outdoor smoking area. Leaning against the railing, he looked down and immediately saw the scene below.

\n\n

He pulled out the new phone he had borrowed from Daddy Xiao and, although not very familiar with it, logged into the internal network of the Bureau using his work ID.

\n\n

The internal network of the bureau was well-designed, with a clear structure.

\n\n

The registration of "spirit weapons" could be directly filled out online. Xuan Ji quickly read through the "full responsibility agreement," which made his stomach ache. It was truly comprehensive, covering every detail, even including provisions such as "additional travel and accommodation expenses incurred during business trips shall be borne by the responsible person."

\n\n

"What the hell is this?" Xuan Ji flopped onto the railing bonelessly.

\n\n

There was no way he would sign this thing, "taking responsibility" was only if he could control it.

\n\n

Control the Emperor? What was he thinking!

\n\n

Besides, Sheng Lingyuan wasn't even a real sword spirit.

\n\n

And as for sending His Majesty to the Bureau's isolation room, that was a joke. If he wasn't satisfied, he would turn the headquarters upside down.

\n\n

At that moment, he saw Sheng Lingyuan finish his ice cream.

\n\n

A young woman was pushed forward by her friends and asked him something shyly. Sheng Lingyuan happily nodded in agreement, and she ran off, covering her face. She dashed to a nearby dessert stand, ordered a large cup of hot drink, and handed it to him before running off like a gust of wind.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

He felt that even the emperor didn't need to have any status anymore, and could just make a living selling smiles on the roadside. So he quit the network, locked his phone screen, and decided not to care about this matter.

\n\n

After all, Sheng Lingyuan wouldn't stay obediently, so he could just say he lost his sword when the time came. He didn't ask Sheng Lingyuan about his plans for the future - there was no point in asking, that old demon would never tell the truth, and he might accidentally give away valuable information.

\n\n

Although they had entered and exited the witches' tomb together and had been forced to fight on the same side several times, their friendship was basically like cheap plastic that would break at the slightest touch. What was even more troublesome was that if they got each other's blood on them, their brains would automatically connect like Bluetooth, making it inconvenient to be together.

\n\n

Thinking from Sheng Lingyuan's perspective, if the matter at the witches' tomb was resolved, he should be ready to leave.

\n\n

At that moment, Sheng Lingyuan seemed to feel his gaze and looked up at him.

\n\n

A voice sounded in Xuan Ji's ear, "Thank you for your hospitality."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was stunned, leaning on the railing without moving, looking down at Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

"The method to check for users of the human-faced butterfly has been left with you. Remember to settle the matter quickly, lest you have too many dreams in the night." Sheng Lingyuan stood up. "Little demon, let's part ways here."

\n\n

After speaking, he picked up the cup of hot chocolate, took a sip, and savored it.

\n\n

His eyebrows lifted slightly, as if he had tasted something profound. Then he turned and merged into the sea of people, his conspicuous white sportswear and long hair flashing a few times before disappearing.

\n\n

Before Xuan Ji could react, he had already stood up and instinctively wanted to chase after him.

\n\n

But as he lifted one leg over the railing, he came to his senses and thought, 'Isn't this perfect?'

\n\n

This enigmatic emperor seemed to have no intention of being hostile towards them for now. He couldn't be defeated in battle nor controlled, so it was better to simply not interfere with each other. Who knows, if they were destined to cross paths in the future and uncover the mastermind behind the Yin Sacrifice ritual, they could even borrow each other's strength.

\n\n

As for the achievements recorded in history books, it was best to leave him on the pedestal where he could be revered by others.

\n\n

Just then, Xiao Zheng sent a message - Director Xiao, who had been quarantined for 24 hours, just remembered to ask about his sword spirit.

\n\n

Xuan Ji answered the phone while walking and said, "I was just about to tell you, Old Xiao. Do I need to report the loss of my life-bound weapon? Sigh... it's a long story! As soon as I came back, I couldn't find it. Maybe it ran away because it thought I was poor... Can you believe it? I haven't even received my first month's salary, and I've already spent it on several clothes, phones, and a sword! Can I get reimbursed? I think that 'mithril' that Master Yue De and the others stole that time was pretty good, much cooler than my crappy sword..."

\n","published_time":"2023-10-15T04:01:21.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":375,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":43,"chapter_title":"Chapter 43","content":"

The world is like a fiery hell, and those with deep emotions have sins that cannot be forgiven - Foreword.

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Sheng Lingyuan wandered around the downtown area of Dongchuan for a long time.

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He followed the square in front of the hotel and walked all the way to the inner river of Dongchuan. In the evening, the boats in the river were crowded together like dumplings, and the ticket windows were still crowded with people. Along the river, there were small bands playing music from time to time.

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The evening breeze lifted a strand of Sheng Lingyuan's long hair, damp with the scent of milk tea.

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Sheng Lingyuan sat on a bench, gazing at the opposite bank of the river, allowing a few photography enthusiasts to include him in their night scene composition.

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Carrying a cup of hot cocoa that he had traded his smile for, he felt like he had gotten the short end of the stick. The drink was sticky and had a strange bittersweet taste, not nearly as good as the bubbly "black water" he had tried before.

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But he couldn't bring himself to throw it away and slowly sipped it until the very end. Although the taste was less than desirable, it was filling and could be a lifesaver during times of famine. He had experienced hunger during his childhood, and even though he had been practicing fasting for years, he still couldn't bear to waste food.

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At 7:30 pm, several lights illuminated the stage, and the special water performance of the peak tourist season in Dongchuan began. Although traditional opera was considered a "traditional art," the old demon was even more traditional than tradition itself. The water-themed opera performance was too modern for him, so he stared blankly at the long-sleeved water sleeves with the young Westernized youths by the river, feeling foolish and youthful.

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The young people clapped and then began editing their photos on the spot. Sheng Lingyuan was lost in thought as he listened to the singing. He remembered that he was picked up by the old chief on the other side of the river many years ago.

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Three thousand years ago, the inner river of Dongchuan City was the border of the witch people. The stones under the riverbed were covered with spells, and there were dense forests and mazes with mist. Even insects and beasts would avoid the riverbanks, and there were many creepy legends.

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Nowadays, it has become such a lively place. The old chief had a kind heart and often thought of the suffering of his fellow human beings. However, he was bound by ancestral traditions and could not leave the mountain to save the world, so he would always sigh.

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If he saw this scene, would he be pleased or would he become as resentful as Aluojin?

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Sheng Lingyuan sat by the river, lost in thought until late into the night. As the crowds dispersed and the river lanterns gradually dimmed, he finally learned to imitate the actions of mortals and got up to dispose of his empty paper cup in a nearby trash can.

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Then, following the breath of the witchcraft spell he had written himself, he merged into the darkness of the night.

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Xiao Zheng lived in a single room. After the lights were turned off, the nurse came in to check on him and inspected the doors and windows before leaving to rest, leaving only the faint ticking of the clock in the ward. After a while, even the voices in the hallway had died down.

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Suddenly, Xiao Zheng opened his eyes, wide awake, and reached under his pillow for the "witch people's spell" that Xuan Ji had given him. As soon as Xiao Zheng touched the object, it flashed once and then remained still.

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It looked unremarkable, like a mischievous doodle. Xiao Zheng didn't dare to wipe it with his hand, afraid of damaging the faint pencil marks. Just in case, he used the scanning software on his phone to scan the spell - as Xuan Ji, the birdman, had said, the power of the spell was in the writing on it, whether it was written or printed didn't matter.

\n\n

The "Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly" was also a kind of witchcraft, so there was a corresponding "spell" that could accurately detect who had abused the butterfly - in other words, this was a "test paper".

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With it, whoever has made use of the illusory butterfly, will be revealed as clearly as a louse on a bald man's head. No need for wild guesses or strenuous internal investigations.

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The case of decades of falsified casualty data in the Bureau will become clear as day with just a simple inquiry.

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As long as he wants to investigate.

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Previously, the investigation into the butterfly incident was slow and secretive, and it could be said that it was to avoid disturbing military morale and causing social panic.

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Now...that excuse is gone.

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Xuan Ji, the capable "aftermath department Director," was too efficient. In no time, he found the source of the butterfly and even dug up the mysterious witches' tomb.

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For a moment, Xiao Zheng almost resented his old friend.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was being sly, deliberately avoiding eye contact as he handed the paper over, clearly indicating that it was up to the recipient to deal with. He could destroy the paper if he wanted to, pretending that the curse didn't exist, especially since that "witches' tomb" had already been blown to smithereens by disciples of the Yue De Sect.

\n\n

But... could he really act like nothing had happened?

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Could he pretend that he had never seen this curse, that he was a pure and untainted young talent, and that those respected seniors had never touched any forbidden lines?

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In the quiet of the night, Xiao Zheng's mind was a mess. Perhaps it was the poor quality of the hotel's notepad, or perhaps it was his subconscious desire to keep something hidden.

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As he drifted off, he accidentally tore a small slit in the notepad, right through the middle of the incantation.

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The tear destroyed the integrity of the spell, and the mysterious power that had been written on the paper disappeared instantly.

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Although he didn't fully understand the principles of the witch's spell, Xiao Zheng's extensive experience as a field agent told him that the incantation was now useless.

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He stared at the ruined spell with a complex expression, then hid it under his pillow.

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Perhaps... this was fate?

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He took out his phone and messaged Xuan Ji, but stopped after typing just one word: "you". He didn't know what else to say.

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After a moment, he deleted the draft, turned off his phone, and tried to force himself to sleep. That birdman may be skilled in everything from singing to joking, but when it's time to shut up, he can definitely keep his mouth shut.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng knew that if he acted like nothing happened, Xuan Ji wouldn't say a word about it.

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At most, their relationship would become a little more distant.

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A dark cloud drifted lightly over the sky above Dongchuan, covering the frosty stars and moon.

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For a moment, the night outside the window became even darker, as if a sinister fog had risen.

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Unaware, Xiao Zheng lay in the clean and bright single room of the hospital. In the half-empty space outside the window, a pale hand, like that of a dead person, slowly reached out from the black mist and approached the cold window sill.

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A gust of wind slipped through the crack in the window and lifted the curtain slightly.

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Just as the hand was about to touch the glass, Xiao Zheng, who had been "asleep," suddenly sat up straight as if possessed, and pulled up the spell he had scanned on his phone. He stared at it with bloodshot eyes for a while, then grabbed the nearby laptop and imported the scan, effortlessly creating a transparent watermark.

\n\n

In the middle of the night, he logged into the office network and quietly placed the invisible watermark on the clock-in system page - the clock-in system of the Bureau was divided into two types: those who clocked in at the machine and those who were responsible for logging in to the internal network to clock in for completing field tasks. After a successful task, the page would display this information.

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After finishing up, Xiao Zheng stared at the page for a while, then quickly edited an email and added the spell watermark to the text before sending it out to a group. These types of group emails are usually administrative notices, including information about salaries, benefits, and even retirees and those who have resigned will receive them.

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When the notification of successful email delivery popped up, Xiao Zheng knew he had no room for regret. He took a deep breath and reached for his smuggled cigarette box and lighter, intending to calm down by opening the window. However, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of a black shadow by the window.

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"Who's there!"

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A light laughter echoed, followed by a person stepping out of the darkness, silently and without a sound, with a face identical to the demon in Chiyuan.

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In an instant, Xiao Zheng's goosebumps rose and adrenaline rushed - a big demon struck by lightning in the middle of the night, appearing like a ghost story...

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Moreover, this is the special ward of the Bureau, with closed doors and windows, covered in spells and energy monitors. How did he get in?

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But the newcomer just smiled and waved at him, saying, "Don't be afraid."

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With a snap of his fingers, the bedside lamp lit up, illuminating the figure in front of Xiao Zheng. The person was dressed in a white tracksuit with "47th Autumn Sports Games of Dongchuan Branch Bureau" written on the chest.

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Xiao Zheng sniffed and recognized the scent of hotel shampoo - a familiar smell since his father owned the hotel that had a long-term partnership with the branch bureau, offering them a 30% discount on annual accommodation fees.

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Xiao Zheng was initially suspicious, and his guard did not waver as he asked, "Are you... Xuan Ji's' sword spirit?"

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The "night attacker" turned out to be Sheng Lingyuan, who gestured kindly towards Xiao Zheng's injured leg and said, "You don't look well, please have a seat and let's talk."

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Xiao Zheng was speechless.

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He felt that he was a guest who should thank the host for giving him a seat as soon as he entered.

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Director Xiao had never encountered such an uninvited guest who was so unassuming.

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Xiao Zheng had a talisman in his hand that he had taken out of his hospital gown pocket.

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So far, sword spirits were still a rare and unknown existence. They had a high degree of autonomy, with their own way of thinking and behavior. It was said that if the owner's control was not strong enough, the spirit could not only resist orders but also devour the owner.

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Xiao Zheng cautiously asked, "Did Xuan Ji send you? Where is he?"

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Sheng Lingyuan's expression was gentle, but his gaze was like two narrow knives.

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Xiao Zheng had the illusion that he had been scrutinized from his flesh to his soul.

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Without answering the question, the "sword spirit" asked with curiosity, "What were you doing just now? Did you release the witches' spell?" Sheng Lingyuan spoke Mandarin clearly enough to be understood, but with a strange emphasis and tone.

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Xiao Zheng knew that this was an ancient sword and he probably couldn't explain what "clock-in systems" or "emails" were, so he simply nodded and said, "As soon as it gets light, most people in the Bureau system can access this hidden spell. Xuan Ji said that those who have touched the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly will have a mark on their forehead. It's okay if a few slip through the cracks, our bureau's spiritual interrogation technology is very complete, as long as they have internal transactions, we can quickly interrogate them."

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Although he had spoken in a simple manner, Mr. "Sword Spirit" still seemed to not understand.

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He scrutinized Xiao Zheng for a moment and said something that didn't quite match up: "From your voice and appearance, I can tell that you are hot-headed and full of energy. Your destiny is bright and clear, and your ancestors must have had great blessings. Although you may encounter some obstacles, they will ultimately turn into good fortune."

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Xiao Zheng listened in confusion, thinking to himself, 'What a bunch of nonsense! Does this sword have an automatic fortune-telling function?'

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Suddenly, his vision blurred and the sword spirit that had been several meters away from him appeared in front of him in an instant. Xiao Zheng didn't have time to react before his wrist, which was holding the talisman, was wrapped in black mist.

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Sheng Lingyuan lightly tapped his forehead and Xiao Zheng felt like he had turned into a human bottle. A bunch of cold water poured into his forehead and washed over his entire body, cleansing his internal organs with its icy breath.

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He shuddered uncontrollably and a gray lump flew out of his forehead, which Sheng Lingyuan caught in his hand.

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Xiao Zheng felt a lightness in his body and a sense that he had been restored to his "factory settings".

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Not only had the injuries from possession and lightning disappeared, but years of accumulated pain and hidden wounds had also been cleansed away. He felt healthier than ever before, with boundless energy coursing through his body. He could immediately check out of the hospital and go for a run.

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Suddenly, he widened his eyes and exclaimed, "You..."

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A small ball of grey had flown out from between Xiao Zheng's eyebrows and trembled in Sheng Lingyuan's palm. He lowered his head and sniffed it lightly, "Hmm? A fishy smell... from a demon?"

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Using a refined tone, Xiao Zheng didn't understand and asked, "What?"

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Sheng Lingyuan flicked his hand and the grey ball disintegrated into smoke, but there was still a faint scream coming from inside. After finishing, he smiled at Xiao Zheng. He had used some kind of spiritual attack, and Xiao Zheng was momentarily dazed.

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In that instant, he had a desire to entrust his life and everything to Sheng Lingyuan.

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In a blink of an eye, the 'sword spirit' had vanished into thin air in the hospital room.

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Only the scent of hotel shampoo remained. Xiao Zheng shuddered violently and quickly checked the room inside and out three times - all the talismans and magic circles were untouched, the doors and windows were locked, and the energy detector was as quiet as a chicken with all the lights off.

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It seemed like he had imagined everything.

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Xiao Zheng felt like he was going crazy, "This can't be...this can't be!"

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Suddenly, he remembered something - wait! As a Thunder and Fire ability user, he was still in the room, so how could the energy detector be completely off?

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He quickly walked to the window and picked up the energy detector, only to discover that the instrument had overloaded and short-circuited!

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Xiao Zheng slowly lifted his head. The thick fog outside the window had dissipated, and his shocked face was reflected in the glass window.

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When he was a child, he fell and had to get four stitches on his forehead. With a raised eyebrow, a faint, slender scar could be seen... but now, that scar had disappeared.

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At the same time, with a "sizzle," black smoke emerged from the laptop on his bedside table, and the screen went black.

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Xiao Zheng wiped his face and grabbed the phone, dialing Xuan Ji's number.

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As a aftermath department staff, Xuan Ji didn't have the habit of being on call 24/7.

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His phone was on silent at night, and when he received a call, the screen only lit up quietly, casting a fluorescent glow on his face. He furrowed his brow and showed no intention of waking up, as if he was trapped in a nightmare.

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At the edge of the Chiyuan altar in the remote southwest, where three stone tablets have already been shattered, the fourth stone tablet began to move on its own, and fine sand began to fall.

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Lately, Xuan Ji has been having particularly frequent and eerie dreams. He looked down at his flame-colored robe and wondered what kind of fashion statement this "sleepwear" was supposed to be.

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How could he possibly sleep in something so dazzling?

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Just then, his feet began to move on their own, dragging him in a certain direction.

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"Hey, I'm not wearing any shoes!" Xuan Ji exclaimed.

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But in his dream, he seemed to be a puppet controlled by some unseen force.

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His neon-like body paid no attention to his own will, and he walked barefoot across the cold stone slabs, silently entering a building that looked very much like a palace. Outside the main hall, a servant who looked like a guard was nodding off, but suddenly jolted awake as if he had heard something. He glanced over at Xuan Ji, who was startled, thinking he had been caught.

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"Please don't let this 'neon light' be a thief," he thought.

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However, the guard seemed to not see him at all, his eyes unfocused as he looked right through Xuan Ji and then around the room before yawning and closing his eyes again. To everyone else, Xuan Ji was invisible.

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He paused for a moment, then continued to go deeper into the palace. As he entered the inner hall, it appeared to be a bedroom with a beautifully carved bed buried under layers of silk curtains, exuding an air of luxury and decadence. However, something felt off about the room.

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As Xuan Ji followed his body forward, he carefully observed his surroundings. He noticed that the fireplace in the corner of the room had gone out, but no one had come to add more charcoal. He immediately realized that something was wrong. In such a large palace, there was not even half a servant around. It was eerily quiet, and even the braziers were left unattended at night.

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He couldn't help but think about the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning. Lost in thought, the 'neon light' that Xuan Ji was possessing had already walked to the bedside. Like a ghost, it passed through the gauze curtains and finally stopped, quietly gazing down at the person in the bed.

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With the light from his own body, Xuan Ji could see the person on the bed clearly.

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He was lying flat, and even in his sleep, he seemed to be frowning anxiously. His handsome features were filled with a menacing aura.

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Xuan Ji was shocked - the owner of the palace was actually Sheng Lingyuan... Sheng Xiao!

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"So, is this the legendary 'Du Ling Palace'?"

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Xuan Ji's curiosity was about to explode, but his body seemed to be stuck in place, staring motionlessly at Sheng Lingyuan. He didn't know how long he had been staring when suddenly he stumbled forward. He seemed to be unable to bear the weight and hunched over, then stumbled and collapsed on the bed, only two fingers away from the bedroom owner, even pressing against a strand of Sheng Lingyuan's hair.

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Xuan Ji gasped for breath again. Perhaps because he was too immersed in the situation, he was almost as nervous as this guy who was sneaking around in the middle of the night.

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"How can he be so brazen?"

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But the next moment, he realized that either the bed was too hard or there was something else going on, as he sat on it without leaving any indentation.

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Sheng Lingyuan on the bed didn't react at all. The 'neon light' was like a real ghost, invisible and weightless.

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Suddenly, he heard the 'neon light' sigh and speak in a soft and elegant voice, "Today we part ways, and I'm afraid we won't see each other again in this lifetime."

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Sheng Lingyuan didn't react, but his brows furrowed even tighter. Xuan Ji noticed that 'he' couldn't control his arm, and a trembling hand emerged from under the fiery red robe.

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The hand hung in the air for a while before gently landing on Sheng Lingyuan's cheek, caressing his ghostly face with great care. Xuan Ji shuddered with goosebumps, while Sheng Lingyuan slept like a dead man, unresponsive to the touch.

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Xuan Ji was in a state of utter embarrassment, desperately trying to pull his hand back from 'Neon Light's' grasp. His hand refused to listen to him, not only refusing to come back but also tilting his entire body forward.

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"Stop leaning forward!" he pleaded.

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"Wait! What are you doing?" he exclaimed.

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"Lingyuan..." he muttered.

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He uttered those two words, lightly pressing down.

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Then, to Xuan Ji's dismay, his dream persona lowered his head and, with reverence, gently...pressed his lips against the dry, pale lips of the Emperor.

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Xuan Ji couldn't help but exclaim "What the hell?!" in his mind.

\n","published_time":"2023-10-22T07:01:47.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":383,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":44,"chapter_title":"Chapter 44","content":"

Xuan Ji had exploded over a hundred times on the spot, his brain splattered everywhere.

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He wanted to call the police, scream for help, and even wanted to grab Sheng Lingyuan and shake him vigorously - where was his promised ability to see through everything?

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Wasn't he bragging about being able to hear the sounds from the corners of an entire floor while standing in an elevator shaft?

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Why didn't the sleeping pill factory hire him as their spokesperson? Even the bodies lined up in the morgue couldn't match his sleep quality!

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Perhaps the commotion in his heart was too great, but Sheng Lingyuan seemed to sense something and slightly turned his head uncomfortably, opening his eyes.

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As Xuan Ji froze, he soon realized that Sheng Lingyuan's eyelids had only opened a crack, revealing a tired and bewildered glimmer.

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He must not have had a good dream, as his eyebrows furrowed even tighter upon waking, his shadowed lashes sinking deep into his pupils, making him look incredibly lonely.

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In the depths of his pupils, there was no one but the bed curtains and the ever-burning candles.

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Xuan Ji was taken aback.

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Could Sheng Lingyuan not even see him?

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Perhaps Sheng Lingyuan was not fully awake, merely opening his eyes unconsciously between sleep cycles. His gaze remained fixed, staring blankly at the bed curtains in the dim candlelight.

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Xuan Ji held his breath, leaning over him, their eyes meeting just inches apart.

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However, their gazes quickly passed each other by, as if they had no connection at all. Xuan Ji - or rather, the person possessed in his dream - stared at the eyes that couldn't see him, and suddenly felt a surge of emotions.

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Then, he viciously grabbed Sheng Lingyuan's neck, wanting to take away his breath.

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In the dream, Xuan Ji almost split in two.

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On one hand, he stood outside as a bystander, feeling embarrassed and nervous, with goosebumps all over his body. On the other hand, he was influenced by the body in the dream, feeling the burning anger and desire, sinking into the eternal hellfire of pain and with nowhere to escape.

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Sheng Lingyuan's breathing was as calm and lonely as the falling snow outside the window. 'Neon Light' tried its best, but couldn't leave even half a fingerprint on his smooth neck.

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In that moment, Xuan Ji, who had been struggling with possession, suddenly fell silent. For a brief moment, he shared a connection with this person, and inexplicably tasted boundless melancholy.

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At that moment, a distant chime sounded from outside... it was three in the morning.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's eyelashes fluttered rapidly, and he seemed a bit more clear-headed.

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt 'Neon Light' hoping that the other person could feel their presence, but... no, Sheng Lingyuan just shifted his posture slightly and looked through the window at the empty sleeping quarters with a scattered gaze.

\n\n

'Neon Light' completely collapsed in despair, and Xuan Ji heard the hoarse voice of the person he was possessing, "Why can't you look at me, Lingyuan? Please, just look at me..."

\n\n

Anger and despair churned together in his heart, along with the scent of Sheng Lingyuan's breath and the touch of his lips... The faint fragrance that lingered around his collar was magnified countless times, leaving an indelible mark on his soul. He kissed the person in front of him with reckless abandon, as if he wanted to chew him up and swallow him whole.

\n\n

Xuan Ji, who was forced to play along with this act of hooliganism, found himself in a state of awkward sobriety. His mind couldn't help but wander, recalling the image of Sheng Lingyuan crawling out of the coffin in the witches' tomb, and then the sight of him lying disheveled in the bathroom...

\n\n

It was like the story of "The Emperor's New Clothes".

\n\n

Just as he felt that the dream was about to be censored and harmonized, a black hole the size of a person suddenly appeared behind him, spreading like a shadow and swallowing him up. In the dream, Xuan Ji desperately tried to hold onto Sheng Lingyuan's hand, but their intertwined fingers pierced through each other. He couldn't even hold onto a single strand of the person's hair.

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"Dong!" A bell rang, and someone shouted in the darkness, "Seal it--"

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Bright light pierced into his vision, and Xuan Ji suddenly sat up from the bed, not knowing whether it was still night or already morning.

\n\n

He seemed to still be trapped in that hazy nightmare, his heart empty except for one thought: 'I can't lose him again.'

\n\n

The bed next to him was empty, the sheets neatly folded, untouched by anyone - Sheng Lingyuan had bid him farewell with a wave yesterday. Without even putting on his shoes, Xuan Ji rushed out of the room as if possessed, running barefoot down the hallway. It wasn't until he heard the door behind him slam shut with a loud bang that he snapped out of his daze and regained his senses.

\n\n

"Wait a minute," said Director Xuan, who had been shrewd for half his life, his eyebrows raised in confusion. "Who am I? Where am I? What am I supposed to do... Did I forget my room key?" The hotel hallway surveillance camera was pointed directly at his door.

\n\n

Xuan Ji stared at the lens for a moment, but decided not to let it capture the scene of him transforming into a bird person. Instead, he used a mortal's method to solve the problem.

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Five minutes later, he arrived at the hotel lobby, thanked the staff for the disposable slippers they provided, and wrapped his bathrobe tightly around him. After verifying his identity at the front desk, they opened the door for him.

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Because his image was too rebellious, passersby had to take a second look at him. Luckily, Xuan Ji had thick skin. He borrowed a wet tissue from someone and wiped his face. He styled his hair into a avant-garde look and confidently showed off his new appearance.

\n\n

After getting his new room key and heading downstairs, he took the opportunity to stroll to the restaurant for breakfast.

\n\n

Ordinary dreams are easily forgotten upon waking up, often fading away in the time it takes to drink a glass of water. But the eerie dream that just occurred was etched into his mind like a series of vivid images.

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Xuan Ji had busied himself going up and down the hotel with all its floors and rooms, yet the dream only became clearer as time passed.

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't know if he was emotionally incomplete or just heartless...maybe it was because he was born and raised in a secluded mountain valley and sheltered from the outside world. Regardless, he didn't have many worries in life besides money. He rarely got caught up in any emotions, even after watching a heart-wrenching tragedy. Before the movie credits finished rolling, he had already detached himself from other people's emotions. This absurd dream he had was no different from a bad movie that made people "break character" in one second.

\n\n

But while he knew very well that it was all fake, the intense negative emotions in his dream were not dissipating, but rather becoming more and more persistent as time passed.

\n\n

It didn't feel like he was just a spectator in his dream, but rather like he had...reclaimed a part of his own dark memories.

\n\n

It was like a fishbone stuck in his throat, making even his meal tasteless.

\n\n

As the waiters poured coffee, Xuan Ji took the opportunity to analyze his strange dream. In the dream, he was kissing and biting Sheng Lingyuan, with love and hate intertwined - something Xuan Ji did not agree with.

\n\n

He believed that everything should be done in moderation, as too much love can turn bitter and lead to worry and eventually hatred. After all, isn't being together about happiness and sharing rent and utilities? There's no need for bitterness and deep hatred.

\n\n

The reason for this setup, Xuan Ji felt, might be some kind of psychological projection: on one hand, Sheng Lingyuan's appearance was quite coincidentally highly similar to the collection of figurines he had meticulously curated according to his aesthetic preferences, which inevitably stirred up some lustful thoughts. On the other hand, that old demon was sly and cunning, with an unclear stance, and had almost killed him several times.

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt that he had restrained himself from cursing in the streets and had already behaved like a civilized man, but it was only natural to have some negative emotions. The intertwining of desire and negative emotions resulted in a strange chemical reaction, which was not surprising.

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What puzzled him was what exactly the 'neon light' he had possessed was.

\n\n

This was a "lamp" that didn't burn oil or electricity, it was energy-saving and environmentally friendly, and it shone on its own.

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The guard ignored the neon light, and there wasn't even a dent in the bed he sat on.

\n\n

What kind of setup was this?

\n\n

Was it a ghost?

\n\n

But where do ghosts come from in this world?

\n\n

If "gods" are lies told by those in power, then "ghosts" are the pitiful illusions of desperate people who imagine that if they were to sacrifice everything and become vengeful ghosts, they could obtain abilities that were unattainable in life and seek justice for themselves.

\n\n

The Research Institute of the bureau had a detailed explanation for this topic. The so-called "spirits" and "souls" in folklore are actually a kind of life substance that spills out and aggregates outside the body under the influence of strong special abilities. In the legends of cultivation, there is a saying of "separating the primordial spirit from the body", which refers to this powerful life substance leaving the body.

\n\n

There are some special methods that can draw out this life substance, such as the "Heart-Piercing Grass Spell", which allowed the Sheng Lingyuan to move around in a puppet made of Heart-Penetrating Grass. "The soul" is not something that exists after a person dies. Its existence is based on the fact that the original body is still alive and strong enough to support this kind of life substance.

\n\n

As for those mortals who were not very healthy during their lifetime and could barely climb three floors without panting like a dog, they should not expect their useless flesh to decay and still have a "soul reincarnation". The "soul" probably died long before the central nervous system was damaged, even earlier than the flesh.

\n\n

If the 'neon light' in the dream is also this kind of 'soul', it doesn't make sense.

\n\n

Since it is a special life substance, ordinary people cannot see it with their naked eyes, but energy instruments can always scan it.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's eyes are even more powerful than the energy scanner of the Bureau, so why can't he see it?

\n\n

After pondering for a while, Xuan Ji couldn't figure out why he had set up this scenario.

\n\n

He thought it might just be for the convenience of being a rogue. As for the last midnight bell, Xuan Ji felt like he had heard it somewhere before, and it weighed heavily on his memory. He poked at a piece of smoked fish, but his appetite had disappeared. His tongue was a mix of sourness and bitterness, and the distant and lonely fragrance of incense from Sheng Lingyuan's body in his dream lingered in his mind.

\n\n

The perfectly smoked fish now tasted like wax in his mouth. The sounds around him seemed to be separated by a layer of something, like noisy and irrelevant background music. The restaurant had excellent lighting, with bright sunshine and a constant temperature of 26 degrees Celsius from the air conditioning.

\n\n

Suddenly, Xuan Ji shivered and looked down to find his fingers turning blue from the cold. It was as if a part of his body was still stuck in the snowy night of the Du Ling Palace three thousand years ago - freezing cold, with the warmth of the fireplace long gone, and the palace as cold as a morgue.

\n\n

Part of that dream had actually materialized!

\n\n

"Director Xuan!"

\n\n

With a clang, Xuan Ji's frozen hand failed to grasp the fork and it fell onto the porcelain plate.

\n\n

As he lifted his head, he met Wang Ze's gaze, which was tinged with suspicion and scrutiny.

\n\n

As soon as Wang Ze walked in, he spotted Xuan Ji in the corner. It was peak dining time and the restaurant was packed, but strangely, there wasn't a single person sitting in the seats around Xuan Ji. Even the waiters seemed unsure why they weren't directing customers to those seats.

\n\n

Wang Ze immediately sensed that something was off. Within a two-meter radius around Xuan Ji, there was a strange 'field' that repelled everything around it. This 'field' was made from powerful energy, similar to a barrier. Within the field, all rules were subject to the owner's will, including the small-scale time and space rules.

\n\n

After years of wandering around, Wang Ze had only seen a similar 'scene' in a sinister temple in the snow-capped mountains of Tibet. The temple worshipped a huge strange tree, with roots entwined around a 20-meter tiger bone fossil, possibly an ancient monster. The bone surface was like jade and had been worshipped by the ignorant followers of the cult for thousands of years, causing great harm.

\n\n

During that incident, the Wind God suffered heavy casualties, and almost the entire field team was wiped out. At that time, Wang Ze was still inexperienced and was rescued by the team leader at the time.

\n\n

But how could a person have the aura of such an evil god?

\n\n

This Xuan Ji, is he even thirty years old... what is his background?

\n\n

Wang Ze kept one hand in his pocket and cautiously stopped two meters away from Xuan Ji.

\n\n

"Are you okay? Why do you look so bad? Do you have a cold?"

\n\n

As soon as he heard his voice, Xuan Ji looked up and the mysterious 'field' surrounding him dissipated, as if it had just been Wang Ze's imagination.

\n\n

Xuan Ji had obvious dark circles under his eyes, and a large cloud of gloom still lingered in his eyes, making him look a bit dazed. Meanwhile, Wang Ze noticed the cutlery and chopsticks on the table, all of which had wilted and deformed within a radius of one meter around Xuan Ji, as if they had melted.

\n\n

Wang Ze's former boss was in the field of metallurgy, and he had seen powerful metallurgists cause slight deformations in nearby metal objects. But this was not even close to the level of melting gold and iron.

\n\n

Moreover, wasn't Xuan Ji supposed to be a lightning and fire user?

\n\n

Even if there was a mistake in the internal information, Gu Yuexi, who had the ability of perspective, had personally confirmed it!

\n\n

"I didn't... cough, didn't sleep well," Xuan Ji's voice was a bit hoarse. When he greeted Wang Ze, the rising tone at the end of his sentence had a forced and exaggerated feeling. "Good morning, Team Leader Wang."

\n\n

He glanced secretly at the table next to him and used his fingers to 'fix' the deformed metal utensils on his table. In the blink of an eye, the knife and fork became avant-garde art pieces, restored to their original state. Perhaps he thought the decorative carvings on the utensils were not very attractive, so he took the liberty of modifying some of them. After finishing, he wiped them clean with a napkin, adjusted his own state, and smiled at the shocked Wang Ze, "What do you think of my unique skill?"

\n\n

Wang Ze didn't hesitate to flatter him, "Impressive, truly impressive - Director, if I encounter a great disaster in the future and unfortunately have a partner, can I make an appointment with you for a set of gold betrothal gifts?"

\n\n

"My friend, you're overthinking things. We can't be so pessimistic about life. I don't believe such a human tragedy will happen," Xuan Ji promised cheerfully. "But if it does, I'll give you a discount on my processing fee and throw in a free mourning service!"

\n\n

Every special ability user has their own secrets. 'Listen more, watch more, and ask less' is the basic etiquette of special ability users.

\n\n

Wang Ze wasn't close enough to Xuan Ji to inquire about his doubts, so he could only sadly contemplate his own nonexistent love life while filling up his plate. Then, getting to the point, he said, "I've been looking for you since this morning."

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked, "Hmm? Why are you looking for me? Who caused trouble and needs me to clean up?"

\n\n

Wang Ze replied, "It's you."

\n\n

As he spoke, he dialed the number for Xiao Zheng and said, "I'll give him the phone in a moment." He then handed the phone to Xuan Ji and whispered in his ear, "Director Xuan, avoiding responsibility is both shameful and useless. You're in charge of handling the aftermath department, yet you lack the awareness to do so. Get ready to face Daddy Xiao's wrath."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was confused when he heard Xiao Zheng's explosive voice on the other end of the line, "If I ever believe your bullshit again, I'm a dog!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji held the phone away from his ear as Xiao Zheng continued to rant, "Woof woof woof! Father, calm down and have a 'calming' tea. What's wrong now?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng seethed with anger, "How dare you even ask!"

\n\n

It was a Monday morning, and the employees of each department were yawning as they clocked in at the office. Those who were out on business trips logged onto the company's internal network. At the same time, an email with a "top priority" label caught everyone's attention.

\n\n

Almost everyone who saw the email titled "Progress Report on the Investigation of the Illegal Use of Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly and Concealment of Casualty Numbers" was stunned. Since Bi Chunsheng's accident, the bureau had been tight-lipped about the matter, causing people to speculate and worry. This was the first official statement on the issue.

\n\n

The yawns were replaced with wide-eyed curiosity as even those who were on vacation were called in by their colleagues to read the document. Countless people, whether guilty or innocent, curious or anxious, clicked on the file with a sense of unease.

\n\n

As the electronic document unfolded, the witches' spell hidden in the watermark took effect. People saw flashes of red or white light before they could even locate the source. Those who saw the red light fell silently to the ground, becoming comatose on the spot.

\n\n

Among the sudden fainting people were mostly field agents from the core security department, including some high-ranking officials. The entire Bureau was in chaos, with at least a dozen branch offices across the country entering emergency mode.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng had thought that the spell given to him by Xuan Ji was just a "detection spell," which would leave a mark on anyone who had touched the forbidden butterflies. He impulsively sent it out without even informing Chief Huang, never imagining that it would cause such a huge commotion. The phones rang off the hook all morning.

\n\n

Director Xiao sprayed his frustration through the phone, his impressive lung capacity on full display: "Are you sick? Can't you give me a heads up? Can't you follow orders? Do you remember that you're a government employee getting paid?"

\n\n

Wang Ze was munching on two egg tarts on the side, and upon hearing this, he couldn't help but bow to Xuan Ji in admiration.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was completely confused, feeling like the weight of the world was on his shoulders and that his spinal discs were being crushed by this unfair blame.

\n\n

"No... let me explain..."

\n\n

Director Xiao demanded, "You better give me a written explanation! Your sword spirit even broke into my hospital room in the middle of the night, getting handsy! What are you guys trying to do?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: ...

\n","published_time":"2023-10-28T22:51:49.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":391,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":45,"chapter_title":"Chapter 45","content":"

After finally understanding the ins and outs from the furious Director Xiao, Xuan Ji couldn't help but sigh inwardly: "This old Xiao is truly the epitome of elite education. Although he has a temper worse than a pig or dog, he can still be upright when it matters."

\n\n

Although he only had a vague understanding of the witches' spell, he almost immediately understood Sheng Lingyuan's intentions: "Old Xiao, listen to me first. Don't respond or explain about anything yet..."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng retorted, "What nonsense! I don't even know what's going on. How can I respond?"

\n\n

"This Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly incident is something where the mastermind is deeply hidden, while we are out in the open. No one knows how long this has been going on, how deeply rooted it is in the organization, or who it may involve, right?" Xuan Ji knew that explaining was useless, so he silently took the blame for Sheng Lingyuan and casually pretended to be knowledgeable. "I knew you would do something impulsive like this. Have you ever thought about whether the principle of witchcraft has been officially recognized? Has it been accepted by everyone? I've never even heard of it. Can this thing be used as evidence in court?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng heard him still trying to argue and his tongue brewed a mouthful of fragrant air. "You mother--"

\n\n

"Watch your language, leader!" Xuan Ji quickly advised, "You're already bald, if you start jumping around like a madman, others will think you're going through menopause!"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng felt that he didn't need to go to bed early, as he was not far from an early death.

\n\n

"Think about it, if that curse can only leave a mark, what will you do next? Arrest everyone with a mark on their forehead? And if they deny it, what can you do? Plus, if you startle the snake while trying to catch the grass, and the other party has more people and is more powerful, what will you do if they betray you? How will you handle the situation?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng remained silent for a moment before responding calmly, "So, what do you suggest?"

\n\n

"Send another email later," Xuan Ji suggested with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Say that your hospital room was broken into by unknown individuals yesterday and your phone was stolen. The email they received contained a curse, and the department is currently organizing an emergency investigation. Warn everyone to be careful and then, under the guise of 'preventing infection,' isolate those who have fallen ill - meaning, separate and detain them. Do you understand what I mean? He broke into your room last night and wasn't caught on camera, but he definitely left some traces behind."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng suddenly realized and looked towards the burnt energy meter and laptop. "You mean, they'll investigate the so-called 'curse' openly, but secretly investigate those who are isolated and under scrutiny?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji grinned. "You're a genius, kid. I'll give you 101 points, not a point more, or you'll get too proud."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng retorted, "Get lost!"

\n\n

Wang Ze held a piece of cream cake and scraped off all the cream with his fork.

\n\n

Hearing this, he paused and looked at Xuan Ji for a moment.

\n\n

Then he opened his cheeks and stuffed the whole cake into his mouth, like a pensive pufferfish.

\n\n

"Since you've decided to investigate thoroughly, then let's investigate," Xuan Ji said slowly. "I suggest we split up from now on. You go back to headquarters in secret, and we'll stay here to wrap up things on this side of Dongchuan. So far, there are still many doubts about the second Yin Sacrifice ritual - after all, the first one by Bi Chunsheng used a thousand human sacrifices just to summon the first heavenly demon. Don't you think the fee for the second one is a bit low in comparison?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng paused for a moment and said cryptically, "We can trust the Wind God."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng had Wang Ze pass the phone, clearly said that he trusted them and was not intending to hide things from them.

\n\n

Xuan Ji looked up and smiled at Wang Ze, remembering the mysterious phone call in the park. He thought that the Wind God agents might not be so reliable, but he didn't argue and simply responded with a "got it."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng gave him a few more instructions before hanging up hastily, saying, "I'll settle accounts with you later regarding the matter with your sword spirit."

\n\n

Xuan Ji heard the busy tone on the other end of the phone and didn't know if he should laugh or cry.

\n\n

He thought to himself, 'I don't even know how to settle this 'sword spirit' account myself.'

\n\n

His thoughts suddenly shifted to Sheng Lingyuan - why did he go to Old Xiao's hospital room in the middle of the night?

\n\n

Was it because he had accidentally struck him with lightning and wanted to make amends by healing him?

\n\n

That couldn't be right. The old demon wouldn't have such a conscience.

\n\n

As he thought about it carefully, Xuan Ji suddenly felt a bit scared - the witches' spell he had given to Xiao Zheng was written by Sheng Lingyuan, who was proficient in such "curses". At the time, he didn't feel any danger and just gave it away. Now, looking back, he realized that he had acted a bit recklessly. He never expected that the emperor would actually use the curse to visit at night.

\n\n

If Xiao Zheng had not been honest and had chosen to secretly destroy the witchcraft curse the night before, what kind of "gift" would he have received? Would it still be a gentle and friendly "cleansing of the scriptures and marrow"?

\n\n

"The entire teams of Wind God One and Wind God Two are now in place and has just taken over the Dongchuan branch. Director Xiao instructed us to listen to you and investigate however you see fit..." Wang Ze lowered his voice and spoke up to this point, only to find that Xuan Ji's face suddenly became serious, and he couldn't help but become serious as well. "Director Xuan, what's wrong?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji carefully chose his words and said, "There is a dangerous person, especially dangerous, the kind that can kill you with just one mistake."

\n\n

Wang Ze asked, "Hmm, who?"

\n\n

"Never mind who," Xuan Ji waved his hand. "The problem now is, if there is such a person, but you always unconsciously look at him through a filter, often unintentionally ignoring his level of danger, forgetting to guard against him - Mr. Wang, have you heard of this kind of psychological attack?"

\n\n

Wang Ze paused for a moment and said, "Hmm, I have heard of it."

\n\n

Xuan Ji had just spoken casually and didn't expect to hear an answer, but Mr. Wind God was indeed knowledgeable. He sat up straight to listen.

\n\n

Wang Ze slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Love!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji said, "...Let's go, let's get to work."

\n\n

An hour later, Xuan Ji had gathered himself both physically and mentally, and arrived at the Dongchuan branch of the Bureau with Wang Ze.

\n\n

The aftermath department, along with Gu Yuexi and Zhang Zhao, were already waiting there. The special forces team of "Wind God" were interrogating the disciples of Master Yue De.

\n\n

"That's the so-called 'closed-door disciples' of Master Yue De," Gu Yuexi led Xuan Ji to a room outside the interrogation room.

\n\n

Through the one-way glass, they saw a middle-aged man with a Mediterranean appearance, dressed in luxurious clothing with a designer belt visible from fifty meters away. He wore a jade pendant the size of a child's fist around his neck, seemingly unafraid of the burden of wealth causing cervical spondylosis.

\n\n

"According to the testimony obtained by Director Xuan from the goat-bearded man in the witches' tomb, the suspect... and victim, Ji Qingchen, had contact with him," Zhang Zhao said.

\n\n

After accidentally coming into contact with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly on the black market, Ji Qingchen couldn't stop himself. When he ran out of butterfly eggs, he tried every means possible to get more. It was said that he used a beauty trap to get the address of the witches' tomb from Master Yue De's disciple, who was notoriously snobbish towards ordinary people.

\n\n

Xuan Ji leaned forward a bit and asked, "Ordinary people?"

\n\n

"Yes, Yue De Sect's disciples always look down on ordinary people," Zhang Zhao said. "Those particularly talented disciples act like half-immortals and don't usually interact with ordinary people. If it weren't for this disciple also being an ordinary person, how could Ji Qingchen have established a relationship with him?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked, "Why did Master Yue De accept an ordinary person as his disciple? What's his background?"

\n\n

"Let me tell you a story," said Zhang Zhao. "It is said that this guy was once an entrepreneur who made his fortune through smuggling and avoiding getting caught. Later on, he went legit and started his own foreign trade company. He was successful in his youth, but as he aged, he became obsessed with superstitions. With his wealth and connections, he accidentally stumbled upon the real deal and spent a fortune to be introduced to Master Yue De. The master, being full of mortal needs and seeing this God of Wealth descend from the sky, gladly accepted him as a disciple. He didn't have much use for him, except to spend money on behalf of the master and his fellow disciples."

\n\n

Xuan Ji immediately understood - this was what they called a "closed-door disciple," or in other words, a sucker.

\n\n

The sucker in the interrogation room vehemently denied everything. "What forbidden place? I've never even heard of it, officer..."

\n\n

"We're not officers."

\n\n

"Comrade government officials," the sucker immediately changed his tone, speaking loudly. He wiped the oil off his forehead and said, "My master said that I haven't even started my cultivation yet. I haven't even learned how to draw symbols or perform rituals. Even if there is a forbidden area, it's not my turn to go. Don't you need to reach a certain level of cultivation to participate in these sect secrets?"

\n\n

Zhang Zhao rubbed his chin and said, "You make a good point, but unfortunately..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji followed his gaze and saw a special device set up outside the interrogation room. It had a display screen connected to it, and several spiritual-type special agents were operating it. Spiritual-type abilities were truly a powerful tool for interrogation. Every image in the sucker's mind was presented on the screen in vivid detail.

\n\n

He claimed he had never heard of the forbidden area in the sect, but in his mind, he recalled a scene where he treated other disciples of the Yue De Sect to a meal at a high-end club. After three rounds of drinks, a group of drunken "masters" surrounded him and bragged about the forbidden area.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi picked up the walkie-talkie and asked, "Ask him about Ji Qingchen."

\n\n

In the interrogation room, the Wind God team's spiritual-type ability user was particularly good at following the team leader's instructions.

\n\n

He took out a photo of Ji Qingchen and asked the sucker, "Do you know this person?"

\n\n

As the sucker approached, he examined for a moment and said, "Hmm... seems familiar... Oh! I remember now, this is a wandering cultivator who traveled to Dongchuan. Ah, these wandering cultivators have no sect or clan, they are helpless and pitiful. He came to me through someone else, probably because he heard that I had joined a great master's sect and wanted to benefit from my resources. This person is quite unscrupulous, I don't like him at all. He's slick-tongued and even brought a little girl with him to dinner once... Tsk, what does he take me for!"

\n\n

Wang Ze and Xuan Ji exchanged a glance - the lady in the plan that Mountain Goat Hu had confessed to was this little girl.

\n\n

Their testimony matched up.

\n\n

"What's the background of that little girl?"

\n\n

"I don't know," the sucker shook his head as if he knew nothing, "no matter how pretty she is, she's just an ordinary person. Why would I bother asking about her?"

\n\n

"Try to recall and tell us about this person's characteristics."

\n\n

"Um...quite young, not very tall, with a melon seed face..." The sucker followed the instructions and turned his eyes, trying hard to recall.

\n\n

Because the impression was not deep enough, he had to think hard, but the images in his mind were not quite right.

\n\n

"My goodness," Wang Ze turned around and covered Zhang Zhao's eyes, "It's '21 and over', don't look!"

\n\n

Zhang Zhao protested angrily, "I'm already 23!"

\n\n

The sucker's brain had become a small porn film projector. After a mosaic, he didn't even know what he had said. At this moment, the female lead in the picture raised her head. She had a pair of fox eyes, not big, but seductive, with a flower pattern on her forehead, which just decorated her slightly wide forehead, making her look more enchanting.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi and Wang Ze almost spoke at the same time.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi exclaimed, "Wait a minute, I think I've seen this person on a wanted poster before, with a tattoo on their forehead..."

\n\n

Wang Ze cut her off decisively, "It's Hua Hu."

\n\n

"I'm not just loafing around and using public funds for travel every day because it's my duty," Wang Ze leaned in closer to the screen, "The ones with the highest bounties are my 'old friends', and this woman...if I remember correctly, her code name is 'Hua Hu', from the 'True Nature Sect'."

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked, "What's that?"

\n\n

"The True Nature Sect," Yang Chao whispered like he was reciting a book next to him, "is an anti-social organization made up of people with special abilities. They believe that those with special abilities are superior to ordinary people and should rule over them. It's a crime for those with special abilities to marry ordinary people...they're just a bunch of extreme racists."

\n\n

"The Wind God team has been tracking these brothers for many years," Wang Ze took over the conversation, "The True Nature Sect believes that ordinary people should be treated like pigs, dogs, cows, and sheep. The 'human skin coat' incident that caused a stir a few years ago was done by this group of people. This woman is one of the main culprits, a spiritual-type ability user, and has been on the run."

\n\n

Zhang Zhao scratched his head, "So what's the situation? An ignorant ordinary person used a wanted criminal as a 'beauty trap' prop, and tricked another ignorant ordinary person into revealing the location of the witches' tomb?"

\n\n

"So the question is, who is the mastermind behind digging up the witches' tomb and writing the Yin Sacrifice ritual?" Xuan Ji pinched a cigarette and squinted, "Who was the person who sold the butterfly to Ji Qingchen for the first time? What role did the 'True Nature Sect' that you mentioned play in all of this?"

\n\n

Wang Ze stood up straight and said, "We'll have to ask the black market in Dongchuan."

\n\n

The special agents of the Wind God filed out, and at the same time, a dark cloud appeared out of nowhere, blocking out the sun.

\n\n

The meteorological station in Dongchuan was facing an unprecedented crisis.

\n\n

Just as the morning news had reminded everyone to "be careful of sunburn," the sky over the city suddenly became like a typhoon was approaching. In the blink of an eye, dark clouds covered the sky, and the sound of wind and thunder continuously pounded the ground, as if an ancient dragon was disturbed and raised its head in anger and vigilance, emitting a deep roar.

\n\n

The instigator of this thunderstorm was Sheng Lingyuan, who was currently on the top of the tallest building in Dongchuan City - the Financial Center Building.

\n\n

He looked up at the sky and saw thunderclouds gathering above him, watching him with a fierce gaze. If he stepped out of line even a little bit, they were ready to strike him down.

\n\n

The first time he killed Bi Chunsheng in Chiyuan, not only did he suffer from the backlash of of the Yin Sacrifice ritual, but he also attracted eighty-one heavenly thunders that obliterated his thousand-year-old spirit jade body.

\n\n

The second time he fought with Aluojin outside Dongchuan City, he only used a little bit of power to suppress the demon, but before Aluojin could be executed, the thunder punishment eagerly struck him first. Sheng Lingyuan knew that the world did not tolerate him, and the entire world was his shackle. If he acted recklessly, he would suffer the consequences.

\n\n

He tilted his head slightly and did not immediately retract his divine sense. Glancing at the lightning rod on the rooftop, he decided to take advantage of this "artifact" to explore the bottom line of the heavenly path. Thick black mist gathered in his palm, almost engulfing the rooftop. Within the mist, characters of witchcraft surged and grew larger as they rose into the air.

\n\n

Suddenly, Sheng Lingyuan flipped his palm, and the mist, containing countless witchcraft spells, was pressed down from the highest point towards the ground. In an instant, it covered the entire city of Dongchuan. At the same time, a "crack" like a silver bottle breaking sounded in his ear.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had already moved three yards away - the lightning protection system of the building had overloaded, and the spot where he had just stood was now charred, with small electric arcs still hissing in the air.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan turned his head and glanced at the charred rooftop. He probably understood that the power he was allowed to use by the heavens was only about one-tenth or one-twelfth, and perhaps not even as good as any demon warrior from years ago.

\n\n

For three thousand years, Chiyuan had been sealed, and the spiritual and demonic energies in this world had become equally scarce. The heavens had formed new rules, not allowing excessively powerful external forces to intervene.

\n\n

Heavenly demons could only be considered half-demons, and they could still escape the heaven's grasp. But he...

\n\n

In the next moment, the enraged Nine Heavens Thunder chased after him, striking him relentlessly. Sheng Lingyuan's figure was as fast as lightning, taking advantage of the lightning rod on top of the building that had attracted most of the thunder's firepower.

\n\n

He quickly suppressed his aura and chased after the witchcraft spells. The incantations, shrouded in black mist, wrapped around the power grid and city pipes, cutting through the wind and crowds like a living thing, searching for those who still carried the remnants of the butterfly aura. As the master of the spell, Sheng Lingyuan could clearly feel all the witchcraft of the witch people converging in two directions.

\n\n

One of them was the location of the "Qingping Division" branch, where the descendants of the "Qingping Division" had probably caught the thieves who dared to occupy the witch people's tomb. Although these descendants had mixed bloodlines and low cultivation, they were still capable, and Sheng Lingyuan glanced at them before retracting his gaze.

\n\n

The other location's aura was much more complex and somewhat suffocating. Sheng Lingyuan rushed through the streets of Dongchuan like a gust of wind, arriving at his destination. He looked up at the "Dongchuan Vegetable Market" overhead and then down at a lobster that had escaped and was strutting around with small steps.

\n\n

He hesitated and stopped in his tracks.

\n\n

The "Dongchuan Vegetable Market" covered an area of 3,000 acres, spanning two subway stations. It boasted a wide variety of fresh seafood and meat, as well as dairy and vegetable products. It even broke the Guinness World Record for the number of food types available and became a unique tourist attraction.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan arrived in the early morning, and the purchasing staff of various restaurants and nearby residents looking for fresh vegetables were all wandering around inside. The steam from the early morning food stalls outside the market was billowing like a steamboat, and white-collar workers passing by were yawning in line.

\n\n

Once again, this ancient person was engulfed in the hustle and bustle of modern city life.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan used a trick to temporarily hide his figure and carefully avoided four or five citizens who were about to bump into him. Finally, he couldn't help but frown. The smell in the market was too mixed - the smell of strangers, the stench of animal blood and meat, seafood, and the rotting smell of uncleared garbage. It was all covered up, almost masking the curse's breath. No wonder those with evil intentions would choose to gather here.

\n\n

He looked up to the east, thinking about summoning a gust of wind to clear the air when suddenly he caught sight of a man getting out of a "taxi" from the corner of his eye. The man was tall with slightly long hair casually tied back, his face sharp and angular. His deep-set eyes were piercingly bright, and his unshaven face gave him a rugged, dusty look. Around his neck hung a small piece of metal, no bigger than a fingernail.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan noticed him because he emitted a rare aura of cultivation. Among the younger generation in this world, Sheng Lingyuan had only felt this aura from two people: a little demon who called himself "Xuan Ji," and this man, who could be considered a human.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was a pure demon with no trace of humanity, but this man... could be said to be mostly human.

\n\n

Just as Sheng Lingyuan was sizing up the man, the man suddenly lifted his head with extreme sensitivity and accurately looked in his direction.

\n","published_time":"2023-11-05T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-11-05T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":399,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":46,"chapter_title":"Chapter 46","content":"

Sheng Lingyuan remained motionless, tilting his head to look at the carefree man who had walked up to him, stopping just within arm's reach.

\n\n

The man calmly surveyed everyone around him before taking off his wristwatch - on the back of which was a hidden ancient brass compass.

\n\n

The compass pointer slowly moved and pointed towards Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

Just as it was about to stop, Sheng Lingyuan raised an eyebrow and the compass seemed to suddenly become frightened, its pointer spinning wildly like a mini fan in a burst of survival instinct.

\n\n

The man seemed surprised by the compass's reaction, as if he had never seen anything like it before. He looked slightly puzzled when someone nearby called out in a low voice, "Mr. Nian, good morning."

\n\n

As Mr. Nian turned around, he saw a person behind him wearing a large sun hat, lifting the brim to reveal a pair of fox-like eyes and a crimson tattoo on her forehead.

\n\n

She was not particularly beautiful, but her eyes had a seductive quality. With a smile, she released a burst of charm towards Mr. Nian.

\n\n

However, Mr. Nian was not interested in her advances. He coldly put his watch back on and turned around without a word, walking towards the vegetable market.

\n\n

The woman didn't mind and followed him step by step, emitting a strange fragrance that passed by Sheng Lingyuan's nose.

\n\n

"Fox clan?" Sheng Lingyuan whispered to himself as he looked at the two people, his gaze falling on the woman's back.

\n\n

She was clearly of the same ancestry as the people in "Qingping Division," but her blood had been diluted to the point where her body was no different from that of a mortal. However, the demonic energy emanating from her was surprisingly strong, and even from five or six steps away, the fox-like aura surrounding her made Sheng Lingyuan feel a bit of a headache.

\n\n

Her demonic energy and physique were not in sync. Either she was possessing someone, or... she had used some forbidden technique to refine her own demonic blood.

\n\n

For three thousand years, the human race had ruled the world, yet there were still people who chose to turn towards the animal side instead of embracing their humanity?

\n\n

With these two leading the way, the emperor was spared a lot of effort.

\n\n

Mr. Nian and the vixen walked through the various stalls and headed straight to a garbage dump south of the market. The market itself already had a strong and pungent smell, but this place was like a toxic center. The people handling the garbage hurriedly went around it as much as possible.

\n\n

"Even though we have the blood of gods and demons flowing through our veins, we are forced to live like this...what a world."

\n\n

The female fox sighed softly and stood in front of a trash can at the very back. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a key with a silver card about half an inch square on the keychain. She waved it in front of an inconspicuous hole on the trash can, and a red light shot out.

\n\n

With a "click," a manhole cover suddenly slid open to the side, revealing a set of stone steps below. The smell of decay and faint voices emanated from inside.

\n\n

"After you, sir?"

\n\n

The gentleman didn't hesitate and lifted the hem of his long coat, confidently leading the way down the stairs. Through a flight of stairs, they arrived at an underground tunnel. The tunnel was winding with several doors, and as they entered, the stench of the garbage dump was completely blocked out. A few clusters of incense were burning, emitting a cool and refreshing fragrance.

\n\n

Surprisingly, this underground world was quite spacious, covering an area of about ten acres. There were several narrow paths for people to pass through, with small stalls and compartments on both sides, just like the layout of a ground-level market.

\n\n

The underground market was only sparsely lit by night lights, illuminating the goods on the stalls. Both buyers and sellers were hidden in the darkness, only revealing their outlines, like a group of sinister and mysterious creatures.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan scanned the area with his eyes. The closest stall to him was selling poorly crafted jade and silver items that still reeked of death, likely just dug up from a grave. Further ahead was a stall selling blood, with bottles and jars labeled "fake ones will be compensated tenfold, 100% virgin blood of boys and girls." Behind the stall were two wooden figurines with needle-filled arms, their poorly crafted expressions resembling a pair of little ghosts demanding the lives of their customers.

\n\n

Mr. Nian and the female fox walked straight to the corner of a small booth, not looking around.

\n\n

They stopped in front of it and a hoarse voice from inside asked, "Who's there?"

\n\n

The female fox laughed and made a strange sound with her mouth.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan narrowed his eyes slightly - it was the official language of the demon clan from three thousand years ago.

\n\n

But the fox's imitation was stiff and awkward. The human vocal range was limited, and many of the sounds in the language of the demon race were impossible for them to produce, let alone hear. Despite her strong demonic aura, the vixen was still in human form and her attempt at speaking demon language was off-key. Sheng Lingyuan could barely make out the words "true god" and a few numbers.

\n\n

As soon as she finished speaking, the wooden door of the adjacent room creaked open.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan silently chuckled - the witch's spells that had been hidden by the bustling market suddenly became apparent. There was more than one person in the room who had encountered the human-faced butterfly.

\n\n

It was all too easy to find them here.

\n\n

The door of the small room was covered in layers of soundproof and light-avoiding talismans, with a line of blood-red characters written on it: "Those who come uninvited will die."

\n\n

In the room, right in front of the door, there was a table with a strange beast statue on it - a dragon head, bird wings, snake body, and tiger tail, with its mouth open as if ready to devour someone. The one who opened the door was an old man with shifty eyes and a thieving look.

\n\n

He peeked at the two and said, "Kneel down and come in."

\n\n

The vixen didn't hesitate and knelt down, giving a few loud knocks to the "beast statue" on the table.

\n\n

She almost crawled into the room in a prostrate position. The faint light coming from the room illuminated the doorway, revealing two rows of small spiders on the door frame, each no more than half an inch in size, motionless and clinging there. At first glance, they looked like decorative carvings. The doorway was covered in spider webs, shimmering with an ominous blue light. The spiders were probably a poisonous substance that could kill with a single bite.

\n\n

Only a space as big as a dog hole was left at the very bottom for people to pass through. Anyone entering or leaving this door must bow and crawl on their knees.

\n\n

Mr. Nian paused subtly, waiting until the person opening the door had looked at him before taking off his coat and neatly folding it at the entrance. He then removed the metal piece from around his neck and tucked it into his shirt pocket before bowing and kneeling to enter the room. It was unclear how he managed to kneel so gracefully, even with his back straight and without any hint of fear or reverence towards the "god" on the altar.

\n\n

The old man who opened the door was not pleased with Mr. Nian's posture and let out a cold snort before slamming the door shut as soon as he entered.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan strolled over with interest and noticed the door was engraved with ominous patterns.

\n\n

"Ah, it's a Necrotic Curse."

\n\n

The so-called "Necrotic Curse" is actually a very ancient anti-tomb robbery formation. Once the formation is formed, the door can only be opened from the inside, otherwise it will be eroded by the Necrotic Curse. It seems that someone has been taking turns to guard inside since the day it was built.

\n\n

However, Sheng Lingyuan just laughed and arrogantly ignored the Necrotic Curse. He pushed the door open a little bit and squeezed in.

\n\n

As soon as he touched the door, a knife wound suddenly appeared on his neck, and in an instant, his head was separated from his body!

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't flinch, as if he didn't feel any pain. In the next moment, black mist emerged from the seams of his bones, blocking the blood that hadn't had a chance to spurt out. The mist seamlessly sealed the wound. As for the deadly spider silk at the door, it was no match for the toxicity of the black mist on his body. The spider web was corroded to nothingness upon contact with the mist, leaving two rows of spiders stunned and motionless on the door frame.

\n\n

Having his head chopped off and then reattached seemed like a mere triviality to Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

In a flash, his illusionary technique remained completely unaffected. To those inside the room, it appeared as if the door had not been closed tightly and was merely blown open by the wind, leaving a small gap. Inside the room, besides the vixen and Mr. Nian, there were three or four other people.

\n\n

The autumn air was chilly and damp, and these individuals were all wrapped in tattered cloaks. Without any tables or chairs, they knelt on the ground around the altar just like the vixen. Although they were all human, they emitted a strong demonic aura.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan wiped away the remaining blood on his neck and looked at the "deity" on the altar, suddenly revealing a strange expression. This seemingly mixed-up creature was actually an old acquaintance from his past life - the demon king Jiu Xun, who was his archenemy during the great battle of the Nine Provinces.

\n\n

A group of people awkwardly imitated the language of the demon race and worshipped the ancient demon king who had been dead for three thousand years... What was wrong with them?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan absentmindedly licked the blood off his fingers and glanced at the several people beside the altar.

\n\n

If it were three thousand years ago, these individuals would have been executed and their families wiped out. The vixen stood up and closed the door she had just opened. A sudden chill ran down her back as she looked around, but she couldn't see anything unusual.

\n\n

She couldn't help but complain, "Couldn't you prepare some warmers for your guests? It's so cold in here."

\n\n

The old man who had opened the door for them earlier replied in a hoarse voice, "You're leaving Dongchuan soon anyway, so just make do."

\n\n

The vixen knelt down at the altar and said, "I miscalculated. I thought that with the appearance of the heavenly demon, Dongchuan would fall into our hands. Who knew that the traitors from the Bureau would bring in outside help and burn the demon summoned by the Yin Sacrifice ritual without even breaking a sweat? I mean, did the ritual go wrong? Are they really heavenly demons if they're that weak?"

\n\n

One of the cloaked figures by the altar replied, "The offerings and rituals for each Yin Sacrifice ritual were vastly different. After all, this practice has been lost for thousands of years. Although we received a 'divine oracle' and reconstructed the ritual, there may still be discrepancies in our understanding and execution. Moreover, the demon we are summoning this time is said to be a chief from an ancient clan called the 'Witch Clan,' who turned into a demon after his tribe was wiped out. He didn't accomplish much in his life and died unjustly at a young age, so his combat abilities may not be strong.

\n\n

"Additionally, the sacrificial offering and the summoned demon should come from the same source, but since the Witch Clan has been wiped out, we can only use a subpar product marked with the 'Butterfly Curse' as a substitute. It may not be a successful ceremony, but we can consider it as a learning experience. We'll definitely do better next time...right, Mr. Nian?"

\n\n

Mr. Nian didn't kneel, nor did he bother to exchange pleasantries with the people in the room. He stood stiffly in the corner, listening intently.

\n\n

When he heard enough, he didn't bother with small talk and simply extended his hand, demanding, "Enough with the chit-chat, I'm here for the goods. Have you brought them?"

\n\n

The cloaked figures stared at him with a mixture of scrutiny and malice.

\n\n

One of them spoke up in a sharp tone, "Well, well, well, look who we have here! A high-class gentleman like you shouldn't be mingling with us rats. So why are you holding your nose and crawling through the sewers?"

\n\n

Mr. Nian's dark gaze fell upon the provocateur, and the atmosphere grew even more hostile.

\n\n

The cloaked figure stood up and approached him, spitting out fiercely, "Listen here, gentleman. You better get your head straight. Right now, you're the one who needs us. So who do you think you're trying to intimidate?"

\n\n

As he spoke, two other daggers at his waist suddenly jumped up. The blades twisted and turned, elongating like two tongues, wrapping around the cloaked figure's own neck. The sharp edge pressed against his jugular vein, and before the cloaked figure could take another breath, the blade had already cut through his skin.

\n\n

He panicked and held his breath.

\n\n

Mr. Nian remained calm, slowing down his speech and repeating, "I said, did you bring the thing?"

\n\n

The room fell silent, and one of the cloaked figures quickly pulled out a small pottery box from his body and pushed it two meters away to Mr. Nian's feet.

\n\n

Mr. Nian bent down to pick it up. He opened it and glanced inside, nodding without hesitation. "Thank you."

\n\n

The vixen quickly put on a smile and said, "Mr. Nian, we are all on the same side. If our brother misspoke, please forgive him..."

\n\n

Mr. Nian's gaze swept over her like a sharp blade, freezing the smile on the vixen's face. Without a word, he turned and opened the door, walking out.

\n\n

A few cloaked figures jumped up in a panic, carefully holding the blade and freeing the unlucky guy who was entangled by the "knife snake".

\n\n

One of the cloaked figures muttered under his breath, afraid that Mr. Nian hadn't gone far, "This damn dog! If it weren't for the fact that the sacrificial offering of the Yin Sacrifice ritual and the summoned demon need to be of the same origin, we wouldn't need him. He won't be able to walk out of here today if it weren't for that. Hua Hu, what are you still looking at? Haven't you seen a man before? Can't take your eyes off him this dog person?"

\n\n

"No..." The vixen, Hua Hu, said in a daze, "Did he just...walk out standing up?"

\n\n

As she spoke, she carefully opened the door and looked towards the entrance, "Where's the spider web?"

\n\n

In a corner of the room, Sheng Lingyuan watched coldly with a smirk on his face.

\n\n

Just as his concealment spell expired, his figure slowly emerged from the darkness.

\n\n

But before he could step out of the shadows, he suddenly felt something and paused, looking down at the ground.

\n\n

The next moment, a deafening alarm sounded from the underground secret chamber beneath the market - dozens of undercover Wind God special forces had raided the market, surrounding the area where the Dongchuan underground black market was located, based on the addresses provided by the illegal henchmen of Master Yue De.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was a regular at the market and felt right at home there. He casually took a drag on his cigarette and strolled past the various stalls, checking out the prices.

\n\n

He let out a puff of smoke and remarked, "Prices here are lower than in Yong'an. If only I had known earlier, I would have stayed in the south. Sure, there's no heating, but it's still better than having any other problems."

\n\n

Wang Ze couldn't help but glance at him.

\n\n

Although Wang Ze usually appeared indifferent, he was actually a careful person. He had noticed early on that Xuan Ji didn't smell like smoke. When arranging accommodations, he had asked if Xuan Ji wanted a smoking room, to which he had replied with a nonchalant "either is fine."

\n\n

Even when on business trips, Xuan Ji didn't have the habit of bringing enough cigarettes with him. The pack he had on him was one that Wang Ze had seen him buy downstairs at the hotel.

\n\n

All in all, Wang Ze felt that Xuan Ji belonged to the type of "social smoker" who would strike a pose but didn't have an addiction. He would follow along and smoke just to fit in with others, but in a smoke-free environment, he didn't need that one puff to satisfy his craving.

\n\n

But today, the journey from Dongchuan branch to the black market scene took less than forty minutes, and he had already smoked three cigarettes. People who don't have a serious addiction to smoking shouldn't be smoking at this frequency.

\n\n

Wang Ze couldn't help but feel that Xuan Ji's aura was much more melancholic than when they first met a few days ago. Although his style of dealing with people hadn't changed, his gaze was subtly different, and Wang Ze didn't know how to describe it. He just felt that a few days ago, Xuan Ji gave the impression that his attention was always "outside," his gaze following the wind, even if he was silent, he was still observing something with interest.

\n\n

But recently - especially today - Xuan Ji's outward attention seemed to suddenly turn inward, as if he had something on his mind, and that pensive look gave him a sense of detachment that he couldn't quite put into words.

\n\n

Wang Ze half-jokingly probed, "Director Xuan, you've been smoking a lot these past few days."

\n\n

Xuan Ji vaguely exhaled smoke and his eyelids drooped. "Pressure is like a father's love...the mountain is so big. I used to do well in small businesses with ordinary people. Why did I have to think outside the box and come to the Bureau? I've only been working for less than a month and I'm working more overtime than I have in the past six months. I'm almost mentally exhausted...oh, has your second team leader already taken her place in the sky? The X-ray vision is really convenient."

\n\n

Dealing with the underground world, X-ray vision is like a human scanner. At this moment, Gu Yuexi was flying above them on a plane, implementing strict 'security measures' on the Dongchuan vegetable market. She saw through layers of disguide on the structure of the black market underground and quickly drew a map to pass on to her colleagues on the ground.

\n\n

With a single gesture from Wang Ze, the Wind God agents darted off in all directions like schools of fish. In less than three minutes, the vanguard members of the Wind God team had placed their special explosive equipment on the focal points of various exits in the black market. After a countdown of three, four or five focal points simultaneously exploded. The light and sound of the explosions were all contained within the barrier, and the unsuspecting people in the vegetable market were completely unaware.

\n\n

Only the water in the fish market trembled slightly for a moment, and all the live fish instantly gathered in the direction away from the explosion. A fishmonger scooped up an empty net and blinked in confusion.

\n\n

With a loud explosion, the alarm bells in the underground black market went off, startling all kinds of demons and monsters hidden in the darkness. After coming to their senses, they all scurried away in a panic.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan clicked his tongue in annoyance, not bothering to compete with the descendants of the "Qingping Division" to catch these criminals. He calmly retracted his hand and cast another illusion on himself before leaving with the frightened female fox.

\n\n

The special agents of the Wind God illuminated the underground black market, their lights passing through Sheng Lingyuan's body without any deviation. As soon as he emerged from the small compartment, he saw Mr. Nian - his body covered in a layer of metal, like a quiet bronze statue standing at the street corner, his breath as still as a dead object.

\n\n

The Wind God's field agent who came to raid was actually fooled. He thought the "bronze statue" was just a decoration and moved it out as an unimportant contraband, placing it among the pile of blood-filled jars from the 'fake ones will be compensated tenfold' stall. This happened to be when Wang Ze and Xuan Ji were not around.

\n\n

While the Wind God's field agent was turning his back to guard the contraband, Mr. Nian quickly peeled off the metal skin on his body.

\n\n

The metal turned into a steel knife and flew back into his boot in the blink of an eye.

\n\n

Suddenly, the pile of odds and ends was missing a bronze statue.

\n\n

Mr. Nian blended into the crowd, putting on his coat and pulling out a pair of sunglasses from his pocket.

\n\n

He calmly walked away from the Wind God's encirclement.

\n","published_time":"2023-11-12T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-11-12T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":407,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":47,"chapter_title":"Chapter 47","content":"

In the sky, Gu Yuexi held up her telescope and provided real-time guidance to her colleagues below: "There are three...four people hiding in a secret room near the southwest exit...yes, about two or three meters from the exit, with wooden boards? Okay, be careful of the ambush. Leader Wang, I may have spotted the hideout of the True Nature members. They worship a strange dragon-headed beast statue, right? It's on the road in the middle of the underground black market, on your right, second compartment from the south. Don't touch the door with an unknown spell formation. The people are all inside and may be fearless...Hua Hu is also there, I saw her."

\n\n

Wang Ze and Xuan Ji pushed through the crowd and walked up to the small compartment.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao shouted at the people inside, "Listen up, you lawless criminals! You are surrounded. Drop your weapons and don't resist. Confess and you may receive leniency. Oh, my voice isn't loud enough. I need to borrow a megaphone from the police station next door."

\n\n

From a distance, Wang Ze could sense an uncomfortable aura emanating from the door of the room. Worried that Zhang Zhao might go too far, he quickly approached and grabbed him by the neck, throwing him back.

\n\n

"You can forget about borrowing anything. Go away, you brat. Director Xuan, come take a look. What is this on the door? It looks like an ancient formation, at least from the Qingping Dividion's era."

\n\n

"Necrotic Curse." Xuan Ji calmly opened the 'Thousand Demon Bestiary' in his left eye, which had a detailed record of this thing. "This door can only be opened from the inside, otherwise the opener will die. It's a 'rule-type magic array'. These spiders on the door are called 'marrow spiders', and their venomous webs are very toxic. If you touch them, you'll have to amputate your limbs. If you provoke them, they'll even spray venom... But it doesn't matter. It seems that these two rows of spiders guarding the door have already kicked the bucket."

\n\n

As soon as he finished speaking, a coquettish laughter came from the next room: "Oh, the sound of a handsome guy. Men who are knowledgeable and experienced are the most charming - haha, listen up, the people surrounding us, we won't open the door even if you sing 'Little Bunny Foo Foo'. If you have the guts, come in."

\n\n

Xuan Ji utilized his skills and tried to persuade them with a friendly tone, "Your code name is 'Hua Hu,' right? Miss Hua Hu, we can't get in, and you can't get out. Being locked up in this underground cell is no different from being in prison. Why don't you and your companions come with us to our branch office? The conditions there are much better, and you'll even get three free meals a day."

\n\n

Gu Yuexi's voice came through the earpiece, "Director Xuan, there's a 'Spatial Teleportation Array' in their room."

\n\n

The 'Spatial Teleportation Array' was a miraculous yet flawed existence that always appeared in pairs. One array was located in point A, and the other in point B. People and objects could travel between the two points through the array.

\n\n

However, the downside is that this thing is completely different from the 'quantum transmission' in science fiction movies. The transmission process is extremely long, with a speed of about 20 kilometers per hour, and consumes huge amounts of energy - a trip to the suburbs could drain the person who activated the array.

\n\n

If the person who activated the array doesn't have enough ability, the people inside may get stuck in the middle of the teleportation process.

\n\n

In summary, whether from a safety or economic perspective, it is still more practical to use a shared bicycle on the roadside. Therefore, it is very niche and rarely used by people.

\n\n

Only some fugitives who are ready to run away at any time will keep it on hand.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi: "The spatial teleportation array has started to activate, and it will probably take five minutes to prepare. Everyone, they are delaying time."

\n\n

Xuan Ji nodded lightly to show his understanding. Then, he spoke in a gentle tone, "Miss Hua Hu, I suggest you consider coming out. Don't think too long, as this damp place can cause eczema if you stay too long. How about this, I'll count down for you - ten..."

\n\n

Hua Hu leaned against the door, watching her companions activate the formation, and laughed confidently, "Little brother, what do you want to do to us?"

\n\n

Before she could finish her sentence, a bright white light suddenly flashed before her eyes, and the door, which was covered in the Necrotic Curse, was already on fire.

\n\n

Although the door was clearly fireproof, the almost white flames seemed to have some kind of evil power, burning everything and ignoring everything. In an instant, the flames passed through the door and engulfed Hua Hu, and they couldn't be extinguished!

\n\n

The sudden move stunned the Wind God agents on duty outside.

\n\n

They all stepped back in unison, while Zhang Zhao stared at Xuan Ji in shock and asked, "You... didn't you say there were only ten seconds left?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji casually tossed his cigarette butt into the fire and replied, "Yes, after ten seconds, they should have been roasted. That's why I urged them to come out quickly... Ah, they really came out. Good job."

\n\n

The Wind God agents shuddered at his words.

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, the door covered the Necrotic Curse was burned to pieces.

\n\n

Hua Hu covered her face as she rolled out like a fireball, howling and writhing on the ground. The scorching heat was so intense that every Wind God agent within three steps felt a burning sensation.

\n\n

However, they soon realized that the fire did not spread, but only targeted the small compartment and the people inside with precision.

\n\n

Hua Hu screamed and rolled to Xuan Ji's feet, "Help! Help! Please..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji snapped his fingers, and the flames on the cabin and the suspects disappeared instantly. If it weren't for the burns on their bodies, it would seem like the fire never existed.

\n\n

Wang Ze's gaze slid over Xuan Ji without a word, and his suspicion deepened.

\n\n

When they were being chased by Aluojin in the forest park, Xuan Ji's control over fire was not so effortless. He was afraid of setting the forest on fire and even took the time to empty the car's water tank!

\n\n

It's only been a few days, even if he secretly took eight crash courses in proficiency, it wouldn't be this fast... So did Xuan Ji hide his abilities back then?

\n\n

But... he hides his abilities when it's a matter of life and death, but shows off when there's no danger?

\n\n

What's wrong with him?

\n\n

The Wind God's field agents quickly moved forward and arrested the suspects. Gu Yuexi, who was monitoring the situation from above, didn't think too much about it. When she saw the main culprit being caught, she breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to retract her X-ray vision.

\n\n

Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly raised her telescope to look over there. Before she could see clearly, a ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds and dazzled her eyes. Gu Yuexi turned her head to avoid it, but when she looked again, she couldn't find the figure anymore.

\n\n

"Team Leader Gu," a colleague next to her asked, "what's wrong?"

\n\n

Gu Yuexi reluctantly held up her telescope and carefully scanned the surrounding area, even peering into mouse holes, until her eyes began to sting. "I think I just saw a metal-type ability user..."

\n\n

Her colleague asked nervously, "A fish that got away?"

\n\n

Gu Yuexi pursed her lips and after a moment, she put down the telescope: "No, it's probably just my eyes playing tricks on me."

\n\n

Her colleague also picked up the telescope and looked in the direction she had just looked. They saw a complex maze of residential alleys, with only lazy residents shuffling by in their slippers and nothing else. The alley exuded a damp and mossy smell, with dead ends everywhere. It was easy for strangers to get lost.

\n\n

Mr. Nian looked at the gray-white stone wall in front of him and stopped at the end of the dead end.

\n\n

With one hand in his pocket, he said without looking back, "Friend, you've followed me all the way, let's meet face to face."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's gaze fell on the man's wrist - his watch had been flipped over at some point, with the face turned inward and the back compass facing outward. The ancient brass compass needle dared not point at him, but slyly spun in place, looking like a thief.

\n\n

This reminded Sheng Lingyuan of an old acquaintance who was not very likable.

\n\n

No wonder there was a familiar scent on that thing. He remembered - it was an old item made by the 'Mountain clan' of master craftsmen.

\n\n

A black mist suddenly rose out of nowhere, and Mr. Nian heard a gentle male voice say, "You are a descendant of the Mountain people...?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan used a refined tone when saying "Mountain people," but Mr. Nian didn't understand. However, the moment he saw the black mist, his entire back involuntarily tensed up, and he suddenly felt a strong sense of danger.

\n\n

Mr. Nian was familiar with the underground world and was quite a figure of importance. He knew exactly when not to be curious. Without waiting to see who or what was in the black mist, he made a decisive move and threw out the fully activated spatial teleportation array from his pocket, taking a step into it.

\n\n

"Are you leaving just like that?" Sheng Lingyuan wouldn't let him go.

\n\n

Without moving a muscle, the black mist around him turned into sharp claws and fiercely grabbed at the teleportation array. The edge of the array was immediately corroded, and a huge energy swelled up, shattering all the open windows in the surrounding area. At the end of the alley, an electric tricycle stumbled and rolled out.

\n\n

But before the debris hit the ground, a bolt of lightning struck, breaking the black mist's claws in half. Sheng Lingyuan suddenly retreated half a step, and the teleportation array emitted a mournful buzz before disappearing, taking the gentleman with it.

\n\n

There was commotion coming from a residential house that had just been damaged by the wind. After a moment, a grumbling head poked out and spotted the long-haired man at the end of the alley. As their eyes met, the head suddenly went mute and retreated back into the house, too scared to make a sound.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan withdrew his gaze and glanced at his charred fingertips. He had sealed off Chiyuan himself, so he only had himself to blame for this mess.

\n\n

However, with chaos brewing on all sides and someone secretly summoning demons, he was relieved that Aluojin was still under control. When it came to witchcraft, Sheng Lingyuan was far more knowledgeable than the incompetent legitimate clan leader.

\n\n

After all, he was the one who had sealed Aluojin in the first place. Moreover, the shady summoner who had awakened him was a fake with no legitimate witch bloodline, so Aluojin's "demonic" power was greatly reduced.

\n\n

If there were other heavenly demons summoned in the future, it would be much harder to deal with. The unfamiliar world often left Sheng Lingyuan at a loss, and being bound by the will of heaven made things even more inconvenient. He pondered for a moment before suddenly looking towards the southwest.

\n\n

Ah yes, Chiyuan was sealed with thirty-six phoenix bones. When Chiyuan was in turmoil before, the phoenix bones shattered, so there should be some remnants that could be temporarily borrowed as a cover.

\n\n

With a thought, Sheng Lingyuan transformed into a gentle breeze and merged into the oppressive thunder. The thundercloud rumbled for a while, but when it realized that the person it was about to strike had disappeared, it lost interest and dissipated.

\n\n

In the meantime, it started raining in Dongchuan. As the tide rose, the stench in the underground black market became unbearable.

\n\n

Wang Ze pinched his nose and waved his hand, "Let's go. We'll have to listen to the weather forecast in the opposite direction from now on. I..."

\n\n

Before he could finish his sentence, Xuan Ji suddenly felt something and pushed him away. Wang Ze stumbled but managed to regain his balance, only to find a trail of blood where he had been standing.

\n\n

"What..." Following the blood trail, Wang Ze saw Hua Hu's eyes wide open, staring straight ahead with a blank expression. Blood was oozing out of her burnt forehead like a leaking pipe.

\n\n

"Get out of the way!" Xuan Ji acted decisively, raising his hand and summoning a handful of coins. The coins jingled in the air, transforming into shields of various sizes that blocked the Wind God agents from attack.

\n\n

Before the shields had even fully formed, Hua Hu and the other cloaked figures exploded like overinflated balloons, their flesh and blood scattering everywhere. Even the stones beneath them were corroded and blackened by the carnage.

\n\n

The Wind God agents were frozen in shock, unsure of how to react.

\n\n

The dank and putrid underworld was now filled only with the sound of heavy breathing and the scattered remains of the fallen.

\n\n

The suspects had been silenced.

\n\n

Xuan Ji suddenly released his divine sense, like an invisible wind sweeping over all living creatures around him. For a moment, he captured the faint life reactions of the mice in the tunnel within several tens of meters nearby.

\n\n

He heard the chaotic heartbeats and felt the slightly lower body temperature of a group of special abilities in a stressed state... but there was nothing unusual.

\n\n

He looked up and saw an agent holding a beast god statue confiscated from the original sect's lair. The monster's face with a dragon head seemed to be wearing a mysterious smile, peering at him from the darkness.

\n\n

This was like the mysterious phone call in Dongchuan Forest Park before...was the Wind God team really as clean as Old Xiao thought it was?

\n\n

"Are you saying that the originator of the Yin Sacrifice ritual may be related to the True Nature sect?" Xiao Zheng asked Wang Ze on the phone while quickly scanning the list of people who had fainted from the curse. "What do we know about this True Nature sect?"

\n\n

While Xuan Ji and the others were investigating the black market in Dongchuan, Xiao Zheng secretly flew back to the headquarters in Yong'an. As soon as he landed, he received a call about the failed operation.

\n\n

"Many of the wanted criminals are members of this cult. Wind God has been tracking them all over the country. I suspect this organization may have some advanced internal training. Many of the special abilities who don't meet the minimum requirements for field work can become mysterious experts once they enter. They are particularly difficult to catch. Today, we finally caught a few, but they self-destructed on the spot."

\n\n

Wang Ze looked at Luo Cuicui, who was trimming excess greenery from himself, with a worried expression and sighed, "Old Xiao, do you think we need to reflect on this internal training issue?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng replied, "Get to the point!"

\n\n

"Also," Wang Ze's expression turned serious, "The doctrine of the True Nature sect is that special abilities should form a separate clan, superior to ordinary people. You need to be careful about this, especially during internal investigations."

\n\n

Surrounded by too many idle onlookers, Wang Ze didn't speak too clearly, but Xiao Zheng instantly understood - whether or not they joined this cult, many special ability users did indeed have the idea of "being superior to others", as evidenced by the cold treatment of Chief Huang at the Penglai Conference.

\n\n

As the official organization for special ability users, the sign hanging outside the main entrance of the Bureau reads "Serving the People", and of course, such thinking is strictly prohibited.

\n\n

The Bureau also suppresses special ability users to a certain extent in order to protect ordinary people, such as the cruel "Fifteen-People Red Line" and monitoring of special ability users...even though the vast majority of special ability users don't have the ability to fly or disappear, many of them may just have slightly more strength than ordinary people.

\n\n

These users are human, not tools. Over time, who can remain without resentment?

\n\n

Has the Penglai Conference, or even the Bureau, been infiltrated by the True Nature sect?

\n\n

"Oh, by the way," Wang Ze added, "the True Nature sect worship a four-type beast with a dragon's head, baring its teeth and looking sinister..."

\n\n

"The totem of the demon king who sparked the chaos in the Nine Provinces War is documented in the Ancient Studies' department's records," Yang Chao interjected from the side.

\n\n

Seeing everyone looking at him, he rubbed his hands awkwardly, "Uh...well, I'm studying for a graduate degree in history, so I like to compare ordinary people's history with our internal records. It's quite interesting and helps deepen my understanding."

\n\n

"Hopefully the criminals are not too cultured," sighed Wang Ze. "Alright, since we've hit a dead end with the clues, let's wrap things up and bring the suspects from the Yue De Sect back to headquarters."

\n\n

The Wind God agents sprang into action, and Xuan Ji was feeling fine. Remembering his duty as the "aftermath department director" to take care of the agents, he bought a bunch of coffee drinks out of his own pocket to treat his hardworking colleagues who were putting in overtime.

\n\n

Luo Cuicui was exhausted from all the work and went to rest, while Yang Chao and Ping Qianru, two young and responsible individuals, came forward to help. After a busy period, Xuan Ji invited them out for tea and a chat. Over tea, they gossiped about the key members of the Wind Gods and quickly got to know each other better.

\n\n

From the gossip, Xuan Ji learned that Wang Ze was a rare gem born into an ordinary family, Zhang Zhao was the child of a martyr who worked as an agent for the bureau, and Gu Yuexi's background was a mystery, with no close relationships to anyone. During the selection process for special agents, not only were their personal qualities assessed, but their backgrounds were also strictly scrutinized. Anyone with a family member who had been involved in anti-human activities in the past three generations would definitely not be accepted.

\n\n

"Child of a martyr, mysterious background..." Xuan Ji silently paid attention to the gossip, stirring sugar into his coffee while casually changing the subject and expressing concern for Yang Chao's progress in his studies.

\n\n

"Director... Ah, ah-choo!" Yang Chao sneezed and nervously rubbed his nose, then smiled apologetically. "I don't think I'll have any problems with the written test. I've been trying to get in good with a mentor who specializes in studying the history of the Qi Dynasty these past few days. There aren't many people in China who study the Qi Dynasty, so the competition isn't that intense."

\n\n

The Qi Dynasty...

\n\n

Xuan Ji's hand paused as he stirred the coffee, and he suddenly asked, "Do you know anything about Emperor Wu?"

\n\n

"I wouldn't say I know much, but from records of the Qi Dynasty, more than half of the topics revolve around Sheng Xiao. No one can avoid him," Yang Chao said, his interest piqued.

\n\n

He wasn't bothered by his allergies anymore and excitedly rubbed his hands together like a raccoon. "Emperor Wu left behind many mysteries in his life, but he was a super treasure trove of an emperor."

\n\n

Xuan Ji forcefully pushed down the image of a person that flashed through his mind.

\n\n

"What do you mean?"

\n\n

"You see, the biggest controversy surrounding this person is the drastic contrast between his early and later life, as if they were two different people. Do you remember that TV drama based on a folk legend about an emperor who was switched with a double?"

\n\n

"In what way is there a contrast?" Xuan Ji didn't understand. "Wasn't he involved in military affairs in both his early and later life, and also a dictator?"

\n\n

"No, no, no, he wasn't the kind of emperor who just conquered the world in the traditional sense. The role of the Martial Emperor in war was not that simple. You see, he was born in a particularly dark era. When he was born, the human court... that is, the government, had already disbanded - or rather, the human race had disbanded. Because the enemy was too powerful, there was no possibility of victory.

\n\n

"To give an inappropriate analogy - people back then were like wild animals today. Their habitats were invaded, they were slaughtered, they became slaves, and even food. At least now we have wildlife protection laws, but back then there was no 'human protection law'." As Yang Chao spoke, he picked up a pencil and a napkin from the small table in the teahouse.

\n\n

With just a few simple strokes, he sketched out the map of the Great Qi Dynasty, showcasing his solid foundation in the basics of drawing. It was clear that he wasn't just boasting about his preparation for the written exam.

\n\n

Pointing to the map, Yang Chao continued, "During that era, those unfortunate enough to be born into it had only two options: either head north or head south. Those who went north fled to the 'Northern Wilderness Region'. To the west of this place is a vast desert, to the south is the Barren Mountains, and to the east is the North Glacier, a natural barrier that is difficult to breach. It's a tough nut to crack. The 'tough nut' is bitterly cold, lacking in resources, and not worth the effort for the enemy, so they didn't bother with it. As a result, the Northern Wilderness became the largest settlement area for humans.

\n\n

"Another group of people headed south and crossed the sea to the 'Gaoling' Island - oh, that's now Yuzhou Island and the South China Sea Islands. These southerners were ostracized by a non-human tribe in the area and had to rely on hard labor to survive, living in misery.

\n\n

"As for those who couldn't escape and stayed in the Central Plains, they were like stray cats and dogs wandering in the wilderness. Hiding and fleeing, dying one after another without a proper burial ground. Can you imagine the situation? In such circumstances, the Martial Emperor who had united the human race in just over twenty years must have possessed considerable charisma. He must have been able to give people hope and make them willingly believe that following him would allow them to live with dignity on the earth."

\n\n

Xuan Ji lowered his gaze and looked at the vast map and scattered settlements of the human race. Suddenly, something stirred in his heart, but before he could figure it out, the strange feeling disappeared.

\n\n

Collecting himself, he said, "When the Martial Emperor restored the country, he was only in his twenties. What kind of charisma could a wandering teenager have? I heard that the leading theory of the historical circle is that he was just a puppet controlled by the flow of people in the early days, and the real mastermind behind the unification of the human race was standing behind him."

\n\n

"Are you talking about Dan Li, the Emperor's teacher?" Yang Chao asked. "Yes, Dan Li was the man behind the restoration of Da Qi. This theory is quite popular and it also explains why the Martial Emperor's governing style changed so drastically before and after, and why Sheng Xiao's temperament changed so dramatically, almost immediately after killing Dan Li."

\n\n

Xuan Li had clearly brought up Dan Li himself, but when Yang Chao chimed in, a sudden anger flared up in him. If it weren't for him remaining rational, she would have blurted out a "bullshit" right then and there.

\n\n

Yang Chao was lost in his own world, completely oblivious to the his expression, still chattering away. "Dan Li is quite interesting, but I feel like Sheng Xiao is definitely more than just a 'puppet' - after all, according to the customary inheritance rules at the time, he wasn't the first heir of the human race."

\n\n

"...... Huh?"

\n\n

"Do you know about Prince Ning? He is the older brother of Emperor Wu, born to the same father and mother, three years his senior. It is said that in the later years of Emperor Wu's reign, he disowned all his relatives, even imprisoning his own mother until her death. Yet, he maintained a good relationship with his elder brother, and even passed on the throne to Prince Ning's son.

\n\n

"Isn't it strange, Director? Prince Ning and Emperor Wu were equals in terms of blood relation, having the same father and mother with no distinction as legitimate or illegitimate children. According to the rules of seniority, Prince Ning should have been the one chosen over his younger brother. So why did they choose the younger brother instead of the elder one?"

\n\n

"It is said that Prince Ning was 'weak and sickly'..."

\n\n

"Hmph, living to adulthood and even getting married and having children, how weak could he be? In ancient times, children were like unvaccinated chicks. They may look strong today, but a little breeze tomorrow could kill them. Being one year older increases the chances of survival. Historical records even say that Emperor Wu suffered from migraines his whole life, so he may not have been that healthy. So, I think there is a possibility that this Emperor Wu had some special talent."

\n\n

Xuan Ji thought for a moment and pulled out a cigarette.

\n\n

His migraines are real, and not only did he suffer from them during his lifetime, but even after death.

\n\n

"What do you mean by 'special talent'?"

\n\n

"I mean some kind of unique ability," Yang Chao said. "I have a professor who is a die-hard fan of Emperor Wu. He firmly believes that the Emperor's personality changes in his later years were caused by some rare injury sustained during the war."

\n\n

Xuan Ji blurted out, "Nonsense."

\n\n

"From the perspective of an ordinary person," Yang Chao explained, "I think his later mental problems were not caused by injuries, but by some special cultivation method."

\n\n

Xuan Ji looked at this unreliable graduate reserve in shock, thinking to himself: he guessed it right. Becoming a demon after death, the demonic energy never dissipates. This 'special cultivation method' usually has a formal name in literary works, called 'losing oneself in cultivation.'

\n\n

"I haven't read enough historical records," Yang Chao mistakenly thought that the leader's shocked expression was due to him talking nonsense, so he quickly tried to make up for it by saying, "When I speak, you know... it's all just my own wild thoughts... cough. Um... first of all, in history, it is said that the 'minority tribe leader' who caused chaos in the Central Plains was killed by Emperor Wu himself, right? We all know that this so-called 'minority thribe leader' is not human, but belongs to a true non-human race - the demon race. According to ancient research, this 'demon king' lived for at least a few hundred years and conquered all the monsters that flew in the sky and ran on the ground.

\n\n

"Just think about it, even if a young man in his twenties is extremely talented and trains like a devil without eating or sleeping since birth, it would still be a huge challenge to defeat such a big boss barehanded. Isn't it a bit unbelievable? But if the historical records are correct, then his combat power is truly heaven-defying. The so-called 'heaven-defying' combat power cannot be obtained through conventional means.

\n\n

"Secondly, as we all know, Sheng Xiao has no biological children and has adopted his nephew as his heir. The tomb of Emperor Wu is an empty tomb, and even if his own body cannot be found, can't he be buried with his wife after her death? However, there is no record of Emperor Wu's empress in historical documents, and it is inferred that he did not have a high-ranking concubine during his lifetime.

\n\n

"But for an important member of the royal family, marriage and producing an heir are considered 'national affairs' and political tasks. How could such a glorious and arduous task not be completed, and why didn't a group of ministers urge him to get married? There is no record of anyone urging him to get married, as if everyone had forgotten about it. This is not reasonable, is it? In conclusion, I believe that Sheng Xiao's body was likely transformed by a special power, preventing him from having biological children. And this transformation may have started from a young age."

\n\n

Legend has it that the emperor was a monster.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was lost in thought, forgetting to light the cigarette between his fingers...

\n\n

It was likely that he was destined for this from a young age, chosen by the human race.

\n\n

As he delved deeper into his thoughts, he couldn't help but shiver.

\n\n

What kind of life was this?

\n\n

Would this be the reason for his madness and brutality during the rest of his life?

\n","published_time":"2023-11-19T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-11-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":415,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":48,"chapter_title":"Chapter 48","content":"

While Xuan Ji was pondering over the heavenly demon, little did he know that the demon was on his way to desecrate his ancestors' graves.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't buy a ticket and swaggered past the ticket inspector as if he didn't exist. The inspector simply ignored him and went straight to the passengers behind him, asking for their tickets.

\n\n

Meanwhile, Xiao Zheng secretly ordered the closure of all local branches, including the headquarters in Yong'an, declaring that "until the infectiousness of the virus is confirmed," no one is allowed to enter or leave.

\n\n

Those who were infected and fainted have been isolated, while those who were unaware of the situation began to worry that they might have contracted the virus. Those with a keen sense of smell began to suspect that there was more to the situation than meets the eye. Suddenly, a whirlwind-like search swept across the entire special ability system without warning.

\n\n

In a rural-urban border over 100 kilometers away from Dongchuan City, there was a desolate rental house where suddenly a heavy object fell to the ground. Mr. Nian, who had been trapped in the spatial teleportation array for over eight hours, struggled out of it and collapsed onto the floor, clutching the pocket on his shirt front, exhausted.

\n\n

After an unknown amount of time, Mr. Nian finally caught his breath and tremblingly took out the piece of broken metal from his chest pocket to examine it.

\n\n

The evening sun shone through the window, casting a gentle golden edge on the fragment, and the fine light fell into the man's deep well-like pupils, causing ripples in his icy cold eyes. The man checked the metal piece to make sure it was intact, then hung it back around his neck and adjusted it close to his body.

\n\n

The chill from the fragments stimulated him, and he struggled to get up. He went to the kitchen and grabbed a can of energy drink and some chocolate to quickly replenish his strength. Mr. Nian closed the curtains, put on gloves, and took out a small ceramic box he had obtained from the black market in Dongchuan.

\n\n

He confirmed that it was well sealed before putting it away and sending a message on his phone: "I will visit tomorrow."

\n\n

As soon as he sent the message, he heard a soft "click" sound. He looked down and saw that the brass compass on the back of his watch had inexplicably cracked open.

\n\n

The once exquisite and antique dial quickly showed signs of aging, with visible rust creeping up and corroding most of the celestial stem and earthly branch scales. The compass had become a lifeless piece of junk.

\n\n

This compass's age is unknown, but it is exceptionally sensitive to special abilities and even more accurate than contemporary instruments. It can easily penetrate the mental barriers of those with special abilities.

\n\n

It was passed down from his ancestors and is said to have a history of several thousand years. Yet, it just died peacefully like that. Mr. Nian frowned and lit a cigarette, thinking of that terrifying black mist.

\n\n

Mr. Nian considered himself experienced, but he had never encountered such a frightening presence before. He couldn't even see the other person's face clearly.

\n\n

He remembered that deep voice, and even now, he could feel the chill seeping out of his bones. If it weren't for that lightning, the other person could have torn apart his spatial barrier with their bare hands. Who exactly was this person?

\n\n

Was it a mysterious expert recruited by the Bureau from the civilian population?

\n\n

Or was it something else entirely?

\n\n

Smoke rose into the sky as the sun set. Nightfall had descended upon the world known as "the human realm" for three thousand years. As the train from Dongchuan City to Shuzhong made a stop at Chiyuan, it was already three o'clock in the middle of the night. The train carriage was at its quietest, with people either dozing off or staring out the window at the flickering lights, unable to sleep. No one spoke to each other, and the train seemed to be carrying a collection of mismatched dolls.

\n\n

With a long screech, the train pulled into the station, its signal lights piercing through the thick fog. The train attendant rubbed his eyes wearily and announced, "We have arrived at Chiyuan station. We will stop for two minutes."

\n\n

A man with long hair walked past her and got off the train, saying, "Thank you."

\n\n

"Ah, no problem," the train attendant yawned and mumbled in response. Suddenly, her wide-open mouth froze halfway as she jolted awake - the person she just spoke to didn't have any luggage with them and had gotten off from the dining car. But...the dining car was already closed, she had just checked and there was no one inside!

\n\n

The train attendant widened her eyes in disbelief and looked towards the platform. The fog had thickened, the stars and moon were hidden, and the lights on the platform were dim and hazy. The few passengers getting on and off the train were dragging their tired feet, where could there be a creepy long-haired man?

\n\n

Meanwhile, Sheng Lingyuan felt that the train, steady and fast, was much better than the "iron bird" flying in the sky. This journey was quite enjoyable as he passed through the night and headed straight towards the Chiyuan Grand Canyon.

\n\n

At the bottom of the Chiyuan Grand Canyon, the weapon spirit Dao Yi had already grown into a nightmare-like form and no longer needed sleep. Every night, after settling the other weapon spirits, he would go to the altar alone. The altar was situated high up, where the first ray of morning light could be seen falling into the deep valley.

\n\n

It is said that when people age to the point of barely surviving, they live for three meals a day. After finishing breakfast, they count the hours until lunch, take a nap after lunch without knowing what time it is, and wake up in a daze, surprised to find that they are still alive. Then they go through the motions of a human ritual - eating dinner. Once dinner is finished, the day's events come to an end, and another day is added to the dusty fur of life, like a dog's tail.

\n\n

The days of Dao Yi were even more monotonous than those of an old man. He didn't even have three meals a day, only the sunrise and sunset. Every dawn was like a small "lottery" for him. When he saw a sunny day, he would happily "reward" himself by picking a beautiful stone from the river and piling it up in the palace garden.

\n\n

The garden was often filled with stones in just over a decade, and then he would dump those stones back into the river and start over again, following his own rules, repeating the cycle.

\n\n

However, on this day, as he focused on staring at the eastern horizon waiting for the dawn, the Chiyuan Grand Canyon suddenly resonated with something and trembled slightly.

\n\n

At first, Dao Yi thought it was Xuan Ji returning, and his face cracked open with a smile, saying, "Fire-keeper..."

\n\n

But the next moment, his smile froze on his face.

\n\n

No, this was not the Fire-keeper.

\n\n

The valley shook more and more violently, as shadows and thick fog closed in.

\n\n

All the spirits were alarmed and emerged from every nook and cranny, gathering together in a dark mass.

\n\n

With a loud "buzz," the seal on Chiyuan was unexpectedly disturbed by the arrival of someone. Countless flame-colored inscriptions floated up from the mountain walls and ground, and the entire valley seemed to be on fire.

\n\n

Then, the barrier outside of Chiyuan was opened by someone, and the spirits' bodies in the deep valley began to emit hoarse cries.

\n\n

Dao Yi suddenly realized that the fifth stone tablet next to the altar had cracked open!

\n\n

Without thinking too much, Dao Yi quickly turned around and rushed onto the altar - there was a magic circle in the middle of the altar that could directly send messages to the Fire-keeper.

\n\n

However, the magic circle had only just started to activate when Dao Yi suddenly froze. The thick fog had engulfed him, and he was trapped.

\n\n

In a panic, Dao recoiled, but he ran straight into a pale hand that emerged from the thick fog. The hand grabbed his neck with precision.

\n\n

"Hmm?" The person touched his trembling throat. "A useless...sword spirit?"

\n\n

Dao shuddered as his sword body flew out of the underground palace on its own, but it dared not approach. The person holding his neck emerged from the fog, revealing a face with jet-black hair and an icy white complexion. It was not the smooth, glossy white of porcelain or jade, but a frosty white that was chilling. The person's eyes seemed to hold a deep abyss.

\n\n

Dao Yi felt like he should know this person, otherwise, how could their mere presence make him tremble uncontrollably?

\n\n

However, his memories had been ground down by time, and he couldn't piece together a complete identity.

\n\n

In the middle of the night, the one who broke into Chiyuan was none other than Sheng Lingyuan. As soon as he entered, he saw a valley filled with broken and rusty objects, which was both amusing and ridiculous.

\n\n

While others kept cats and dogs as pets, the fire-keeper demon was probably too lonely and had collected a bunch of old and worn-out instrument spirits as pets, which was quite peculiar.

\n\n

"Don't move." Sheng Lingyuan waved his hand, and the black mist wrapped around the blade of Dao Yi, dragging the damaged blade closer to him. He casually scanned the rusty blade and said, "The blade is damaged, and the sword spirit will suffer ten times the pain. If you're already in this state, why don't you just rest in peace?"

\n\n

All the weapon spirits in Chiyuan were blocked outside the altar, and those who had lost most of their consciousness were even more courageous, constantly trying to rush in. Dao Yi struggled and painfully tried to pry off the hand that was stuck around its neck.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's voice was as gentle as a lover's whisper: "I can help you, absolutely painless, how about it?"

\n\n

Dao Yi's face, which had almost no good skin left, had veins popping out, and the sword, which was wrapped in black mist, trembled uncontrollably. In that moment, there was a "clang" sound, and it broke free from the black mist, slashing towards Sheng Lingyuan's arm. However, it stopped half an inch away from the man's wrist and couldn't move forward any further.

\n\n

"If this broken sword touches me, you'll really be six feet under."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan waved his hand, and Dao Yi felt a lightness all over his body.

\n\n

Together with his own knife, he floated out of the altar, and the cold air choked him as he knelt on the ground coughing.

\n\n

The man on the altar looked down at him, and after a moment, seeming somewhat bored, the man withdrew his gaze.

\n\n

"If you want to live, then forget it. I don't meddle in other people's business. You can continue living," Sheng Lingyuan raised his index finger at him. "Shh...be quiet. I just need to borrow something and I'll leave soon. No need to disturb your host."

\n\n

As soon as he finished speaking, he had already teleported to the corner of the stone tablet that had cracked earlier.

\n\n

Before coming, Sheng Lingyuan only wanted to try his luck and didn't have high expectations.

\n\n

After all, the Chiyuan was an ancient demon pool that was previously guarded by the divine Vermilion Bird clan. After the divine bird clan was destroyed, he forcibly suppressed it with a forbidden technique, which was quite difficult.

\n\n

The Vermilion Bird Bone Spirit...also known as the Fire-keeper, would likely turn to ashes after each sacrifice to the Chiyuan, and it was uncertain if there would be any bone fragments left.

\n\n

Unexpectedly, as soon as he arrived at the Chiyuan altar, he saw this circle of stone tablets. A circle of stone tablets surrounded the altar, some of which were already broken. The remaining tablets displayed birth and death dates, and emitted a faint residual fire aura. It was undoubtedly the tomb of the Vermilion Bird Bone Spirit from before, and it was unexpected that there were still remains of the Vermilion Bird Bone Spirit.

\n\n

Despite their limited intelligence, it was difficult for these scrap metal creatures to understand the meaning of Sheng Lingyuan's words.

\n\n

However, as he approached the stone tablets, they all changed their expressions and recklessly charged into the thick fog.

\n\n

"The stone tablets..." Dao Yi's voice was like sandpaper, struggling to speak, "cannot..."

\n\n

The stone tablets cannot be broken. Every time a stone tablet is broken, the fire-keeper will "die."

\n\n

But how could Sheng Lingyuan be willing to listen to someone's rambling?

\n\n

Before Dao Yi could even struggle to speak, the black mist on his body had already turned into a shovel and dug into the cracked base of the stone tablet, searching for broken bones underground.

\n\n

"No..."

\n\n

"Hmm?" Sheng Lingyuan frowned. The ground was empty - not to mention broken bones, there wasn't even a trace of clothing.

\n\n

Wasn't this stone tablet a tombstone? Then where did the Vermilion Bird's aura in the "grave mound" come from?

\n\n

Suddenly, Sheng Lingyuan looked up in astonishment at the stone tablet. He saw the cracks on the stone tablet rapidly expanding, and with a light sound, it split in half from the middle and then collapsed with a loud crash, smashing into pieces.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "..."

\n\n

Although the emperor was not a good person, he must have a purpose for everything he did. He didn't have the hobby of harming others for no reason. As for the Fire-keeper, even if he had showed disrespect towards his corpse, he had still spent many years sacrificing himself to guard the entrance to the Chiyuan. He had made great contributions to the world. His temporary solution required a Vermilion Bird's bone, but he didn't want to disturb any graves or smash any tombstones unnecessarily - that's why he didn't touch the stone tablet earlier.

\n\n

But that's not the end of it.

\n\n

When the broken stone tablet collapsed, it happened to hit the adjacent one. These tablets were as crispy as fried dough sticks, so brittle that they shattered with a continuous cracking sound. Before Sheng Lingyuan could catch his breath, the surrounding tablets began to crack and crumble like a contagious disease. The forest of tombstones around the altar collapsed in an instant.

\n\n

Dao Yi let out a mournful roar, and all the weapon spirits followed suit with a mournful cry. Suddenly, it seemed as if a group of ghosts were crying in the Chiyuan.

\n\n

The emperor was at a loss for words.

\n\n

The commotion had caused Sheng Lingyuan to develop a headache, and he wore a rare troubled expression on his face as he looked at the mess around him. His black mist began to swirl, and he separated it into thousands of gentle threads, intending to fix the stone tablet just like he did at the Dongchuan Hotel.

\n\n

However, the moment his mist touched the stone fragments, a dazzling flame-colored light suddenly burst out from the monument. Sheng Lingyuan reacted quickly and retreated immediately. However, even for a notorious villain who could fly and escape, he was no match for the speed of light.

\n\n

In an instant, he was enveloped by the fiery light. Sheng Lingyuan was temporarily blinded by the light and had a strange sensation as if he was being embraced tightly, and something pierced through his chest.

\n\n

He felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if something was about to explode inside him.

\n\n

Without hesitation, Sheng Lingyuan stabbed himself in the chest. A black mist cocoon enveloped his chest, and in a flash, he deflected the fiery light that was trying to penetrate his heart. This sudden confrontation almost cleared the black mist that surrounded him.

\n\n

In the light, a figure that seemed like an illusion let out a mournful sigh as it brushed past him. The phantom appeared to desperately want to stay by his side, but was helplessly pulled away by the light, disappearing into the distance as it quickly changed shape and dissipated with the light.

\n\n

At this moment, Xuan Ji was on the plane back to Yong'an - the one from the aftermath department. The people who had been busy for the past few days were now sleeping soundly in the luxurious cabin. Wang Ze on the sofa next to him was smacking his lips, while Yang Chao had already slipped down to the floor without realizing it. The sound of Luo Cuicui's snoring almost drowned out the noise of the plane's engine. Compared to them, Xuan Ji's sleeping posture was quite "gentle".

\n\n

Once he fell asleep, he looked like a quiet bird, curled up with his head buried in the darkness, as if a gust of wind could easily startle him. At around four in the morning, Xuan Ji dreamed again of the iron gate with a blood-red seal.

\n\n

The "thing" inside was struggling even harder, and he could hear heavy and painful breathing coming from behind the thick door. What could be locked inside?

\n\n

Xuan Ji approached, wondering why he kept having this dream. Maybe he had some kind of psychological issue. Suddenly, he heard someone speaking amidst the breathing.

\n\n

"Quick, go...go away from here..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was stunned. "What?"

\n\n

"Go...leave this place..." The voice sounded familiar, and he couldn't help but take a step forward. He saw the faint patterns on the blood-red seal, which seemed to be some kind of formation, but he couldn't recognize it without the Thousand Demon Bestiary.

\n\n

"Are you talking to me? Who are you?"

\n\n

With a loud bang, the iron door shook and almost deformed the seal. Xuan Ji was caught off guard and took a big step back, his shoulders hunching up.

\n\n

"It's...it's not sealing properly," the voice from inside the door became clear. "The stone tablet...the stone tablet has shattered too much...you...read with me..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't remember where he had heard this voice before. Without hesitation, the man inside the door began reciting a long prayer, with elegant tones mixed with an unfamiliar language. The rhythm was full of charm and very pleasant to listen to, but the person reciting the prayer seemed to have a blade in his voice, becoming increasingly hoarse with each sentence, as if each word was being ground on a sharp edge, spoken with blood and fear.

\n\n

A long string of prayers lasted for five minutes. Xuan Ji understood only half of it and could only guess from the remaining fragments that it seemed to be about sealing something.

\n\n

Who could remember all of that?

\n\n

Was everyone born with the most powerful brain?

\n\n

"Wait, wait - slow down, say it again..." Xuan Ji interrupted.

\n\n

There was another loud bang on the iron door, even more intense than before. The seal was broken, and at the same time, Xuan Ji felt a buzzing in his head. He felt as if the broken seal was his skull, and the pain almost pierced his temples.

\n\n

A voice shouted, "Hurry!"

\n\n

In the chaos, Xuan Ji didn't even know what he was saying. It was a string of incomprehensible words, but his lips and tongue seemed to have muscle memory, reciting the astonishing prayer flawlessly as if he had said it hundreds of times before.

\n\n

A flame-colored light flickered on the seal, and it sealed up the cracks. As soon as the seal closed, Xuan Ji's pounding headache subsided, and he instinctively recited the prayer several times.

\n\n

The violent knocking on the door stopped, and there was now a shoddy repair mark on the seal.

\n\n

In just a few moments, Xuan Ji's back was drenched in cold sweat, and his legs were weak. In the darkness, all that could be heard was the exhausted and pained gasps from behind the iron door.

\n\n

After a moment of calming down, Xuan Ji tentatively asked, "What's going on?"

\n\n

On the other side of the iron door, there was silence. After what felt like an eternity, a weak voice spoke, "Go back to your world."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was shocked. The voice spoke perfect Mandarin, and the more he listened, the more familiar it sounded.

\n\n

Before he could even process it, the voice let out a bitter laugh and said, "Remember to eat something good when you go back."

\n\n

Was this a joke!

\n\n

Xuan Ji was about to unleash his verbal skills when suddenly, he felt like he had been hit by something. The voice was distorted through the iron door, and one's own voice can sound different to others. It wasn't until he heard the last sentence, "Remember to eat something good," that he realized the voice sounded familiar because it was his own!

\n\n

With a start, he felt as though he had stepped into thin air and woke up on the plane. After a moment of confusion, Xuan Ji's first instinct was to pull out his trusty notebook and quickly sketch the seal formation he had remembered from his dream. Then, he consulted the 'Thousand Demon Bestiary' for answers.

\n\n

The book quickly responded with the answer: the Nirvana Formation.

\n\n

'Sounds pretty impressive,' he thought, eagerly awaiting a detailed explanation.

\n\n

However, after waiting for what seemed like an eternity, the 'Thousand Demon Compendium' remained silent.

\n\n

As expected, this shoddy book was always unreliable.

\n\n

Xuan Ji sighed in resignation and was about to close his notebook when he suddenly widened his eyes.

\n\n

For the first time, there were words on the page of the 'Thousand Demon Bestiary' that had nothing to do with the explanation.

\n\n

On the blank paper, it was written: 'Having seen the Nirvana formation, the Nirvana Stone has already shattered. The end is near, so stay in the present moment.'

\n\n

Xuan Ji could hardly believe it. Although the words were about Nirvana, it was clear to him that he was being cursed!

\n\n

After the Thousand Demon Bestiary finished its writing, it disappeared from his sight, perhaps out of fear of being beaten.

\n\n

Xuan Ji tried to summon it again, but it pretended to be dead and couldn't be called out!

\n\n

Xuan Ji checked his pulse and felt that it was steady and strong, without any signs of terminal illness. After lying down for a while, he inexplicably developed a headache and couldn't sleep, perhaps due to psychological effects.

\n\n

In his lifetime, Xuan Ji had two experiences he lacked: one was the inability to eat, and the other was the inability to sleep. After tossing and turning for a while, he couldn't successfully brew up any drowsiness, so he had to lift the blanket and get up to make himself a glass of milk.

\n\n

At this moment, he unintentionally saw a glow in front of him - someone was using a computer.

\n\n

At this hour?

\n\n

Who else is suffering from insomnia?

\n\n

The other person who couldn't sleep in the middle of the night was Gu Yuexi.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi's drooping eyes had already been strained to a bright red, making her look even more depressed, as if she had just finished working overtime at a funeral home.

\n\n

She was focused on repeatedly watching several surveillance recordings on her computer. With the loud noise on the plane and Xuan Ji's silent footsteps, Gu Yuexi didn't notice him at all.

\n\n

Due to several accidents in Dongchuan, Xuan Ji had doubts about these Wind God elites. So he quietly stood in the shadows and observed for a while. He found that Gu Yuexi was watching surveillance footage near the Dongchuan market, around the time they were searching the black market.

\n\n

"Did we miss anything that day?" He suddenly spoke up, causing Gu Yuexi to jump and almost drop her laptop.

\n\n

"Director Xuan..." She nervously closed her laptop. "N-nothing, just as a precaution, I'll check the surveillance around the black market and improve our work. Why did you wake up so early, Director Xuan?"

\n\n

"Who knows, maybe I'm just getting old." Xuan Ji's face revealed nothing as he yawned and casually chatted with her before heading towards the bar.

\n\n

'Team Leader Gu was clearly lying,' Xuan Ji thought as he poured milk into his cup.

\n\n

She wasn't just flipping through the surrounding surveillance footage, but rather focusing on a specific area with purpose. Xuan Ji had caught a glimpse of a street name in one of the shots, and with his strong sense of direction, he could automatically match the places he had been to with the map.

\n\n

He estimated that the different angles of the shots all seemed to be of a shantytown several hundred meters southwest of the market.

\n\n

She was searching for something specific - did she see anything while surveying the black market in Dongchuan from above that day?

\n","published_time":"2023-12-03T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-11-05T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-12-03T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":422,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":49,"chapter_title":"Chapter 49","content":"

In theory, information from other agencies outside of the Bureau, such as the Public Security Bureau, is handled by the aftermath department.

\n\n

So, using his work account, Xuan Ji could directly access the "Sky Net" surveillance system. Since he couldn't sleep anyway, Xuan Ji connected to the airplane's WiFi and searched through the surveillance footage before and after the time of the black market raid and around the Dongchuan vegetable market.

\n\n

However, perhaps because it wasn't his area of expertise, Xuan Ji couldn't make sense of the chaotic surveillance footage and didn't see anything useful. He only felt that the Dongchuan vegetable market was packed with people.

\n\n

Suddenly, Xuan Ji felt a jolt in his heart, like stepping into thin air upon waking up from a dream, and his heart rate increased rapidly. Based on a certain intuition, Xuan Ji pulled up a few videos that he had previously skimmed through and found that only a small segment from one camera gave him this strange feeling.

\n\n

"What's here?" He couldn't help but sit up straighter, squinting to carefully observe every corner of the surveillance footage.

\n\n

The pancake vendor seemed to be doing well... There was a bicycle accident nearby, and then the two owners got into a fight... Oh, it escalated to physical violence... But what made his heart race shouldn't be this, he shouldn't be that mentally frail.

\n\n

He checked the less than a minute long video repeatedly, but still couldn't find anything strange.

\n\n

Xuan Ji glanced at the camera's location, it should be installed at the southwest corner of the market- the same direction that Gu Yuexi had been investigating... Was it a coincidence?

\n\n

He sifted through the surveillance footage from the southwest entrance of the market to the surrounding shantytowns. Soon, that mysterious "sixth sense" began to react to other surveillance footage.

\n\n

Xuan Ji then completely abandoned his half-hearted technical approach and began to follow his "mystical inspiration."

\n\n

He intuitively extracted all the video clips that seemed off to him, arranged them in chronological order, and compared them to a map. He discovered that they formed a route... judging by the time difference, it was the speed at which a person would walk quickly.

\n\n

There was someone who didn't appear in the surveillance footage, walking all the way from the southwest entrance of the market to the shantytowns.

\n\n

Xuan Ji immediately realized: this was an illusion!

\n\n

This was a powerful illusion that could deceive even high-definition cameras, and Xuan Ji had only seen one person use it... Oh, right, it was during that time when the Dongchuan vegetable market was shrouded in dark clouds and there were a few lightning strikes.

\n\n

His colleagues even complained about how inaccurate the weather forecast was. He remembered that Sheng Lingyuan was particularly susceptible to lightning strikes, especially after he returned to his true form.

\n\n

Was he there when they were cracking down on the underground black market?

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't sleep and his mind was racing. The Emperor was proficient in witchcraft, so he probably used it to track down whoever had tampered with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly.

\n\n

What did he find out?

\n\n

Did the deaths of Hua Hu and the others have anything to do with him?

\n\n

And also... if Gu Yuexi's X-ray vision could sense Sheng Lingyuan through some method, why did she secretly investigate without saying anything?

\n\n

As Xuan Ji's lips twitched, he suddenly thought of a possibility - could Gu Yuexi also be suspecting him?

\n\n

Lost in thought, the plane's announcement interrupted him as they landed back at the Yong'an headquarters.

\n\n

The sun was already rising as they touched down, and the aftermath department team's buses were waiting to take them home for some rest. Xuan Ji, suspicious of Gu Yuexi's investigation, kept a close eye on her and noticed that she didn't board any of the buses. He asked his colleague for information.

\n\n

"Team Leader Gu," his colleague said, "she's not leaving. She lives in the 'Employee Service Base,' not far from the main building. It's only a ten-minute walk."

\n\n

The 'Employee Service Base', Xuan Ji knew, was like the headquarters' 'officers' guesthouse'. Internal personnel who came from other places to the headquarters for business, as well as team leaders and department deputy directors or above, could apply for free temporary accommodation. The conditions were pretty good, except that it was too far from the city and surrounded by wilderness. There was only one convenience store nearby, and no supporting facilities.

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked, "What's going on? Is she renovating her house?"

\n\n

A colleague said, "Her 'home' is at the Employee Service Base. She applies once a month on the internal network and can stay for a month. Hey, Director Xuan, you didn't know when you first came, did you? Our Team Leader Gu's nickname is 'Fairy Xian', a hermit from the world, who doesn't care about things like houses or cars - they're too vulgar for her."

\n\n

Special forces soldiers risk their lives and naturally receive high salaries. With her level and seniority, Gu Yuexi could live comfortably by being frugal and taking out a loan to buy a house in the city.

\n\n

But she didn't want to. It seemed like she wasn't interested in anything that wasn't necessary for survival. She lived a minimalist lifestyle, saving money without investing or buying property, leaving it as a pile of meaningless numbers.

\n\n

When someone asked to borrow money from her, as long as it wasn't for illegal activities, she usually agreed without caring if they would pay her back.

\n\n

Eventually, Wang Ze couldn't stand it anymore and had a group of his subordinates from the Wind God team demand repayment for her, and then took over her finances.

\n\n

She had lived in the "dormitory" for many years, with very few personal belongings. Packing them up, she probably wouldn't need to check them in if she took a commercial flight. The only decoration in the entire room was a crystal-framed mirror on the bedside table, which held a photo of her taken when she had just joined "Wind God".

\n\n

Back then, she was still young, with baby fat on her face and not as tired-looking as she is now. The girl in the photo had a serious expression and didn't smile, but her eyes revealed a timid awkwardness.

\n\n

Old Wang secretly made a "yeah" gesture behind her head, giving her two "antlers" and laughing with his teeth showing. Beside him, a man held a longsword in one hand and pressed Wang Ze's head into his neck with the other.

\n\n

Those days are gone forever.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi locked eyes with her past self for two seconds, wiped her glasses, washed her face, and opened her computer. She played a surveillance video and paused it on a specific frame.

\n\n

Xuan Ji had overthought things; Sheng Lingyuan's deception could fool not only high-definition cameras but also X-ray vision if he wanted. Gu Yuexi's target was not the emperor. She zoomed in on a corner of the screenshot, revealing a hand belonging to someone who was extremely cautious and familiar with the location of all the cameras in the area, avoiding them one by one.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi combed through the surrounding surveillance footage multiple times but only found this one clip. It was installed by a private individual in a small shop, and Gu Yuexi had to use her connections in the Wind God to obtain it.

\n\n

The quality of the footage captured by the surveillance camera was poor, and the person in the frame was only partially visible. They immediately noticed and quickly left the camera's range.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi struggled to use the software to enhance the footage. She stumbled through the process, explaining her every move aloud as she fumbled with the unfamiliar program.

\n\n

Team Leader Gu, usually calm and collected, was the reliable backbone of the team. She exuded an intellectual air, as if she had received a higher education. However, when it came to reading, she was surprisingly clumsy. She resembled a primary school student struggling to read a long passage, needing to point with a pen and silently mouth the words. She often had to read over several times before understanding what was being said.

\n\n

From early morning until noon, Gu Yuexi worked tirelessly to clarify a few of the frames. Finally, she was able to make out the "watch" on the person's wrist. The material was brass, with only one needle on top, and the surface was covered in ancient Chinese characters... It was a compass.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi leaned back suddenly on the chair, her breath trembling. It was a compass she would never forget.

\n\n

Many years ago, a man had given her the warm compass when she was most afraid.

\n\n

"Follow the pointer, trust it, don't be afraid. Little girl, this compass is a family heirloom. You must return it to me when you come out."

\n\n

Gu Yuexi had never attended school or read a book. Reading was difficult for her because she didn't start learning to read until she was 17 years old, following online courses for preschool children.

\n\n

Before the age of 17, she didn't even have her own name.

\n\n

When she first arrived, she was underage and the bureau arranged a temporary guardian for her, a big sister from the personnel department. "Gu" was her guardian's surname, and "Yuexi" was a name given to her by Wang Ze that didn't sound like a real name.

\n\n

At that time, Wang Ze was just a young and inexperienced guy who had just joined the Wind God team. He was very uncoordinated and addicted to games, so he just copied the name of a female protagonist from a certain game.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was right.

\n\n

The X-ray vision was not an easy ability to live with in this world.

\n\n

In the first ten years of Gu Yuexi's life, these eyes were always a curse to her.

\n\n

When she was born, there was a special membrane on her eyes, and a quack doctor in an unlicensed clinic said she was born blind, so her parents abandoned her. Her luck was not good.

\n\n

She wasn't picked up by a kind-hearted adopter or a government welfare institution, and was picked up by a group of thieves. The thieves had a wide range of business, occasionally venturing into the field of begging for disabled children. When they saw that she was "blind," they thought she was lucky, but soon after they picked her up, the membrane on her eyes became thinner and thinner, until it disappeared completely.

\n\n

The heavens did not bless her with food to eat.

\n\n

Those people wanted to manually blind her, but they found that her pupils could deform violently like some animals.

\n\n

Soon, those people discovered her special ability - when her eyes deform, they can penetrate obstacles and have powerful X-ray vision. This was like having a "god mode" cheat.

\n\n

During business hours, she could accurately see where someone's wallet was and how much money was inside, she could see through someone's back to their bank card password, and picking locks was effortless for her. During leisure time, she was even more unstoppable at the gambling table.

\n\n

With her, the small group of thieves flourished and within a few years, they went from street thugs to a full-fledged theft organization. However, the quality of the group's members couldn't keep up with the growth of the organization.

\n\n

Their courage became more and more inflated, and soon they crashed.

\n\n

During a mission to steal cultural relics, they were targeted by a transnational criminal group that was just as skilled and ended up being double-crossed.

\n\n

Everyone else died, but Gu Yuexi survived because of her special abilities.

\n\n

For the next ten years, those people kept her locked up in a special prison constructed by a special ability user, treating her like a caged animal.

\n\n

In that "mental prison," all of her senses were prohibited, cutting off all connections with the outside world. Unless they wanted to use her eyes, everything she "saw" was just an illusion in the prison.

\n\n

Without their permission, she couldn't even eat a meal by herself. The most unbearable thing was that in that mental prison, there was not only loneliness and isolation, but also some mentally deranged individuals who would come up with all sorts of bizarre ways to torment her.

\n\n

Even if she was dismembered in the mental prison, her flesh/body would remain unscathed, as she was just a vessel for her eyes.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi will always remember the man who knocked on her 'cell door' with 'Echo Sound,' he broke in with light, just like a god descending from legend.

\n\n

"I'm here to save you, don't be afraid, here's my work permit."

\n\n

"Um...you don't know how to read? It's okay, I'm from the Bureau...or you can think of me as a 'super cop', my name is Yan Qiushan."

\n\n

"Don't worry about getting lost, we have this-"

\n\n

During the joint operation of multiple countries' special abilities teams, Yan Qiushan was the leader sent by China, and he was unbelievably young.

\n\n

At that time, Yan Qiushan, also known as "Captain Yan", didn't talk much in the joint operation group - he couldn't say much more than "hello" in four different languages, and his foreign language skills were worse than a parrot's. He had to rely on gestures to communicate with his non-native teammates.

\n\n

But this "mute" person had an inexplicably good reputation. On one hand, he was talented and reliable, but people also said that when he smiled, he looked like a teenager, as if everything in the world would have a happy ending.

\n\n

In the mental prison, he gave her an ancient brass compass and instructed her to follow the direction of the pointer, leading her back to the real world after ten years of separation.

\n\n

However, Captain Yan seemed to have forgotten about this so-called "family heirloom" compass and never asked for it back. It stayed with Gu Yuexi for four years.

\n\n

For someone who had not been in contact with the outside world for ten years, even after leaving the mental prison, it was difficult to find a sense of reality. She needed an anchor, and only by seeing the pointer of the compass could Gu Yuexi confirm that she was in the real world.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi was a solitary person with poor communication skills. On top of that, her "abnormal" ability of X-ray vision and her unfortunate background made others suspicious of her intentions.

\n\n

During her time at the youth special ability training center, she was isolated by everyone. The only comfort she had was from Captain Yan and a few Wind Gods who often came to visit her.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan wasn't very good at interacting with young girls going through puberty.

\n\n

Every time he came, he would sit up straight and ask about her progress in her studies like a guidance counselor. Once he finished asking, he would have nothing else to say and they would just stare at each other. The only time he could really talk was when it came to special ability training. He could go on and on about it for ages - it was really long.

\n\n

Zhi Chun, Yan Dui's sword spirit, was always resting in the sword.

\n\n

However, sometimes when he saw Captain Yan in such an awkward situation, he would come out of the sword to lighten the mood. The knowledge and care that the sword spirit, Zhi Chun, provided often made Gu Yuexi forget his true identity.

\n\n

He embodied all the qualities of a perfect older brother: thoughtful, patient, gentle, and capable of anything. However, at that time, the bureau had plans to groom Yan Qiushan as the next leader of the Wind God department, which meant overtime work and frequent travel for Captain Yan and Zhi Chun.

\n\n

They could only spare a little time to visit her occasionally, like precious stars in the night sky that could not illuminate her dark adolescence.

\n\n

She graduated from the youth special ability training centre alone, and on the day of her graduation, her luggage was thrown out of the dormitory by her roommate.

\n\n

Later, during her field training, she was expelled from her team four times due to interpersonal issues. She was like a stray dog, mustering the courage to approach the crowd countless times, only to be kicked out again and again.

\n\n

On the day she was abandoned for the fourth time, Gu Yuexi was informed that if she failed the internship evaluation for the fourth time, she would have to leave the field reserve team. However, the logistics and administrative positions required education, and she couldn't even recognize some of the characters, so there was no suitable position for her.

\n\n

At over eighteen years old, society had already done its best for her, and there would be no extra care for her.

\n\n

Some say that fate is like a broken wheel, repeating itself and spinning out flowers, but destined to return to the starting point.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi finally realized, in a dull way, that some people seem to be destined to be illegal immigrants in this world, born here by mistake, a system error. Those who are sensible should have left peacefully a long time ago, instead of always thinking about finding a foothold.

\n\n

It's just too greedy.

\n\n

On the day she resigned from the personnel office, she carefully cleaned her compass and sent it to the aftermath department through a friend.

\n\n

She had no intention of contacting Yan Qiushan and planned to leave without saying goodbye.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi's plan was to quietly hang herself in an undeveloped wild forest near the West Mountain, where few people ventured and she wouldn't be discovered. Once the rope was cut, she would fall to the ground and become part of the food chain, not causing trouble for anyone.

\n\n

However, fate seemed to have other plans.

\n\n

On that day, Yan Qiushan happened to be reporting to headquarters and became suspicious when he couldn't contact her. Without even taking a break after returning from out of town, Captain Yan and his team of special agents searched for her all afternoon.

\n\n

Just in the nick of time, Zhi Chun cut her rope. The sharper the blade of Zhi Chun's knife, the gentler his temperament. He was also sensitive and easily moved. Despite his impressive display of cutting a rope from thirty meters away, he trembled with fear when he couldn't locate her pulse and thought she had died, nearly scared into crying.

\n\n

This 'scaring Zhi Chun into crying' part later became a running joke among the staff, and new recruits were often confused when they heard about it, thinking that Gu Yuexi was some kind of badass.

\n\n

Zhi Chun was afraid of her being bullied, so he deliberately misled people and did not correct the story.

\n\n

When Yan Qiushan, who had been promoted to 'Captain Yan,' reviewed her performance, he personally went to the security department and requested a special forces selection quota for her. Back when Wang Ze was still Captain Yan's subirdinate, he joked, "Our boss never asks for favours, but he went to Old Song just for you. I'm jealous! Oh, ouch! Why are you hitting me with your knife handle, sister-in-law? If you hit me too hard, I might drool and call you dad..."

\n\n

Because of Wang Ze's careless joke, Gu Yuexi worked tirelessly in the training camp. During the final assessment, she broke two ribs and suffered internal bleeding, ending up in the emergency room and covered in bruises as she was "transported" to the Wind Gods.

\n\n

It wasn't until much later that she found out the brass compass was actually Captain Yan's family heirloom, worth at least a school district house in the city center. Yan Qiushan couldn't bear to take it back when he saw her clutching it like a life-saving straw, so he "forgot" it with her for several years on purpose.

\n\n

Wang Ze had always complained that during those years, he couldn't borrow the compass and ended up getting lost enough times to circle the earth several times over, and almost learned how to read a map.

\n\n

Once again, they pulled her out of the dark and hopeless prison and gave her a place to stand, accepting her.

\n\n

On New Year's Eve that year, her colleagues at Wind God who were also homeless like her all went to Captain Yan's house to throw her a "welcome party," but Captain Yan turned it into a scolding session all by himself.

\n\n

It turned out that this introverted person could also be very talkative when it came to scolding people, from her suicide attempt to the consequences of her poor performance in the assessment: "We are guardians, not mad dogs. If you don't even know how to cherish your own life, how can we expect you to cherish the lives of others? As a special forces agent like you, how can our comrades and the people trust you? I didn't even want you at the time, if it weren't for... um!" Zhi Chun stuffed a round dumpling into his mouth, silencing him.

\n\n

Captain Yan's raised eyebrows were immediately smoothed over by the dumpling, and he mumbled, "It's so hot."

\n\n

"Nonsense," Zhi Chun mercilessly exposed him, "I let you try one just now, it wasn't hot at all."

\n\n

After a while, Captain Yan finally realized what had happened and his face turned red.

\n\n

He transformed back into a quiet and gentle person, and Zhi Chun sent him off to blow up balloons to avoid wasting his excess lung capacity.

\n\n

From then on, every time she got hurt, she could always count on getting scolded by Captain Yan. Every Chinese New Year, she had a place to stay and when the New Year's bell rang, she would receive a special egg yolk dumpling. That was until a younger newcomer joined and took her place as the youngest and stole her egg yolk dumpling. She felt bitter as she blended in with Wang Ze's 'fallen out of favor' army, but she learned to take care of those who were once as naive and awkward as she was.

\n\n

She thought that year after year, she could chase after those backs forever.

\n\n

However...

\n\n

Gu Yuexi stared at the screenshot of the golden compass on the monitor, her eyes red as if they were about to bleed.

\n\n

It had been three years since Zhi Chun disappeared and Captain Yan had also vanished without a trace.

\n\n

Was it really him?

\n\n

Why would he appear near the Dongchuan black market at this time?

\n\n

Did something unexpected happen?

\n\n

Did someone take his compass?

\n","published_time":"2023-12-10T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-11-12T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-12-10T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":429,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":50,"chapter_title":"Chapter 50","content":"

"Mr. Nian", whose hand had been caught on camera, was currently not far from Gu Yuexi.

\n\n

This man looked like a desperado and acted like one too, with nerves of steel. He left the Dongchuan black market in a swagger and drove alone to the headquarters of the Bureau in Yong'an, where he parked at a resort in the southern suburbs.

\n\n

The Penglai Conference was interrupted due to the arrest of Master Yue De, and Chief Huang had left without a word.

\n\n

All the powerful special ability holders were left with their tails between their legs, afraid to speak out for fear of their own dirty laundry being aired.

\n\n

Only the hostess, Old Lady Yu, had the best psychological resilience. She acted as if nothing had happened, comforting everyone while getting things done.

\n\n

In the afternoon, after finishing her meditation, Old Lady Yu had her usual lunch of plain rice and side dishes. She ate silently with her chopsticks, finishing in just fifteen minutes, neither more nor less. After cleaning her hands and rinsing her mouth, she sat there dignified like a jade statue of a bodhisattva.

\n\n

Her attendant, who seemed like a ghost, opened the window to let out the smell of food, and lit another stick of incense in the censer.

\n\n

Only then did Old Lady Yu speak calmly, "Our guest has been waiting for a while. Please bring them in."

\n\n

The attendant changed the incense and bowed before leaving. She was a beautiful girl with clear eyebrows and eyes, but her face was slightly stiff. Upon closer inspection, there were two thin vertical lines from the corners of her mouth to her chin, and her movements were somewhat unnatural. Her chest did not rise and fall as if she did not need to breathe.

\n\n

As she turned around, a small piece of "skin" on the back of the maid's neck revealed a damaged area, and underneath it was not flesh and blood, but a series of wood grain patterns.

\n\n

She was actually a wooden puppet.

\n\n

After a moment, the eerie puppet maid led Mr. Nian inside.

\n\n

Mr. Nian calmly surveyed his surroundings before greeting her, "Old Lady Yu, sorry to bother you."

\n\n

"Long time no see, I didn't expect this 'Mr. Nian' to be you, my child," Old Lady Yu recognized him at a glance and warmly smiled, "Please sit down - let me pour you a cup of tea."

\n\n

Mr. Nian habitually chose a corner to sit in, his back straight like a sharp sword ready to be unsheathed. He took the tea that the wooden puppet servant handed him, but only made a drinking gesture without actually sipping it. Then he put the teacup aside, flipped his hand, and revealed a dark wooden token.

\n\n

The token had a strange totem on it, with a dragon head, bird wings, snake body, and tiger tail. Its eyes seemed to be popping out of their sockets.

\n\n

With a crisp sound, Mr. Nian turned the token over and revealed the words "Heavenly Fire" on the back. "Our people should have already sent a message in advance. This is my token to prove my identity," he said.

\n\n

Old Lady Yu's gaze lingered on the token for a moment before she slowly spoke, "You are too arrogant to come directly to the Penglai Conference."

\n\n

Mr. Nian smiled.

\n\n

He had a tough and masculine demeanor, but his narrow jawline gave him a delicate and innocent look when he smiled. However, sitting in the shadows now, his innocence was overshadowed by the darkness, reminding one of a polluted holy lake.

\n\n

"It was inappropriate for us to visit you only now, given your status in the martial arts world. But since we are all younger than you, please don't hold it against us," he said.

\n\n

Old Lady Yu raised her finely trimmed eyebrows. "You have become quite eloquent," she remarked.

\n\n

Mr. Nian remained composed. "I am simply stating the truth, which everyone acknowledges," he replied.

\n\n

"I'm not worthy," said Old Lady Yu, smiling wryly as she waved her hand. "Master Yue De has already fallen, so let's speak frankly. Mr. Nian, if I refuse you like he did, what leverage do you have over me?"

\n\n

"Oh, don't say that," Mr. Nian replied, his attitude much smoother and more polite than his cold and rude demeanor in the black market. "You are the most senior special ability talent in the world, the last member of the 'Qingping Division.' You should know some things better than others - special abilities and ordinary people have never been the same. When the Emperor of Humanity slaughtered across the four corners of the world, he overturned the heavens with tyranny and stripped us of our power, so that now our fellow beings think they are human and willingly restrain themselves for the human race, selling themselves out. Isn't that ridiculous?"

\n\n

Old Lady Yu didn't agree: "Why are you still talking about history from thousands of years ago? The overall situation has been determined long ago, and the Qingping Division has been disbanded for seven hundred years. Nowadays, these 'special abilities' aren't much different from ordinary people."

\n\n

Mr. Nian replied, "That's because Chiyuan is still sealed."

\n\n

"What? Are you saying that your religion can produce another figure like the Emperor who overturned the world and rewrote history?"

\n\n

Mr. Nian calmly said, "It's not impossible."

\n\n

"Haha," Old Lady Yu sneered, "I really have lived a long time and seen a lot. This old lady hasn't heard such bold words in many years."

\n\n

"I know, as someone of your status, you don't want to take any risks and don't want to get involved. I'm not here to force you to take sides, I just want to give you another option," Mr. Nian said calmly. "If we fail, you won't be implicated and won't suffer any losses. But if we succeed in reigniting the Chiyuan, wouldn't that benefit you as well?"

\n\n

"The Chiyuan has been dormant for three thousand years, its fires have long died. What do you plan to do?" mocked Old Lady Yu. "Throwing bombs inside won't work."

\n\n

"I don't believe that Chiyuan is truly 'dead'," Mr. Nian replied. "In my opinion, the seal on Chiyuan is just a man-made dam. After three thousand years, even the strongest dam should have loosened - haven't you noticed the recent increase in the birth rate of special abilities?"

\n\n

Old Lady Yu paused for a moment. "So what?" she said. "I'm someone who's old enough to be buried in the yellow earth nearly up to my neck. I don't have the energy of you young people to go around causing trouble."

\n\n

"You're not even a thousand years old," Mr. Nian interrupted. "Before the Nine Provinces War, the demon race under a thousand years old were still considered young. If it weren't for Chiyuan being sealed, how could you have shown signs of aging at such a young age?"

\n\n

This statement finally struck a chord with Old Lady Yu. No one is immune to the merciless passage of time.

\n\n

She fell silent for a while before loosening her tone. "I may not be able to help you much."

\n\n

Mr. Nian chuckled silently, "During the Nine Provinces War, there was a 'clan' called the 'Mountain'. The Mountain people were skilled in forging and could communicate with gold and iron. Legend has it that the swords they made were alive. The Mountain king eventually surrendered to the human tribe and sent his adopted son to serve as a attendant to the Emperor of Humanity, hoping to find a way out in the chaotic world. Unfortunately, he was just seeking sympathy from the tiger. The Emperor of Humanity used them and then turned around and attacked the Mountain king's palace, slaughtering all the Mountain warriors and seizing their accumulated wealth. Since then, the Mountain people have disappeared from history."

\n\n

Old Lady Yu squinted her eyes, "Witch people, Mountain people, and the Yin Sacrifice ritual... the people behind you really know a lot."

\n\n

"I said, we may not be unable to turn the world upside down," Mr. Nian said softly. "Before the genocide of the Mountain people, the prince who was held hostage by the emperor received news in advance and escaped. Before being chased to death by the emperor, he hid a batch of spiritual divine weapons."

\n\n

"So, this is why you came to find me," Old Lady Yu shook her head. "This is true, but the Qingping Division has been looking for a thousand years and has not found any clues about those weapons. If you ask me, that's..."

\n\n

"You may not know," Mr. Nian said, "but someone must know - like the prince himself."

\n\n

The Mountain prince? Didn't he die long enough ago to become a fossil?

\n\n

Old Lady Yu was first stunned, then remembered something. "Wait, you mean..."

\n\n

Mr. Nian spoke in a deep voice, "The prince died with resentment and became a demon after his death. His tomb is the seal - that burial ground has always been a secret of the human race, hidden deep within the Qingping Division. Old Lady Yu, you have many old items from the Qingping Division in your hands, right?"

\n\n

"Do you want to use the Yin Sacrifice ritual to summon the Mountain prince?" Old Lady Yu frowned and pondered for a moment.

\n\n

"The initiator of the Yin Sacrifice ritual, who is also the sacrificial person, needs to be of the same origin as the sacrificial host. According to the information I have received, the two previous 'rituals' you held were unsuccessful because the sacrificial people were not qualified enough. Therefore, the demon summoned was only half-baked, at least not with the full power that a demon should have.

\n\n

"The first Yin Sacrifice ritual had an unknown sacrificial host with an unknown bloodline. The sacrificial person you used, Bi Chunsheng, had already fallen and become a half-demon 'human candle', barely connected to the 'demon'. The second Yin Sacrifice ritual was even more ridiculous, as you couldn't find a descendant of a witch, so you used an ordinary person who was cursed by a witch. Did that demon have even one-tenth of his original strength? He didn't even make a splash and was taken care of by the Bureau. Now, with this Mountain prince, who do you plan to find?"

\n\n

Mr. Nian: "A descendant of the Mountain clan."

\n\n

"What?" Old Lady Yu widened her eyes slightly, then realized something and looked at Mr. Nian with suspicion, "You?"

\n\n

Mr. Nian smiled and said nothing.

\n\n

"You are actually a descendant of the Mountain clan? No wonder..."

\n\n

No wonder what, she refused to say more.

\n\n

Old Lady Yu paused and then said, "Summoning demons with the Yin Sacrifice ritual, you might become the first casualty of the heavenly demon if it's successful. Bi Chunsheng is a warning, aren't you afraid of death? What are you trying to achieve? Just to repair a sword?"

\n\n

"I have long been dead. The Mountain prince was a master craftsman and was once known as 'Tian'er' during his lifetime. If he really can..." Mr. Nian's expression remained unchanged, but his fingers on his knee curled up, "As a lingering ghost, what does it matter if I give this miserable life to him?"

\n\n

Finally, Old Lady Yu let out a sigh.

\n\n

Mr. Nian, who was observant of her expressions, immediately said, "Thank you in advance."

\n\n

"This time, I am only moved by your persistence and helping you privately. I have no connection with your religion. Remember that," Old Lady Yu stood up, looked deeply at Mr. Nian, and called out his real name, "Yan Qiushan."

\n\n

'When the great Dao is abandoned, there is benevolence and righteousness; when wisdom emerges, there is great deception; when family relations are broken, there is filial piety; when the country is in chaos, there are loyal ministers.' - This calligraphy was hanging on the wall of the Cemtral Dispatch Room of the Bureau.

\n\n

No one knows who chose it, but it was already there when Xiao Zheng moved in. Xiao Zheng wasn't a scholar and couldn't tell what font it was. He only felt that the words were all skinny and bony, like a group of malicious starving corpses.

\n\n

Next to him, an investigator was reporting on their work: "We looked into the accounts of several field agents at headquarters and found that they had all transferred money to the same account belonging to a shell company. The highest amount was 180,000 yuan, and the lowest was 34,000 yuan. After the transfers, they all called Gong Chenggong, the former head of the aftermath department. One of the field agents even sent a message to the former bureau chief saying, 'Director Gong asked me to convey my thanks to you, and I will personally come to thank you in person with a return gift soon.'"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng's gaze returned from the calligraphy. "What does this mean?"

\n\n

"The idea is, when you guys, the incompetent field agents, mess up during a mission and the number of casualties exceeds the limit, you have to go to Gong Chenggong to buy some Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterflies to cover it up. But of course, this illegal product is not something anyone can buy. You have to go through acquaintances and it's a membership system..." Xuan Ji walked into his office with a cup of coffee, looking like he was still half-asleep and let out a yawn.

\n\n

He lazily said, "'Return gift' is just a commission fee, commonly known as a 'kickback' in the private sector. If you haven't taken it, you're not a member of society."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng caught a glimpse of his tired face and frowned, "What's wrong with you again? Did you take drugs yesterday?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji had just finished resting, but his face was heavily fatigued, weighing down his bright and handsome features with a layer of gloom, like a smoker addicted to cigarettes.

\n\n

"Haunted by a seductive ghost, I fear my days are numbered," sighed Xuan Ji as he yawned and gulped down the remaining half cup of strong coffee. The bitterness nearly caused his heart to skip a beat, and he clutched his chest in agony.

\n\n

"Mr. Xiao, if I were to sacrifice myself on the job, how much funeral expenses would the organization reimburse me? And could you help me pay off my credit card first?"

\n\n

"No problem," replied Xiao Zheng coldly as he kicked a chair towards him. "Then we'll sell you to the medical school to pay off your debts."

\n\n

Xuan Ji clicked his tongue and impolitely rummaged through Director Xiao's drawer, taking out a box of cigarettes for himself.

\n\n

He then turned to the investigator who had come to report to him and asked, "So, are Bi Chunsheng's accusations of your former bureau chief true then?"

\n\n

The investigator's expression turned serious as he opened his tablet.

\n\n

"This is the transcript of the mental interrogation of the individuals involved." The spiritual-type ability users were particularly skilled in interrogation, just like when they interrogated Master Yue De in Dongchuan. This time, they extracted memories directly from the person's brain.

\n\n

On the screen, the person being investigated was covered in dust and trembling as they held the phone. "Chief...I...I need to report something...when we were capturing the mutant scorpions, there was a gas station nearby...it caught fire, it wasn't intentional...they all died, died..."

\n\n

As the person's gaze moved, the screen showed numerous bodies of all sizes on the ground. Most of the gas station staff and tourists who happened to be nearby were now unrecognizable masses of flesh and blood.

\n\n

"It's my fault, all my fault," the person on the phone cried with a heavy sob, "Can the bureau please make an exception this time and not implicate others? Let the casualties be counted on my head... There are still more than ten brothers in my team, some who have just finished their internships and have a bright future ahead of them, and... and an old comrade who lost a finger on a mission and is about to retire... They can't be ruined because of this negligence. Director, I beg you, please, punish me instead..."

\n\n

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment before the voice of the old bureau chief came through, "Do you know Gong Chenggong from the aftermath department?"

\n\n

The person on the phone didn't react for a moment, "Ah..."

\n\n

"Contact him and tell him you need a 'protective talisman,' say that I agree... If you're short on resources, come to me."

\n\n

As Xiao Zheng listened, his palms grew cold.

\n\n

"There are others," the investigator said, "because of this 'intermediary' system, the people involved are all connected in a complex web. We followed the memory of the cursed people and have now compiled a list of names. In short, be prepared."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng took the list and looked at it for a while before silently handing it over to Xuan Ji. Xuan Ji took a quick glance and suddenly became energized.

\n\n

"Wow, it's true that 'only the stone lion at the door is clean'."

\n\n

Among the suspects involved in concealing the number of casualties with Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterflies, there are four at the level of sub-bureau chief and above, including the former chief of the Bureau and Director Song of the current Security Department, and eleven heads of regional security departments...and these are just the ones who were actively involved.

\n\n

In recent years, nearly 30% of the "Level 2" or higher dangerous missions of the Bureau have had traces of Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly used, and almost all frontline elite agents have received "protection" from it, whether knowingly or unknowingly.

\n\n

This includes Xiao Zheng himself.

\n\n

It's almost a paradox, because the "useless snacks" are all in logistics and don't need to take risks or be in the spotlight. Only the best field agents are sent to handle the most dangerous missions. It's a job that requires walking on the edge of a cliff while adhering to strict management regulations.

\n\n

In the end, there seem to be only two paths left for the former "heroes" - either ending up like Yan Qiushan, who couldn't even keep his own knife and left in disgrace, or like the old bureau chief, who finally bought a witchcraft curse from Gong Chenggong thousands of years ago, stepping on his conscience to climb higher.

\n\n

"Director Xiao," Xuan Ji took a drag of his cigarette, "as a beneficiary, what do you plan to do?"

\n\n

"With all the evidence presented," Xiao Zheng said hoarsely after a long pause, "I will...I will go to Chief Huang and request an arrest warrant."

\n\n

The bodies of Bi Chunsheng and the others...their corpses were not even cold yet.

\n\n

An hour later, on the Wall of Fame of the Intranet of the Bureau, more than half of the photos representing illustrious careers were urgently removed. The page was left looking like it had been chewed up by a dog, with no time to be re-edited.

\n\n

As soon as Director Song from the Security Department arrived at work, he was disarmed at the door. The golden dragon in the headquarters hall climbed up the pillar and let out a resounding roar that echoed through the vast hall.

\n\n

Xuan Ji locked eyes with the dragon for a moment, then suddenly asked Xiao Zheng, "Old Xiao, even though your whole family are ordinary people, do you ever feel like, as a special ability person, you should have privileges?"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng's face remained expressionless. "The feudal system has been abolished for many years. All beings are equal."

\n\n

"All beings are equal." Xuan Ji silently recited these four words, scanning the anxious faces of the people around him. He couldn't help but wonder, 'Then how did you treat the 'Zhi Chun' sword?'

\n\n

Xiao Zheng asked, "What are you smiling at?"

\n\n

"Nothing, just beinghappy for you." Xuan Ji patted Xiao Zheng's shoulder and said, "You've worked hard."

\n\n

The reason for this moment of reflection was because Xuan Ji had a nightmare the night before. He dreamt that he had turned into a sword and was smashed into countless pieces - not the painless destruction he had done to the spirit vessels in Chiyuan, but the person who shattered the sword had a deep grudge against him and deliberately refused to release him, smashing him into eight pieces while he was still alive.

\n\n

That night, he was "torn apart by eight horses" two or three dozen times. When he woke up in the morning, he almost collapsed on the spot. After drinking five cups of strong coffee, he was finally able to walk to work.

\n\n

Xuan Ji forced himself to stay alert and stayed at the Bureau to help Xiao Zheng.

\n\n

The ones being arrested were all elite field agents and they were afraid of accidents happening during the arrest. To stay awake, Xuan Ji even ate a whole can of chocolate.

\n\n

Ping Qianru looked at her leader, who could eat without getting fat, with envy and jealousy. She quietly went online and placed a few orders.

\n\n

At that moment, Xuan Ji's phone vibrated. It was a group chat that Ping Qianru had added him to when he was being chased by Aluojin in Dongchuan. He had forgotten to mute it.

\n\n

He saw that Wang Ze had posted a few short videos in the group chat.

\n\n

When Xuan Ji looked closely, he saw that the video title read: 'Little Gege Playing the Ocarina on the Streets of Yuyang, Witness a Rare Scene of Hundreds of Birds Flying Together, Not Magic.'

\n\n

What the hell...

\n\n

Wang Ze, the silly guy, shouted in the group chat, "Hey, Director Xuan, is this your sword? It's becoming a hot topic! Have you signed the full responsibility agreement yet? Hurry up and sign it! Once we're on the platform and get advertisements, we'll be making 300,000 yuan a month and never have to work a day job again!"

\n\n","published_time":"2023-12-17T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-11-19T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-12-17T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":436,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":51,"chapter_title":"Chapter 51","content":"

Yuyang City is the capital of Yuzhou Island Province, located in a subtropical region. While Yong'an has already entered winter, it is still a bright and sunny summer here.

\n\n

A coffee chain in the Yuyang New District has become a new internet sensation these days. On weekends, idle young people line up outside for "brunch". The owner happily acts as a human queue machine at the door, glancing at their "store's treasure".

\n\n

A few days ago, a long-haired man came to the shop and stared at the figurine inside the shop. The figurine was of a chubby bird chasing a butterfly, and he stared through the glass window for a long time. The owner unintentionally looked up and met his gaze, forgetting to breathe for a moment.

\n\n

It took a while for him to come back to his senses and hurriedly went out to ask the customer if he wanted to come in and sit down. The man spoke up and admitted that he had no money and no phone, but he needed to stay in Yuyang for a while and asked if he could stay at the shop and help out.

\n\n

He said it with ease, as if not having money for food was a funny thing and not embarrassing at all.

\n\n

Normally, someone like this would either be a scammer or mentally ill, but the boss observed that he spoke with a standard broadcasting accent and had a striking appearance, especially with his long hair. The boss ruled out the impossible and came to the conclusion that he had encountered someone filming a reality show.

\n\n

Free advertising! If it became popular, the whole country would see it. Where else could they find such a good opportunity?

\n\n

So the boss agreed happily and too quickly, which surprised the man who had come to stay. He never expected the local people to be so kind and hospitable.

\n\n

After a week, the boss still hadn't found out where this person's filming team was, which was a bit strange. But he didn't regret it, because this guest was really helpful.

\n\n

On the first morning, before the shop even opened, the guest found a dusty clay xun in his house. He cleaned it up and sat at the door to try it out, playing a little tune.

\n\n

Whether it was a coincidence or he had some kind of bird-attracting magic, soon the streets and rooftops were filled with birds listening to him play the xun.

\n\n

These little listeners were even more well-behaved than the people in the movie theater. They lined up in an orderly fashion, waiting their turn without a single chatter or shout. As they listened intently, they even swayed their heads and bodies, attracting countless camera lenses.

\n\n

That day, the coffee shop's sales doubled, and this "Little Gege playing the Ocarina in Yuyang" became an internet sensation without spending a single penny. The coffee shop became a popular spot for social media check-ins, and the owner was overjoyed.

\n\n

Two days later, the mysterious customer stopped playing the xun and instead brought a small carving knife to the shop. They began carving small animals for the customers who placed orders, occasionally cracking jokes with the young people that were not even remotely funny, such as:

\n\n

"Hey, young man, I want a Labrador."

\n\n

"What kind of strange creature is a 'Labrador'?"

\n\n

These were the kind of words that made others feel like they were "probably a fool" after hearing them. But this man had a pair of particularly affectionate eyes.

\n\n

When he looked at someone with those eyes, the other person would feel that no matter what nonsense he talked about, it was because he liked them and awkwardly wanted to talk to them more. They were already so infatuated that they didn't care about the content of the conversation.

\n\n

The boss was very clever. Seeing how easy it was to deceive these fools, he quickly put up a sign at the door that read, 'Spend over 200, collect 30 likes on your social media, and get a free handmade wooden carving with any theme.'

\n\n

Suddenly, more people lined up.

\n\n

"Hey young man, can you carve a person like yourself? Look here...look at the camera, smile. Oh my, you don't even need to edit your photos - can you carve me?"

\n\n

The mysterious customer kindly smiled at her camera and politely declined, "Portraits have souls, it's best not to play around with them. Do you want anything else?"

\n\n

"I can't think of anything in particular that I want," the young girl focused on finding the right angle to take a photo of the "artistic film" with his face and hands, and casually said, "Why don't you just carve something random, as long as it looks good."

\n\n

The mysterious guest took matters into his own hands. He swiftly began carving without hesitation, and in no time at all, a wooden butterfly that seemed to be ready to take flight had taken shape - he usually carves butterflies if the customer doesn't have a preference.

\n\n

When carving other things, he often has to stop and think, but with butterflies, it's as if he has been honing his skills for years, and he can easily create one that looks just like the small butterflies on display in the shop.

\n\n

Inspired by this, someone asked if he could also carve a bird chasing a butterfly. It looked plump and festive, but he refused and didn't explain why, only smiling and saying that he didn't know how to carve birds. The boss added a note to the "any subject" sign on the billboard: except for people and birds.

\n\n

The line of people waiting outside the door grew longer and longer.

\n\n

A SUV with a license plate from another province was stuck in the growing traffic. The driver looked out the window and said to the man in the passenger seat, "We're stuck, Mr. Nian. Should we take a detour?"

\n\n

Just then, the man sitting at the door of the shop, who had been carving wood with great concentration, looked up. His gaze pierced through the crowd and landed on the SUV, with a smile that was not quite a smile.

\n\n

Mr. Nian, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly felt a chill run down his neck. He opened his eyes and scanned the outside with a sharp gaze, like a knife.

\n\n

Bathed in the brilliant sunset of Yuyang City, the streets were filled with noisy teenagers. This group of boys and girls crowded around the entrance of a popular internet-famous store, all heading in the same fashionable direction.

\n\n

It was unclear whether they hadn't worn enough of their school uniforms or if they had graduated years ago and spontaneously bought matching "trendy" clothes, shoes, and jewelry. They even seemed to want to have the same hairstyle.

\n\n

At first glance, the crowd looked like they were all born from the same heroic mother.

\n\n

"What's going on?" someone in the back seat asked.

\n\n

This was a five-seater off-road vehicle, with the driver and Yan Qiushan sitting in the front, and three people squeezed into the back seat, two men and one woman. The woman was the puppet servant girl by Old Lady Yu's side. In broad daylight, the connecting lines on her face were even more apparent, so she had to wear a thick veil to cover up as much as possible.

\n\n

She was flanked by two men, one on the left and one on the right. The man on the left was middle-aged and blind, with cloudy white cataracts covering his open eyes. The man on the right had a scarred face, with raised skin resembling three-quarters cooked slices of grilled meat.

\n\n

Their appearances were too unpleasant to look at closely. When the driver heard their conversation, he accidentally glanced back and got goosebumps all over his body, feeling like he wanted to cover up the rearview mirror.

\n\n

"It's nothing," Yan Qiushan took off his sunglasses from his forehead. "How much further?"

\n\n

"Just up ahead," the driver quickly replied. "Everything has been arranged. We're the only guests these two days, and the boss is one of our own. He won't spill any secrets."

\n\n

As they spoke, the driver struggled to navigate past the trendy store and finally arrived at a small hotel 300 meters away. He honked the horn and the gate opened, allowing them to drive straight in. A waiter then cautiously peeked out, looked around, and quickly hung a wooden sign that read "full house" at the entrance before retreating back inside like a thief.

\n\n

"Let me help with your luggage..." the waiter offered.

\n\n

"No need," Yan Qiushan pushed the waiter aside. "I'll handle it myself. Snake Skin, come and give me a hand."

\n\n

The scar-faced man nodded and, together with Yan Qiushan, pulled out several large suitcases from the trunk. The service staff, who was standing by with hands tied, couldn't help but take a closer look. He wondered what was inside those heavy boxes. Suddenly, he felt something and turned around to meet the blind man's white eyes...staring right at him.

\n\n

The service staff shuddered, his hair standing on end.

\n\n

"Didn't your parents teach you when you were young," the blind man chuckled, lowering his voice. "Don't look at things you shouldn't."

\n\n

Before the words had even finished, the blind man's figure flashed and he perched in front of the service staff. The poor guy's legs went weak and he almost fell to the ground.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan coldly warned, "Silver Shadow."

\n\n

The blind man took a step back and smiled mysteriously, reaching out to help the waiter steady himself. "Stand firm," he said.

\n\n

The waiter listened and, afraid of losing his balance, used all four limbs to scurry away.

\n\n

Several strange guests carried their luggage into Yan Qiushan's room and closed the door sneakily. The scar-faced Snake Skin opened the suitcases to inspect the contents, and the room suddenly lit up with the sight of various jewels stuffed into the large boxes.

\n\n

When he unzipped one of them, several coral bead necklaces spilled out. Snake Skin's throat rolled as he carefully stuffed the necklaces back in, quickly retracting his hand as if to avoid suspicion.

\n\n

He silently recited, 'These are all things from the dead. Amitabha, I will not be greedy.'

\n\n

These things are called 'Yin Treasure' and were dug out from a grave. In the past, when wealthy families buried their deceased, if the coffin lid was not nailed properly, it would be targeted by tomb robbers. Jewelry and jade that had been buried for a while would absorb the corpse's energy and become excellent offerings.

\n\n

The last suitcase, however, was filled with shock-absorbing materials. Inside were several large glass bottles filled with dark red blood, all of which were infant blood.

\n\n

According to internal records of the True Nature Sect, it is said that the Mountain people were a slave society before they were wiped out. These slave owners and nobles were extravagant and greedy, practicing evil arts and drinking infant blood because they believed it would keep them forever young.

\n\n

The Yin Treasure and infant blood were obviously prepared as offerings to cater to their preferences.

\n\n

As Snake Skin checked the glass bottle for any damage, he chattered on, "Mr. Nian, your ancestors were quite backward in terms of social ideology... Hmm, what's in here?"

\n\n

He found a small pottery box in the box where they stored infant blood. Perhaps due to the bumpy road, the seal was a bit loose, and as soon as Snake Skin picked it up, he broke the seal.

\n\n

"The seal is broken, is that okay?" he asked.

\n\n

"Don't touch it, that's..." Yan Qiushan didn't finish his sentence before Snake Skin let out a miserable scream.

\n\n

He wasn't someone who was easily scared, but before Yan Qiushan could finish his sentence, Snake Skin had already opened the pottery box, and several fine red powders floated out - the powder seemed alive, and as soon as it touched human skin, it immediately began to burrow into it.

\n\n

Starting from his fingers, Snake Skin's skin turned pink like peach blossoms.

\n\n

"That's a mermaid's venom, you fool!" Yan Qiushan stopped the blind man from approaching to inspect, "Don't touch him, or you'll end up the same! Give me the lighter."

\n\n

The scars on Snake Skin were clearly from burns or scalds. As soon as he saw the flame, he reflexively recoiled, but Yan Qiushan grabbed his wrist and sternly said, "Don't want your hand anymore?"

\n\n

As he spoke, he forcibly held down Snake Skin and used the small flame from the lighter to singe the powder on its pink skin. The powder that was trying to burrow into his flesh seemed to be afraid of the fire and immediately recoiled from the flame, not knowing whether it was afraid of being burned or in pain.

\n\n

Snake Skin struggled miserably, but Yan Qiushan's hand was like an iron hoop, unmoving. The flame in his hand was extremely stable and precise, neither burning Snake Skin nor leaving any red marks on his hand.

\n\n

Snake Skin let out a loud cry, and a dark red powder sprayed from his fingertips. The wooden puppet girl acted quickly and grabbed a glass to trap the powder.

\n\n

Snake Skin was still in shock, backing away and muttering, "It's alive, it's alive!"

\n\n

"You're right," said the wooden puppet girl, carefully collecting the dark red powder and pouring it back into the ceramic box. Her tone of voice was like a recording on a telephone answering machine.

\n\n

"In ancient times, the Mountain people would take the blood of live mermaids, hang them upside down by their heads, and cut a small opening in their necks to let the blood flow until they died. When the mermaids were in extreme fear, their poisonous organs would dissolve and flow out with the blood, staining the mermaid blood a uniform dark red color. When mixed with mermaid oil, cinnabar, and other ingredients, it could be made into a special pigment called 'poison'... Mr. Nian is indeed knowledgeable. He even prepared this. Of course, if the great master Tian'er didn't have this, even he wouldn't be able to repair the sword. You really thought of everything."

\n\n

Yan Qiushan made no effort to hide his difficult personality. He was arrogant and thought himself above everyone else. Even when facing the likes of the powerful Old Lady Yu, he only showed a slight bit of courtesy. He didn't even give face to her attendant and ignored her completely, treating the puppet girl's statements as if they were nothing.

\n\n

The puppet girl was taken aback and her face fell. Luckily, Silver Shadow interjected, "What's the use of this?"

\n\n

"They're talking about refining weapons. There are rumors that it's a kind of evil magic, and that the 'weapon spirits' are actually living creatures that have been refined. When they sacrifice living creatures to the furnace, the protective array on the furnace is written with 'poison'. They trap the weapon spirits in the weapon body forever, never allowing them to be free," the puppet girl said meaningfully, staring at Yan Qiushan and lowering her voice.

\n\n

But Yan Qiushan remained unmoved, as if he were deaf to her words. Snake Skin didn't sense anything wrong with the atmosphere.

\n\n

He wiped his sweat and asked, panting, "We've been wandering in the sea since we were young, and we've heard of the merfolk, but no one has ever seen them. Are they real or fake?"

\n\n

The puppet girl withdrew her gaze from Yan Qiushan and replied, "They are real, but they have long been extinct. The merfolk only look like humans, but they are essentially fish with low intelligence and are easily hunted. During the Great War, the Mountain people, in order to protect themselves, produced a large number of weapons and overfished, leading to the extinction of the merfolk."

\n\n

Snake Skin was quite enlightened and had a strong sense of environmental protection. He lamented, "Why didn't the Mountain people know about sustainable development? They used so much oil and blood, why didn't they farm them instead?"

\n\n

"They couldn't be farmed," the wooden puppet girl replied calmly. "Mermaids can't survive in the inland enclosed waters. The Mountain clan has tried many methods, even bringing in seawater from afar, but it didn't work. It is said that only one mermaid survived, and the king of the Mountain clan sent someone to ask the owner for advice on how to keep it alive. The fish keeper said that mermaids have delicate emotions and need to be carefully comforted every day. You have to establish a relationship with it and make it feel like the inland waters are its home."

\n\n

Snake Skin said, "These mermaid ancestors are difficult to serve, but it's valuable. Precious things that are hard to keep alive are the most profitable."

\n\n

"You didn't hear the whole story," the wooden puppet girl said. "Later, the Mountain king bought the farmed mermaid at a high price. But when they brought her back to extract her blood using ancient methods, they found that the mermaid's blood was bright red, meaning that there was no essential 'mermaid poison' in her blood. At that time, there was no biochemical dissection technology, and they didn't know the reason why," she chuckled. "But according to records, this mermaid didn't struggle or scream during the blood extraction process. Her emotions remained calm, so some people speculate that she knew she was going to die for her owner and willingly accepted her fate, thus not producing any mermaid poison."

\n\n

Snake Skin had never heard of such a selfless creature and was shocked. "Her owner sold her, and she willingly accepted it? Is she naive?"

\n\n

"Everyone says that mermaids are just big fish," the puppet girl replied absentmindedly as she unpacked and checked the other suitcases. "They don't even understand the concept of 'selling'. They're too stupid to do anything but swim around like fish."

\n\n

But even these foolish creatures can be trapped by love.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan resisted the urge to touch the metal plate and interrupted sharply, "Enough nonsense. Come over here and check the plan. Snake Skin, seal the doors and windows and put up the soundproofing symbols."

\n\n

"Got it," Snake Skin obediently followed orders and reluctantly kept the warm coconut breeze outside. He sighed, "Yuyang, oh Yuyang, what a wonderful place it is..."

\n\n

___

\n\n

"Yuyang?" Xuan Ji stared at the screen, his heart pounding for unknown reasons. "What is he doing in Yuyang?"

\n\n

Yuyang was thousands of miles away from Dongchuan, and the old demon had no interest in traveling the world. He must have had a reason for going so far.

\n\n

Did the emperor discover something? Could it be related to the Yin Sacrifice ritual?

\n\n

At the same time, Gu Yuexi in the dormitory also hung up the phone and furrowed her brows. "Yuyang..."

\n\n

The person wearing the brass compass must have stayed in the vicinity of the Dongchuan black market for a while. Gu Yuexi mobilized all of Wind God's informants in Dongchuan and searched for suspicious people in some irregular business places around Dongchuan vegetable market.

\n\n

She didn't have high hopes, and after a few days of investigation, she didn't find the brass compass. But unexpectedly, she found a name - Nian Fu - on the registration book of an unlicensed hotel.

\n\n

Sometimes Wind God needs to carry out special tasks, and every senior member of Wind God has several aliases and fake identities. They usually use common surnames like Zhang, Wang, Li, Zhao, Liu, and common names like Jianqiang, Mei Hui, etc., trying to keep a low profile and not attract attention. Only Yan Qiushan is different, all of his aliases have the surname "Nian".

\n\n

Because "one year, one cycle, one spring and autumn". The surname itself was already uncommon, and he kept using it while wandering around, which would definitely raise suspicion after a while and almost caused trouble.

\n\n

From the moment Gu Yuexi saw this name, her adrenaline surged. Near Dongchuan black market, the surname Nian, could it be...?

\n\n

She immediately followed up on this name and traced the recent rental record of the other party. This car had just been to Yong'an recently! When refueling at a gas station, a profile picture was taken, although not very clear, it was enough for a comrade who had fought side by side before.

\n\n

It was him!

\n\n

Gu Yuexi immediately mobilized all her resources to track down this car and the fake identity of "Nian Fu". She found out that they had traveled from the north to the south and arrived in Yuyang.

\n\n

"Tomorrow is the weekend, and I'm taking off Monday and Tuesday next week. I won't be coming, comrades. If you need anything, give me a call, but I know you're all good and won't need me." Xuan Ji made a quick decision and booked a discounted flight to Yuyang that evening.

\n\n

He poked his head into the office of the aftermath department to say goodbye.

\n\n

Meanwhile, Gu Yuexi quickly filled out her annual leave form in the system. She had a month of field leave, and she hadn't used a single day this year. Without waiting for approval, she immediately packed her bags.

\n\n

Suddenly, a wind rose on the South China Sea, hitting the calm little island.

\n\n

Tourists on the beach excitedly screamed along with the waves, and the winds and clouds quietly gathered over Yuyang City.

\n","published_time":"2023-12-24T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-11-26T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-12-24T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":443,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":52,"chapter_title":"Chapter 52","content":"

Before leaving, Xuan Ji dutifully swept the entire building for traces of the butterflies one last time for Xiao Zheng.

\n\n

It was strange because these past few days, Xuan Ji couldn't eat or sleep well.

\n\n

Even Old Xiao said his state was like an old chain smoker. But his senses were becoming more and more acute, and his range of perception had increased exponentially since returning from Dongchuan.

\n\n

Sitting in his office, he could scan the entire building with his divine sense.

\n\n

As his divine sense passed through, a few sensitive special ability users subconsciously lowered their voices, not knowing why. The golden dragon in the lobby remained motionless on the stone pillar, bowing its head. The green ivy hanging in the neighboring department involuntarily curled its leaves.

\n\n

After checking around and confirming that the headquarters' arrest operation had come to an end, Old Xiao and his team had completely taken control of the situation and began a systematic interrogation and investigation.

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt like he had nothing to do with it and was ready to leave early for the airport. On one hand, he wanted to figure out the motives behind that old demon. On the other hand, Xuan Ji realized that ever since he waved goodbye to Sheng Lingyuan, he had been plagued by a "separation anxiety" similar to that of his beloved sword.

\n\n

Even though he could find other things to distract himself during the day, the anxiety would intensify in his dreams - sometimes he was invisible, sometimes he was holding his sword, and he kept repeating the name "Your Majesty" like a broken record. He even called him by his nickname, "Lingyuan".

\n\n

If he didn't solve this problem, Xuan Ji felt like he wouldn't be able to find a partner even if he had a higher position in the future!

\n\n

There were no buses yet for those leaving work early. Luo Cuicui didn't want to miss the chance to suck up to his boss, so he bravely offered to drive him back to the city.

\n\n

However, Xuan Ji didn't want anyone to know where he was going and didn't want to burden Luo Cuicui with the cost of gas for his beat-up car, so he declined and asked to be dropped off at the bus stop at the foot of the mountain.

\n\n

Following the insincere social norms of office workers, they went back and forth with polite refusals until Luo Cuicui finally relented. He considered the fact that they lived in opposite directions and that rush hour traffic would cost him hundreds of yuan in gas money. He didn't want to be too "polite" to Xuan Ji, so he let him off at the bus stop.

\n\n

Saving money was important, but etiquette was even more crucial. Luo Cuicui waited with Xuan Ji until the bus arrived and saw him off before driving home himself.

\n\n

Driving from the mountain to the airport took two hours. Xuan Ji had planned to pass the time by playing games, but his fingers betrayed him and he opened the video that Old Wang had sent him.

\n\n

He watched it seven or eight times before realizing what he was doing and defeatedly slapped his phone onto his own face.

\n\n

What was wrong with him? Was he in the late stages of infatuation?

\n\n

Just as he was crumbling alone, something touched his consciousness.

\n\n

Huh?

\n\n

Xuan Ji looked up and scanned the west...towards headquarters?

\n\n

However, by this time, he had already left the West Mountain Protection Zone where the headquarters building of the Bureau was located. The suburban roads were smooth, and the bus was driving like a rocket. In just a short while, he had already run at least six or seven kilometers.

\n\n

Xuan Ji furrowed his brow and shook his head, feeling like he must have been sleep-deprived for days. If he could still sense any activity from the Bureau from this distance, he might as well be a human satellite station. Well, that would be convenient - he wouldn't have to pay for data usage anymore.

\n\n

Just in case, he decided to call Xiao Zheng. But Xiao Zheng's phone was busy.

\n\n

The entire Bureau was busy, in fact. The Bureau building was in chaos - the power system had suddenly failed, and the first backup system was down for almost a minute before the second backup system kicked in and set off a deafening alarm.

\n\n

"Where is the alarm coming from?"

\n\n

"The 60th floor underground! The prohibition has been triggered!"

\n\n

Xiao Zheng had rounded up a group of people and was still in a state of shock. His mind instantly raced through seventy or eighty conspiracy theories - many of the extremely dangerous items sealed on the 60th underground floor could cause disaster with just a single hair out of place.

\n\n

He quickly dispatched a team of elite field agents to protect Chief Huang and personally led them down the stairs.

\n\n

"In Zone A, the protective shield is intact -"

\n\n

"No abnormalities in Zone B."

\n\n

"Zone C is under light ban and infrared network... Oh no, the infrared network is resetting after the power outage."

\n\n

The 60th underground floor was on high alert, with an atmosphere as tense as a Black Death quarantine zone.

\n\n

After arriving, Xiao Zheng's first reaction was to check on the mutated Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly. Seeing the butterfly still playing with its changing face inside the glass cover, he breathed a brief sigh of relief.

\n\n

"How could the power be cut off? What are those useless logistics people doing?"

\n\n

At that moment, a voice came through the broadcast: "Lock down the damaged exit, lock down the damaged exit..."

\n\n

"Repeat, in room 14 of sector W, requesting support from all departments!"

\n\n

"Sector W?" wondered one field agent as he rushed over. "Isn't that where they collect scrap metal?"

\n\n

Sector W, located on the 60th underground level, stored items that had been processed but still posed a certain level of risk.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng strode into the management office of Sector W and immediately noticed something was off. The protective shield was clearly not recently damaged, and there was no residual energy in many areas.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng's cold gaze fell on the administrator.

\n\n

"What's going on? How long has it been since the shield was inspected?" The administrator shrunk his shoulders, his chin poking deep into his chest as though he was trying to commit suicide. He stuttered, "The dangerous materials in W district have all been processed, so..."

\n\n

"So you can relax now?" Xiao Zheng suddenly raised his voice. "When was the last time it was inspected? Bring out the inspection records."

\n\n

"Director Xiao, take a look." A field agent had already pulled out the maintenance report for the protective shield in W district. "The protective shield hasn't been inspected for almost three years."

\n\n

Xiao Zheng: "..."

\n\n

The field agents were playing with people's lives with the butterflies, and the logistics staff were neglecting their duties. What kind of mess did the old chief leave behind?

\n\n

Just as Xiao Zheng was about to explode, a careless voice came, "Hey, fresh news. W district can still be stolen? I haven't been back to headquarters for a while. How come stealing scrap metal has become a new trend in the capital?"

\n\n

"Wang Ze," Xiao Zheng's temple veins bulged as he spoke, "what are you doing here causing chaos? If you're not going to help, then get lost."

\n\n

Wang Ze peeked his head in the doorway and asked, "What's going on, Director Xiao? Have you found out what was stolen?"

\n\n

"We're still investigating," replied one of the field agents who was currently at the scene.

\n\n

Wang Ze rolled his eyes and strolled in, wrapping his arm around the trembling administrator's neck and advising, "W District is just a scrap collection station. It's likely that the thief got lost and took something by mistake. Even if something was really stolen, it wouldn't cause any serious consequences. It's dry and hot these days, so take care of your health."

\n\n

"I found it!" exclaimed one of the field agents. He shone his flashlight over to the W section, where rows upon rows of small boxes resembling coffins were stored. Each one was painted white and had a seal engraved on it. The agent pointed to a corner where one box was missing, like a missing tooth.

\n\n

\nXiao Zheng and Wang Ze followed his gaze and their expressions changed simultaneously.

\n\n

"Reporting: the lost item is the fragment of the broken sword Zhi Chun," announced the field agent.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan woke up in his hotel room in Yuyang, his pupils like stones soaked in despair. He stared at the bleak ceiling for a while before his soul, still trapped in a nightmare, returned to his body.

\n\n

He lay back on his pillow, exhaled a breath, and reached for the metal fragment on his chest. The fragment was warm to the touch, as if it had absorbed his body heat.

\n\n

Zhi Chun was an ancient sword spirit. Even though the sword body had been destroyed, it was still imprisoned and heavily guarded in a sixty-floor underground cell, with no freedom in life or death.

\n\n

This half-inch fragment was all that remained of him.

\n\n

As evening approached, the commercial district began to bustle with activity. The sound of an xun could be heard from somewhere, its penetrating power lingering in his ears.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan listened intently for a while, feeling that the melody was at once melodious and soothing, yet also filled with a sense of loneliness and desolation, like a lone traveler sitting in the vast expanse of the world, gazing down at the thirteen provinces, lost and unsure of where to go.

\n\n

It was so annoying, no wonder it had given him such a restless dream.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan got up and pulled out a crumpled soundproof charm from his coat pocket.

\n\n

He checked to make sure it was still effective and casually stuck it on the window, blocking out the sound of the xun. After washing his face, he glanced at himself in the mirror and noticed that his eyes were tinged with blue and his eyeballs were bloodshot. His beard had also grown out wild and unkempt, making him look like a fugitive.

\n\n

Unable to bear the sight, he took out a multi-functional knife from his pocket and began to shave his face.

\n\n

Just then, there was a knock on the door and the blind man's voice came from outside, "Mr. Nian, dinner is ready."

\n\n

Yan Qiushan was lost in thought and accidentally cut himself on the chin. He instinctively said, "It's nothing."

\n\n

After speaking, he paused for a moment, feeling a sense of unease. The scene that had just flashed in his dream suddenly became clear - he used to be a person with an irregular life. When he was still with the Wind Gods, he was always awakened by emergency tasks, and he would splash himself with cold water, and then he would put on some clothes and run out.

\n\n

For so many years, he maintained a decent appearance outside, all thanks to Zhi Chun's care.

\n\n

Zhi Chun would neatly fold the clothes he needed to wear every day, with the front facing up, and place them on the bedside. This way, even if he blindly put them on, he wouldn't wear them backwards.

\n\n

Sometimes, Zhi Chun would even shave him while he was asleep. At first, he was clumsy and awkward. Electric razors weren't popular back then, so sometimes Zhi Chun would get lost staring at his sleeping face, and Yan Qiushan wouldn't stay still while sleeping, accidentally cutting his chin.

\n\n

Then Zhi Chun would feel guilty and couldn't forgive himself for the whole day. After Yan Qiushan got used to it, whenever his chin would hurt in his half-asleep state, he would casually say, "It's nothing."

\n\n

The blind man at the door asked in confusion, "What's nothing?"

\n\n

"Nothing," Yan Qiushan's eyes turned cold as he casually splashed some water and wiped away the bloodstains, "Let's go."

\n\n

"The boat is ready, we'll leave early tomorrow morning," as they went downstairs together, the blind man whispered to Yan Qiushan, "Whether it succeeds or not all depends on you..."

\n\n

A beam of sunlight swept in, causing the soundproof charm on Yan Qiushan's window to tremble without any wind. His room was on the fourth floor, and a black mist floated in mid-air outside the window, casting a faint shadow of a person.

\n\n

The person reached out their hand, and several imperceptible black gases flew out of the room, like thin threads, bypassing the charm on the window and flying back into their palm.

\n\n

The black mist and the shadow disappeared together.

\n\n

Two minutes later, Yuyang's "newly crowned internet celebrity" - Sheng Lingyuan - quietly walked out of the back door of the hotel where Yan Qiushan and the others were staying, enjoying the coconut-scented breeze as he strolled back to the coffee shop to "earn" his room fee.

\n\n

It turned out that this "Mr. Nian" with the Mountain bloodline was the legendary Yan Qiushan in the Bureau.

\n\n

As Sheng Lingyuan incorporated the witch's spellcraft "Retracing" into the "Dream Inducing Song," Mr. Nian's memories became a book that opened before his eyes.

\n\n

However, this "book" was rather disappointing, as there wasn't much substance to Yan Qiushan's dreams, which made the emperor quite irritable.

\n\n

Impatiently, Sheng Lingyuan coldly chewed on the dream he had just witnessed.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan was born into a family known for their special abilities, with a lineage that was a mix of Mountain people and several types of demons.

\n\n

However, it had been two generations since anyone with special abilities had been born, and they were now living ordinary lives. Only Yan Qiushan, for some reason, had inherited exceptional talent.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan estimated that his potential was close to that of the half-demons from the first few generations of the Qingping Division. He was still young, but if he could diligently practice for a hundred or two hundred years, he might become a force to be reckoned with.

\n\n

Unfortunately, this person was born with a wild and passionate nature, and his moral compass has been destroyed. He will never achieve anything in this lifetime.

\n\n

Zhi Chun is an ancient sword passed down through the Yan family. Due to several breaks in its lineage, the sword's origins are now unknown. Its spirit has been dormant, kept as an antique in a glass cabinet by the Yan family.

\n\n

When Yan Qiushan was two years old, he fell seriously ill and suddenly awakened with an explosive power, melting all the metal objects in his home into avant-garde art pieces. This shocked the spirit of the ancient sword, which had been sleeping for thousands of years, and it recognized him as its master.

\n\n

Zhi Chun has a long and storied history, and its spirit is in its prime.

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However, for some reason, it seems as if it has never entered the mortal world before.

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At first, it was naive and innocent, like a blank sheet of paper, unable to speak and with an intelligence level on par with its young master who was just learning to talk. They were both equally innocent and no one thought the other was foolish.

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One person, one sword, relying on each other, from innocent childhood to the turbulence of life, from near to far, and then to the point of uncontrollable love...Sheng Lingyuan had no objection to the trivial matters of love and romance between men and women, but in Yan Qiushan's dream that lasted for half an hour, it was all about these things, making the dreamer extremely bored, almost wanting to wake him up and make him sleep again.

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However, the sword named "Zhi Chun" in his dream was quite interesting.

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"Tian'er", the last skilled craftsman of the Mountain people, was the adopted son of the Mountain king buried in the Yuyang Sea. He had once been a hostage in the hands of Sheng Lingyuan, and the Mountain king gave him the surname "Wei" and the name "Yun".

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After Wei Yun's death, the scarcity of mermaid blood and mermaid oil made the art of refining gradually decline.

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Later, Sheng Lingyuan exterminated the Mountain royal family and burned all 3,000 volumes of refining techniques when he retired twenty years later. By then, the art had been lost.

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'Zhi Chun,' such a beautiful sword spirit, must have been crafted before that era.

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It must have been around for a long time. For over three thousand years, the blade remains undamaged, and the sword spirit is no different from a real person.

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The pile of weapon spirits in Chiyuan may look damaged, but they have survived for so many years and still have their senses. They must have been the best of the best back then. With the state of "Zhi Chun," it is undoubtedly a "peerless divine weapon."

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But why had he never heard of it before?

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Whose masterpiece could it be?

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As the evening breeze blew, it wasn't particularly cold, but Sheng Lingyuan began to feel a faint headache. He couldn't quite remember when this migraine had started, but it was like a festering sore that came with life and left with death, never-ending.

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And ever since he returned from Chiyuan, the headaches had become more frequent.

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He couldn't help but walk faster and suddenly, with a "crack," Sheng Lingyuan's footsteps paused slightly. He looked down and found that he had actually cracked a seam in the stone slab beneath his feet.

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"The 'Retracing' spell does have some effect on the curse master, but that Yan Qiushan is just an ordinary person who has only been practicing for two or three decades. In the eyes of Sheng Lingyuan, his divine consciousness is not much stronger than an ant, and he cannot possibly affect him.

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Moreover, this emperor is indifferent by nature and a natural anti-social person. He has long cut off his seven emotions and six desires. The joys and sorrows of the world can only make him feel drowsy if he doesn't concentrate.

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How could he be moved in the slightest?

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What could have suddenly made him so restless? Is it the thin bloodline of the Mountain people in Yan Qiushan's body?

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Sheng Lingyuan turned his head and looked in the direction of the South China Sea, smelling the unique smell of the sea, forcibly suppressing the surging killing intent in his heart.

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Yuyang...formerly known as Gaoling, this is truly one of the places he least wants to come to.

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Yuyang was about to become one of Xuan Ji's blacklisted cities.

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He was mingling with a tour group, deep in thought about how to greet Gu Yuexi, who was staring at him in surprise from a meter away.

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Team Leader Gu, what a coincidence?

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Just finished with a mission, and you're also taking advantage of the weekend to escape the cold in the south?

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Yes, indeed. I was just trying to save money, so I took a red-eye flight overnight.

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No matter how he thought about it, the situation was awkward. Xuan Ji had no choice but to accept his fate.

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He forced a smile, feeling as if he had a case of periodontitis, and awkwardly waved at Gu Yuexi.

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"Damn it, I should have just flown over myself," he muttered.

\n","published_time":"2023-12-31T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-12-03T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-12-31T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":450,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":53,"chapter_title":"Chapter 53","content":"

"We're both here now, so let's get to know each other a little better," said Xuan Ji as he placed two hot drinks on the table at the airport café and handed one to Gu Yuexi.

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He then proceeded to add sugar to his own drink. Lately, he had trouble sleeping and always felt cold. He craved warmth and high-calorie foods.

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"I'm heading to Yuyang, and it seems like you are too. This flight is my only stop."

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Gu Yuexi remained silent. Her nose was slender, and her lips were tightly pursed.

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Her natural expression was cold, and when she was silent, it seemed like she was guarding against something.

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Xuan Ji continued, "In the forest park, there was an untraceable phone call that almost released the captive demon; Director Xiao's hair still hasn't grown back; the Yue De Sect has a new mithril cannon that hasn't been publicly announced by the Research Institute; and in Dongchuan's black market, a suspect who was already caught self-destructed right under our noses. There must be a mole among us. To be honest, Second Team Leader, I also suspect you..."

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At that moment, Gu Yuexi spoke up almost simultaneously.

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"He has nothing to do with this," Gu Yuexi said.

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"So, you're investigating me too...eh?" Xuan Ji trailed off.

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The two of them looked at each other in confusion for a few seconds.

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"I'm investigating you?" Gu Yuexi asked.

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"So, you're not investigating my sword spirit?" Xuan Ji clarified.

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Gu Yuexi did see that Wang Ze had posted a short video in the group, but she didn't click on it and didn't know what it was about. Later, she probably found it annoying that Old Wang was jumping up and down for red envelopes, so she just blocked the group.

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After hearing Xuan Ji's words, she was confused: "I'm investigating your sword spirit?"

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At this moment, Gu Yuexi's phone rang, and it was Wang Ze calling.

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Wang Ze spoke seriously on the phone: "Yuexi, if you hear anything when you return to headquarters these two days, stay calm..."

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"Mr. Wang, I just submitted a leave request."

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"Oh, leave... that's good..." Something seemed to be happening on Wang Ze's end, as there was a lot of background noise and people running around him, shouting something. "I didn't see it, that thing, I'll approve your request, rest well..."

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Gu Yuexi furrowed her brows, "What happened? You just said 'if you hear something', what did you hear?"

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Xuan Ji had sharp ears and heard the noise on Wang Ze's end of the phone.

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Without hesitation, he sent a message to Xiao Zheng, who had been busy on another call, "Nothing happened at headquarters, right?"

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Wang Ze hesitated for a moment before finally blurting out something to Gu Yuexi, who had noticed that something was off and kept pressing him for an answer.

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Meanwhile, Xiao Zheng replied to the message, "Someone stole the remaining fragment of the Zhi Chun sword."

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Gu Yuexi stood up abruptly, almost knocking over her drink.

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"Director Xiao, the fragment was stolen during a power outage and the surveillance cameras didn't capture anything."

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Xiao Zheng let out a frustrated sigh, feeling like he had misplaced his trust in modern technology.

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"We regularly reinforce and update the restrictions in all areas except for Zone W, especially near the mutated Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly," the administrator explained weakly. "But this thief was careful to avoid the other areas. I think they're quite familiar with our internal management."

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A sword spirit may resemble a human, but it is not one. The blade is the life force of the spirit, and if the blade shatters, the spirit is destroyed.

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The remains of a destroyed sword are like a box of ashes - just because a person has been dismembered doesn't mean they can be sewn back together and come back to life. Even the most skilled surgeon or seamstress couldn't do it.

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Xiao Zheng couldn't imagine what use there could be for the stolen fragments of Zhi Chun. Beforehand, they familiarized themselves with the situation of the 60 underground levels, cut off the power, and timed their entry... all just to steal a broken sword?

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If this thief wasn't just fooling around, then...

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Xiao Zheng glanced up at Wang Ze and signaled him to follow. It wasn't until they reached a deserted area that Xiao Zheng lowered his voice and asked, "Do you have any news on Yan Qiushan from the Wind Gods?"

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Wang Ze stopped smiling.

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Impatiently, Xiao Zheng let out a sigh, "I don't mean anything else..."

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Wang Ze asked, "Then what do you mean?"

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Xiao Zheng remained silent, staring at Wang Ze intently. He knew Wang Ze was hot-headed on the outside but cold on the inside, and was so lazy it was shocking. Once he knows that the theft occurred in an unimportant area like the W district, he would definitely just yawn and turn around.

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Xiao Zheng knew him well, so it was suspicious that he hurried over now.

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"If Yan Qiushan wants to do something, he wouldn't wait until now!" Wang Ze's voice lowered, as if forced out from his throat. "Director Xiao, we treat you like a brother, what do you treat us as?"

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Xiao Zheng replied, "If it was Yan Qiushan who wants to take back the remaining pieces of Zhi Chun, I'll take the blame for him today. I'll explain to Chief Huang. Worst case scenario, I'll resign and go home to inherit my family business! But what if it wasn't him?"

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Wang Ze gritted his teeth fiercely, his face, which always had a hint of playfulness, darkened for no reason, with a touch of gangsterism.

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"If it wasn't him stealing Zhi Chun, it would only be someone targeting Old Yan. What are you getting angry at me for?" Xiao Zheng glared at him, took out his personal phone, dialed a number, and unsurprisingly, a mechanical male voice came from the other end, "The number you dialed is invalid..."

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When Yan Qiushan went missing, the bureau did look for him, but not with much effort. After all, coming to work was a personal choice and Yan Qiushan had not committed any crimes. Being absent without reason would at most result in his salary being deducted or being fired from his job. There was no reason to send people to search for him as if he were a criminal. Besides, for the former head of the Wind God team, hiding his whereabouts was too easy. For three years, Yan Qiushan had left no trace and there was no news of him.

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Xiao Zheng scrolled through his WeChat and saw that Yan Qiushan's profile picture was his work ID photo and his name was his real name, without any fancy embellishments.

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He rarely posts on his WeChat Moments, only occasionally sharing official notices from work. The rest of his posts are about his life with Zhi Chun. The last photo he posted on his Moments was a silhouette of a tall, thin man standing by a window, looking outwards.

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Chains hung from his long limbs, and his shirt hung loosely on his body. His hair was long enough to cover his eyes, revealing only a sharp jawline with a downturned mouth that hinted at a hint of melancholy.

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The photo was accompanied by a rare caption: "The young master wants to eat spicy hotpot, but I don't know how to make it. Can my nearby brothers recommend a delivery place? [laughing and crying emoji] I think he's doing better today."

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The private correspondence between Xiao Zheng and Yan Qiushan had stopped three years ago. The last dozen or so messages were all from Xiao Zheng, asking Yan Qiushan where he was, but the messages went unanswered.

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Xiao Zheng composed a message and sent it off: "The remaining pieces of Zhi Chun have been stolen. No matter what you hear, do not act rashly. Take care of yourself! Reply as soon as you receive this!"

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However, the message seemed to disappear into the void once again, without any response.

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"Whoever stole the fragment must have left some traces. Contact all local units and departments, closely monitor the abnormal energy monitoring network, and focus on transportation hubs and public places with high traffic." Xiao Zheng calmly put his phone back in his pocket and pushed open the door for Wang Ze.

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He instructed his subordinates, "Also, post a notice on the internal network to search for Yan Qiushan..."

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Someone whispered, "Director, is it a wanted notice?"

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Xiao Zheng's voice rose eight octaves as he angrily retorted, "Wanted? My foot!"

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The outspoken field agent immediately shrunk into a quail, not daring to breathe.

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Xiao Zheng glared at him with contempt, exhaled a breath of air, and coldly asked, "In the name of urgent witness protection- Wang Ze, where are you going off to?"

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Earlier, while Xiao Zheng was assigning tasks, Wang Ze made a few phone calls and gave some simple instructions to a few key members of the Wind God team who had close ties with Yan Qiushan. When he called Gu Yuexi, they only exchanged a few words before his face suddenly changed.

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Without even saying goodbye to Xiao Zheng, he hurriedly left. That night, Xuan Ji and Gu Yuexi, who had taken different paths, ended up on the same flight. Wang Ze immediately gathered a team of trusted Wind God members and urgently applied for a flight route. They also flew off to Yuyang in a Wind God plane.

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___

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Just past midnight, Yan Qiushan and his gang drove their off-road vehicle out of the backyard of a small hotel, with a trunk full of offerings, heading towards the sea.

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An hour later, they arrived at the seaside, where a fishing boat was already waiting for them. A sparrow hopped onto the rocks, with its fluffy little belly sticking out, curiously watching the sneaky people.

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"Don't worry, it's a licensed fishing boat," said the blind man Silver Shadow. "We guarantee that there won't be any problems with the supplies on board. If we're a bit careful, staying underwater for ten days or half a month won't be a problem."

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"According to the tomb map from the Qingping Division, we have found the right spot, so we won't have to stay underwater for too long," the wooden puppet girl hesitated for a moment, moving her painted wooden arm. "But I'm not sure about if I can dive."

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"We don't need regular diving equipment, we'll use 'fish gills'," Snake Skin replied. "They're the gills taken from the body of an ancient Kun fish, also known as 'water pearls' in the black market. This thing can submerge an entire small cruise ship or turn a fishing boat into a submarine. It can dive as deep as we want, and even if a fish/sea monster attacks, it won't break. I'm not exaggerating."

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The wooden puppet girl had never heard of such a thing and murmured in disbelief, "Kun fish have gills?"

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According to the records in "Zhuangzi", the Kun fish in the North Sea can transform into a Peng bird with just one leap, making it a "triple creature" that can live on land, in water, and in the air, resembling both a bird and a mammal.

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"I guarantee there won't be any problems," Snake Skin confidently boasted, "Even if we haven't left the continental shelf yet, as long as we have the 'water pearl', I can take you to the Mariana Trench."

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The sparrows on the rocks stared at them, their eyes like a pair of small black beans. At that moment, Yan Qiushan, who was walking at the back, turned his head sensitively.

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The metal fragments on his neck glinted in the moonlight, and his vigilant gaze swept over the small sparrows on the rocks with suspicion, before searching around but finding nothing.

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"What's wrong, Mr. Yan?"

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Yan Qiushan furrowed his brow and replied, "Just now...I don't know, I just suddenly felt like someone was staring at me."

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The puppet girl had her doubts, "Old Lady Yu gave you the map and sent me to lead the way. We didn't even catch our breath before setting off and rushing to Yuyang. We haven't given the address of the prince's tomb to anyone else except for you, Mr. Nian. Do you really not trust Old Lady Yu?"

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Upon hearing the puppet girl's suspicion, the blind man smoothly interjected, "Miss, don't overthink it. Our Mr. Nian didn't mean anything by it. And who knows, maybe Snake Skin and I are the ones they're after, after all, we both have been on the wanted list before."

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Snake Skin nonchalantly added, "Who hasn't been on the wanted list a few times? It's been years and they still haven't caught us!"

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Yan Qiushan was too lazy to engage in meaningless arguments, so he didn't bother to respond. After making sure that there was no abnormality around him, he took the lead and boarded the old fishing boat.

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Several people worked together to lift several large boxes onto the fishing boat and set sail towards the South China Sea.

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Suddenly, the sparrows on the big rocks took off and black smoke appeared in their eyes.

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At the same time, everything they "saw" and "heard" was transmitted to Sheng Lingyuan.

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This was a simplified version of "puppetry".

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The most exquisite puppetry could control puppets so well that even the closest people couldn't tell the difference between real and fake. It could even simulate the smallest habits and the most subtle thoughts with great precision. It was a miraculous skill, but it had been lost completely after Dan Li's death.

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Sheng Lingyuan slowly walked up the reef and reached out his hand, allowing the sparrow to land in his palm. He gently rubbed the bird's head, released the spell, and let the bird go, unable to help but sigh.

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He had only learned the basics of "puppetry" - he could only temporarily use animals without intelligence as his eyes and ears, and he himself could not stray too far away.

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People always said he was cunning, but compared to that person, he was probably only fit to be a thug with a sword. However...

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Sheng Lingyuan couldn't help but think helplessly, "When did the Kun have such things as those... 'fish gills'?"

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Among these people, the blind man had the strongest demonic energy, with a scent of "You You".

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The "You You" is occasionally listed as a "ferocious beast", but it actually has no sharp claws and is just not very auspicious. Its appearance is just a bad omen and it's really just disgusting, with a true form similar to a dog.

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As for the rest of them - the one who boasted about being able to freely come and go in the deep sea is a mixed breed eel, whose ancestors probably never left the pond and didn't know to fear the strong winds. The woman is a puppet manipulated by someone behind the scenes, poorly made and simplified with a version of the Heart-Piercing Grass spell.

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A dog, an eel, and a puppet... and yet Yan Qiushan thought they could venture into the tomb of the Mountain prince? He was thinking too arrogantly.

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Sheng Lingyuan almost felt pity for them - after all, the Mountain prince's tomb was personally sealed by the emperor before his death.

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___

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It was five-thirty in the morning.

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Since they were on a private plane, Wang Ze and his team arrived a little earlier than Xuan Ji and his team who took a commercial flight. The two groups bumped into each other in front of the popular shop where Sheng Lingyuan had previously visited.

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"Nothing." Gu Yuexi put down her binoculars across the street. "The hotel room is empty, and the SUV is not there. Xuan Ji, I didn't see your sword spirit."

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"This place is too damn hot, like summer." Wang Ze stuffed breakfast he bought from the 24-hour store through the car window and handed it to Xuan Ji.

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He went around to the other side of the car, took off his coat, and threw it to the back seat. "I brought a psychic brother with me. He just interrogated the service staff in that small hotel."

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Gu Yuexi turned her head nervously. "Was it him?"

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Wang Ze nodded at her, his face unusually serious. "There were two men and one woman traveling with him. One of the men is blind and goes by the code name 'Silver Shadow.' He's a wanted criminal at the A-level, extremely dangerous, and has taken several lives. The other man has a burned face and goes by the code name 'Snake Skin.' He's slippery and has a water-based ability, making him impossible to catch as long as he's in the water. The woman had her face covered, and the exposed parts didn't look human. If I'm not mistaken, she's one of Old Lady Yu's 'Demon Servants.' I never expected that old hag to be involved as well. And then there's... him. I don't know what they're planning to do or why Mr. Yan is associating with them, but I have a bad feeling about this."

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"Where is he now?" Gu Yuexi asked anxiously.

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"I heard he went to the seaside, left in the middle of the night. We're a step too late," Wang Ze said. "I'm trying to contact Yuyang's local branch to see if they can find the road network surveillance and track down the car... Why is there still no news? This is too slow."

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"If you trust me, you can follow me first," Xuan Ji suddenly spoke up, who had been silent all this time. He quickly finished his coffee and threw the empty cup out of the car window, accurately landing in the roadside trash can. "I don't know where your ex-boss is, but I can feel the presence of my sword spirit."

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Gu Yuexi and Wang Ze looked at him together.

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"No, what's with that look?" Xuan Ji suddenly became sensitive under the gaze of their four eyes. "I'm not... I don't have any inappropriate relationship with that person!"

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Gu Yuexi cleared her throat and looked away.

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"I didn't say you had," Wang Ze quickly replied.

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"Before this sword spirit woke up, it was my life-bound sword that I kept on me... No, that's not what I meant." Xuan Ji spoke without restraint, digging himself into a deeper hole.

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Gu Yuexi looked at him with a hint of sympathy in her eyes.

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Wang Ze tried to placate him with a perfunctory response, "We really didn't mean anything else. We just noticed that you didn't look well, probably tired from running around at night."

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Out of kindness, Gu Yuexi stumbled over her words, "Yes, Director Xuan rushed over as soon as he received that video, even though he had just finished work. He must be very..."

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Uh... that didn't sound right either.

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Wang Ze covered his face with his hand.

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"Drive," Xuan Ji said weakly, ignoring the topic altogether. "Old Wang, have your people follow us in the southwest direction."

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Wang Ze made a motion of pulling a zipper to his mouth. After a moment, he couldn't help but say, "I remember that Big Boss Yan and his wife don't seem to have this kind of connection. What they had between them was more like a subtle telepathy. Big Boss Yan said that couples living together for a long time will be like this..."

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Xuan Ji replied coldly, "I haven't lived with him, thank you."

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Wang Ze curiously asked, "So what exactly is this connection like? Can you see things that we can't see, like Yuexi? Or is it like a magnet, pulling you in a certain direction..."

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This time even Xuan Ji himself thought of something inappropriate and exclaimed, "Enough already!"

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"Okay, okay, just share your experience. Really - oh, my friend replied to my message. It's in this direction, how accurate you are, Director Xuan, you're like a human compass..."

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Xuan Ji: "..."

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It wasn't visual, auditory, or tactile, but rather a certain intuition that couldn't be described. It was like the intense feeling of someone poking the center of his forehead with a pen tip.

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That person must be in a certain direction, and when he turned towards that direction, his whole body trembled uncontrollably and his heart felt like it was about to explode.

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In addition to intuition, there was also a scent. It was a magnificent palace fragrance that he had smelled on both Sheng Lingyuan and in his dreams at Du Ling Palace. It became increasingly strong and lingered around him.

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Sheng Lingyuan wasn't a censer and didn't emit fragrance on its own. Whatever he used to bathe with was the scent on his body - previously it was the smell of a hotel.

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But he couldn't describe the fragrance that was in the air. Xuan Ji felt like he didn't smell it through his nose, but rather it went straight into his brain.

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Suddenly, the dream of the snowy night in the palace came vividly to Xuan Ji's mind.

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His throat went dry instinctively, and he couldn't help but glare fiercely at Wang Ze.

\n\n

"It's all because of this damn guy's nonsense," he thought to himself.

\n","published_time":"2024-01-07T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-12-10T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-01-07T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":457,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":54,"chapter_title":"Chapter 54","content":"

In the South Sea, Sheng Lingyuan found a secluded spot and leisurely sat down, using puppetry to attach himself to several fish bodies.

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Under the water, through the eyes of those fish, he saw that the eel had indeed taken out the "treasure".

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The so-called "water pearl" was milky white, rolled up into a ball, with a surface that flowed with a pearl-like luster. It was soft as silk, but had great toughness, and could unfold layer by layer into a flat piece that was a yard square and as thin as a cicada's wing.

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Looking at it, it really did resemble a gill.

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Sheng Lingyuan watched with great interest. He had never heard of this thing before, and it seemed to be something made by later generations.

\n\n

It was quite clever, but for some reason, they had to attach an inexplicable ancient origin to it. He didn't know what they were trying to achieve.

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The eel placed his 'fish gill' on top of everyone's head, like a thin veil covering both people and the boat. Then, it 'melted' away.

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The people, the various sized boxes, and the boat, all covered by the fish gills, shimmered with a pearly glow. They slid into the water like a colorful and sparkling bubble, only causing a small ripple.

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After sinking into the water, they defied the laws of physics - buoyancy seemed to have no effect on them. All the items on the boat remained in place. People could move freely and breathe without any hindrance. The water flowed through the seams of their clothes and shoes like air, but did not wet their clothing.

\n\n

"Can we still talk?" The wooden puppet girl tentatively asked.

\n\n

As everyone turned to look at her, she realized that her voice sounded no different from when she was on land, except for the slight interference of the gurgling water in her ears under the water pearl's spell.

\n\n

The puppet girl was amazed and finally believed that the Kun fish really had gills!

\n\n

Curious schools of fish gathered around, waiting for her performance like they were an audience. For some reason, the puppet girl felt a little nervous being "watched" by those fish.

\n\n

She tried to ignore the fish's gaze, gathered her thoughts, and said, "Ahem... We need to enter the tomb of the Mountain prince. The entrance to the tomb is a Five Elements formation. If we want to enter the formation alive, we can't make a single mistake. Old Lady Yu said that this was a seal placed by a great power in ancient times, and even an inch of mistake could be life-threatening. So, you all need to follow me closely."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan chuckled and thought, 'What danger could there be at the entrance? Even if there were, it wouldn't be drawn on the map.'

\n\n

Out of the corner of her eye, the wooden puppet girl caught sight of the schools of fish swaying in unison towards a certain direction, shaking their heads as if in disapproval.

\n\n

Their pale eyes shimmered with ripples, all looking at her askance.

\n\n

What was wrong with these low-intelligence fishes?

\n\n

The group walked underwater for several hours as if facing a great enemy. From the darkness of night to the brightness of day, they finally arrived at what seemed to be the tomb of the Mountain prince.

\n\n

During this time, Sheng Lingyuan leisurely enjoyed the sea breeze with his eyes closed. After waking up from a nap, he found that it was already bright outside.

\n\n

Seeing the others still circling around the entrance of the tomb, he became bored and took out a long bamboo stick and a carving knife from his pocket to start making a flute.

\n\n

He didn't like the clothes of the people here, but he found the pockets on his own clothes to be very good.

\n\n

The pockets on both sides of his upper body even had a pair of iron pieces called "zippers," which were very delicate and could be closed by pulling them up.

\n\n

At first, Sheng Lingyuan thought it was indecent to have so many bags on his body, like a beggar. But after getting used to it for a few days, he found it strangely convenient and he could fit anything inside.

\n\n

The divers underwater were unaware that they had put the audience to sleep, and their nerves were taut. The entrance formation of the tomb was too complex.

\n\n

The wooden puppet girl took control of the boat and followed the formation path on the map, not daring to make a mistake. The boat seemed to circle around in place for 180 times, spinning so fast that even the wanted criminals dared not breathe.

\n\n

It was probably close to noon when they finally reached the surface, and the wooden puppet woman let out a sigh of relief.

\n\n

The blind man cautiously asked, "Did we make it?"

\n\n

"We should have already entered," the wooden puppet woman replied. As soon as she finished speaking, the seabed began to shake, and then a huge totem appeared out of nowhere, sinking down to reveal a dark and gloomy passage.

\n\n

"Look! The tomb passage!" Snake Skin exclaimed excitedly.

\n\n

For a moment, everyone was excited except for Yan Qiushan, who remained expressionless. After all, this was a tomb that had been sealed for over three thousand years, containing mysterious beings. Although they dared not touch anything inside, it was still worth it to feast their eyes on the treasures within.

\n\n

Who knows, maybe they would discover the secrets of the Mountain people?

\n\n

Even if they didn't, just learning a bit about the complex formations inside would be a great gain.

\n\n

The small boat adjusted its course and sailed into the tomb, with the enthusiastic gazes of the group fixed upon it.

\n\n

Suddenly, Yan Qiushan, who had been sitting on the edge of the boat, stood up. Snake Skin turned to look at him, still wearing a look of joy on his face, when suddenly there was a loud "clang" from the depths of the sea.

\n\n

It was like a huge sword had been unsheathed, cutting through the waves.

\n\n

Immediately after, indistinct flashes of light and shadows rained down on the people on the boat. The wooden puppet girl still sat on the boat, and Snake Skin flipped directly off the boat and into the water. As soon as he fell into the water, he lost the protection of the water pearl, and the paerly luster on his body disappeared immediately. He swallowed a mouthful of seawater and almost turned into eel paste under the water pressure.

\n\n

The sword flash passed over his head and headed straight for Yan Qiushan.

\n\n

"Get out of the way!"

\n\n

"Mr. Nian!"

\n\n

Yan Qiushan didn't move. The next moment, the sword light brushed past him and hit the side of the boat with a "clang", but it didn't leave a mark—it turned out to be just a few realistic illusions.

\n\n

The silent tomb remained deep underwater, dark and crescent-shaped, like a sly smirk.

\n\n

"I nearly died of fright! What was that thing?" After a while, Snake Skin crawled back onto the boat, coughing and gasping for breath.

\n\n

He spat out some saliva and knelt on the deck, checking to see if all his parts were still intact.

\n\n

"You're amazing, Mr. Nian!" The blind man half-knelt down and felt the intact ship's rail, exclaiming, "No wonder you were once the ace of the Wind God. How did you know it was just an illusion?"

\n\n

As Yan Qiushan was about to speak, he saw a small fish swim past him. The fish curiously stared at him with its eyes shining with a faint phosphorescence, as if it had a spirit.

\n\n

For some reason, the moment he met the fish's gaze, he unconsciously tensed his waist and back. Yan Qiushan tightly gripped the dagger at his waist, as if facing a great enemy. He and the small fish stared at each other for a moment, but the fish seemed completely oblivious to any danger and swam around him aimlessly for a few circles before leisurely chewing on some seaweed.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan relaxed his grip on the dagger, realizing that he may have been a bit too jumpy lately. He felt like he was getting scared even at the sight of a fish.

\n\n

"By feeling, after all I am a metal-type ability user," he lazily brushed off his "companion" and then glanced back in the direction they came from. "Let's go in," he said calmly.

\n\n

On the shore, Sheng Lingyuan had already finished making his bamboo flute. He blew off the floating debris on top, wiped it clean with his sleeve, and casually tried a few notes: "Welcome, sorry for the poor hospitality, scared you all a little."

\n\n

It was originally a beautiful day with calm seas, but suddenly violent waves rose up for no reason, and black gas faintly rose from the sea, shooting straight up into the sky.

\n\n

The pale waves rushed onto the shore, leaving behind a large group of struggling small fish and shrimp, and then hurriedly retreated. Faint rumbling sounds came from under the sea, almost like the precursor to a tsunami!

\n\n

"Oh my god..." At this moment, the Wind God group was speeding towards the beach.

\n\n

From afar, they could see the strange phenomenon in the South China Sea.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi's hair stood on end, "What did Captain Yan and the others do?"

\n\n

"Director Xuan," Wang Ze grabbed Xuan Ji's shoulder, "Did your sword spirit go into the sea?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "...How should I answer that?"

\n\n

"Ugh, your thoughts are even more despicable than mine!" Wang Ze exclaimed. "Try feeling it again, close your eyes and really feel it! Has your sword spirit already gone wild under the water?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't feel it, but as they approached the seaside, the palace fragrance that only he could smell was everywhere, so strong that it was almost bitter.

\n\n

At the same time, there was something inside him that wanted to come out, something that instinctively frightened him and made his hands tremble uncontrollably.

\n\n

"If they've gone down to the bottom of the sea, how will we find them? I'm telling you, Xuan Ji..." Wang Ze trailed off, turning to look at him.

\n\n

He noticed Xuan Ji's face was almost translucently pale, with cold sweat on his forehead.

\n\n

Despite his tired eyes, they shone with an eerie brightness, and his family crest was faintly visible on his forehead.

\n\n

"Xuan Ji, are you okay? Maybe you should rest for a bit. Are you pushing yourself too hard? Don't overdo it..."

\n\n

Suddenly, Xuan Ji's ears buzzed.

\n\n

The sound of the car engine, the faint sound of the waves, and Wang Ze's voice all seemed to peel away from his ears. He was physically in the moving car, but his consciousness seemed to have entered some kind of barrier, briefly out of sync with reality.

\n\n

He heard the sharp cries of a child. It wasn't just a typical misbehaving child throwing a tantrum. The young voice was piercing and almost sounded like a dying struggle.

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't catch his breath and was shocked to find himself in a similar state as the snowy night at the Du Ling Palace in his dream. It was as if he was floating and attached to someone else's body.

\n\n

The crying was coming from "himself". It was broad daylight, and he knew he wasn't sleeping, so how could he be in a dream?

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't know why, but this time his perspective seemed to be that of a young child who couldn't speak very well. He couldn't feel his body, only his vision, and everything was pitch black.

\n\n

The child seemed to be trapped in an oven, and Xuan Ji felt the burning pain all over his body.

\n\n

"Don't cry," another weak child's voice sounded in his ear, sounding several years older, "don't... cry. If you cry too much, you'll lose your strength and they'll... they'll swallow you up... mmm..."

\n\n

The child's voice was interrupted by a painful groan, and he paused for a moment, gasping with a hint of tears in his breath, but then he suppressed it himself.

\n\n

It was astonishing that such a young child knew to slow down his breathing to alleviate the pain, as if he had already become accustomed to it, calmly enough to make one's heart tremble.

\n\n

Suddenly, Xuan Ji had a feeling - for no reason at all, he just knew - that these two children were sharing the same pain.

\n\n

What was going on?

\n\n

Were children being abused in broad daylight?

\n\n

Had the law on the protection of minors expired?

\n\n

Xuan Ji tentatively asked, "Hey, little one, where are you? Who are you? What time is it where you are?"

\n\n

But just like the dream he had in Du Ling Palace, he was still an outsider, and the children couldn't hear his voice.

\n\n

The child who spoke weakly cried out, "It hurts..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji rarely interacted with children and didn't particularly like them. He even supported "child-free restaurants" and "child-free cinemas."

\n\n

However, the boy's voice tugged at his heartstrings... to the point where he didn't react for a moment.

\n\n

The boy wasn't speaking Mandarin. Then, an older boy tried to suppress his trembling voice and pretended to be calm, saying, "Hang in there, it'll be okay. How about this, Lingyuan gege will tell you some cool stories?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

No, wait! Little kid, who are you? What brother? Xuan Ji almost suspected that his ears were playing tricks on him, until he suddenly realized that the boy was speaking in the language of the Great Qi.

\n\n

He was stunned... When did he become so fluent in ancient language that it felt like his native tongue?

\n\n

"Legend has it that there is an area in the North Sea... covered in ice and snow all year round, the sea is so deep that it appears pitch black at a glance... sailing through it is like walking through a dense forest at night, easily losing one's direction. Those who are trapped in the North Sea cannot escape. If their loved ones come to search for them, they must seek the mermaids who guard the North Sea.

\n\n

"Mermaids may not be intelligent, but they are the most affectionate and kind-hearted. They can communicate with the sea and, by showing them a picture of the lost person and spending three to five days teaching them the name of the lost person, the mermaids can ask the sea for help to find the person... Today, my teacher just taught me a sentence in mermaid language, it's very interesting, let me teach you..."

\n\n

"Oh no, why is he so hot?" Wang Ze recoiled his hand, which was burned by Xuan Ji's body temperature through his clothes, and exclaimed to Gu Yuexi, who was driving, "He must be over a hundred degrees!"

\n\n

"Be serious!" Gu Yuexi immediately pulled over to the side of the road and grabbed the walkie-talkie in the car to call her teammates, "Has the team doctor arrived... no? Then send a spiritual-type user over here, quickly!"

\n\n

At that moment, Wang Ze gasped in shock as he saw a section of skin on Xuan Ji's wrist turn red and shrink as if it had been burned.

\n\n

"There's no energy fluctuation, it's not an external injury, and he can't hear me speaking. Is it a curse or some kind of illness?" Wang Ze waved his hand and rolled down the car window.

\n\n

The air in Yuyang was humid and abundant with water vapor. He reached his hand into the air and quickly cooled and condensed the water vapor, forming a cold water ball in his hand that soon turned into ice.

\n\n

"No, I need to cool him down first..."

\n\n

Just as he was about to place the ice ball on Xuan Ji's body, Xuan Ji suddenly grabbed his wrist.

\n\n

Suddenly, Xuan Ji opened his eyes and at the same time, the burns on his body disappeared as if it was just Wang Ze's imagination.

\n\n

"Director Xuan?"

\n\n

"In mermaid language..." Xuan Ji's eyes were open but not focused, and he spoke in a dreamy voice, "You can search for people underwater using mermaid language."

\n\n

Yan Qiushan and his team had already entered the tomb passage in the small boat.

\n\n

The narrow and deep tomb passage was lit up on both sides by two rows of "mermaid lamps", a specialty of the Mountain people that could burn underwater for thousands of years without extinguishing. The milky white glow flickered coldly in the water, as if illuminating a path to hell.

\n\n

"Thank goodness we have a map," Snake Skin's voice was low but couldn't hide his excitement. "Otherwise, that thing that flew out of the entrance earlier would have been a real sword and real blade, right? I wonder what the 'last batch of divine weapons' from the Mountain people look like. Do they all have sword spirits and blade spirits? Speaking of which, can artifact spirits choose between male and female? If they can..."

\n\n

As he spoke, he leered and indulged in his own fantasies. Yan Qiushan's face darkened, revealing a hint of murderous intent.

\n\n

"Shut up," thankfully, the wooden puppet girl interrupted him. "There's something on the wall, what is it?"

\n\n

The mermaid lamp illuminated the stone walls on both sides of the tomb passage, and many humanoid figures seemed to appear on the previously pitch-black walls, but they were indistinct and hard to make out.

\n\n

"Is it...a mural?" Yan Qiushan was a skilled and daring person. With one step, he directly broke off a mermaid lamp from the wall. Amidst the crowd's gasps, he lifted the lamp and shone it around the surroundings.

\n\n

"No, it's not painted on the surface."

\n\n

The original walls of the tomb passage were not ordinary stones, but a kind of black crystal that was semi-transparent. In the dark seawater without light, it was pitch black. But when the mermaid lamp shone on it, it revealed a semi-transparent texture, like a huge amber.

\n\n

Several people simultaneously saw what was on the wall...inside the wall.

\n\n

Their pupils shrank slightly, and they got goosebumps all over their bodies.

\n\n

Inside the semi-transparent tomb passage walls, there were many people.

\n\n

There were people dressed in ancient costumes, modern attire, and even professional diving suits. There were Chinese and foreigners, as well as non-humans with faces covered in fur, half-human and half-beast.

\n\n

They all looked like insects trapped in amber, frozen in the wall like specimens, with expressions of astonishment on their faces. They were so lifelike, as if they were still alive.

\n\n

The puppet girl murmured, "Are these people all thieves who have trespassed into the tomb of the Mountain prince?"

\n\n

The deep tomb passage was endless, and countless pairs of eyes fell from the stone walls on both sides, maliciously staring at them.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan laughed.

\n\n

When he sealed the tomb, he anticipated that after Wei Yun's death, he would definitely be entangled by those after the Mountain people's so-called 'last batch of missing divine weapons.' If he didn't take precautions, there would be people digging and fertilizing his tomb every year.

\n\n

Apart from assigning guards to watch over the tomb, there were also traps set up inside. The first line of defense was to prevent outsiders from entering, while the second line was specifically designed to prevent the guards from stealing from the tomb.

\n\n

The so-called 'tomb map' that was sealed in the Qingping Division was actually a death curse. If any unworthy descendants were to become greedy, they would turn into 'wall paintings' in the tomb, forever hanging on the walls.

\n\n

The map also recorded a complex 'tomb entrance formation'. If anyone tried to be clever and break the formation according to the map's instructions, they would unknowingly fall into a large maze of confusion - a massive illusion formation.

\n\n

As they followed the map, thinking they had successfully opened the tomb, a row of sword and blade illusions would suddenly burst out. Those who dared to enter the tomb of the Mountain prince thought highly of themselves and believed they were skilled enough to avoid being killed.

\n\n

However, they would still be frightened by the illusions. In the era of Sheng Lingyuan, this was called a "soul shock". It referred to the instability of one's soul after being frightened, making it easier for evil spirits to invade their mind.

\n\n

In reality, after experiencing a strong stimulus, people would realize it was a false alarm and become more relaxed, falling into a trap of illusions.

\n\n

Holding a map that she only partially understood, the wooden puppet girl led these three headless flies into a spider web. They thought they were following the path of the tomb, shivering at the 'murals' on both sides, and congratulating themselves on being 'well-prepared'.

\n\n

However, from the perspective of the surrounding fish, they had already been deceived by the illusion and didn't even notice their boat had deviated from its course.

\n\n

Before them, what they thought was a 'tomb passage' illuminated by mermaid lamps was actually another crystal wall. And that crystal wall had its mouth open, greedily sucking in the small boat and the creatures on board.

\n\n

Half of the boat had already disappeared into the wall, but the people on board were still unaware.

\n\n

The scorching sun hung high in the sky, and as they continued westward, they entered a 3000-year-old tomb. On one side was the world of the living, and on the other was the realm of the dead.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan coldly brought the flute to his lips and began playing a recent tune.

\n\n

'Perfect,' he thought, 'this tomb passage has never before collected such a large boat.'

\n\n

So, for those who have come, let them make themselves at home.

\n","published_time":"2024-01-14T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-12-17T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-01-14T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":464,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":55,"chapter_title":"Chapter 55","content":"

As they arrived at the seaside, a speedboat was already waiting for them at the pier.

\n\n

Wang Ze couldn't help but notice that Xuan Ji seemed off, so he kept a close eye on him and asked, "Are you okay with riding on the boat, Director Xuan? I feel like thunder-fire types have trouble on the sea. If you feel uncomfortable, just wait on the shore and don't go down."

\n\n

Xuan Ji lifted his eyelids weakly and retorted, "Why are you being discriminatory?"

\n\n

"Our unit has specialized physical examinations for those with special abilities. They can detect any hidden injuries, chronic illnesses, or curses...even if they can't be cured, they can still find something," Wang Ze said with concern. "You have to go, don't let a small illness turn into a big one, and a big one..."

\n\n

"Make sure you come to my funeral when I die, okay? Just kidding, but seriously, if I do pass away, I'll send you a notice in advance. I have low blood sugar and with all the chaos going on, I haven't had a decent meal since we were in Dongchuan," Xuan Ji declined the chocolate that Wind God offered him.

\n\n

"That's enough, my friend. I don't want another nosebleed. Wait, who's playing the flute? I know this song."

\n\n

Everyone perked up their ears and listened to the chaotic sounds of the waves and the distant voices of the villagers, mixed with the sound of a flute.

\n\n

The melody was smooth and the notes were perfectly in tune, creating a harmonious tune.

\n\n

Xuan Ji listened for a moment and then hummed along, "Isn't this the song about 'marrying a chicken and following the chicken, marrying a dog and following the dog'?"

\n\n

Wang Ze chimed in, "And 'when the brother turns around, the cow is scared to death'."

\n\n

He suddenly realized something and shut his mouth. He and Xuan Ji stared at each other, both revealing their playlists. Their expressions became subtle at the same time.

\n\n

"That's...there's a small park downstairs from our house," Wang Ze tried to cover up with a laugh. "A group of old men and women dance there every day. I've heard that song so many times that I can sing it now. I usually prefer classical music and I'm not very familiar with this kind of lively music."

\n\n

"But I feel like I've heard it somewhere," Xuan Ji quickly followed suit, "I just can't put my finger on it. Life in Yuyang is so leisurely, there are all kinds of weirdos. There's even this one at the beach who's probably doing square dancing to this song - does anyone have a photo of Boss Yan? Give me one."

\n\n

Without waiting for Wang Ze to flip through the photos, Gu Yuexi handed him her phone album. A whole folder was filled with old photos of the former Wind God Captain.

\n\n

She quickly picked out a frontal photo of Yan Qiushan, the man in uniform, looking cold but with a gentle gaze as he looked towards the camera. There was a subtle hint of restraint in his expression.

\n\n

"Is this one okay? It's the clearest one I have," Gu Yuexi said. "This was taken by Zhi Chun when he was officially taking over the Wind God and moving into the new office."

\n\n

Wang Ze was still a bit worried. "Director Xuan, is that 'mermaid language' you mentioned for finding people reliable? Will it work no matter who says it?"

\n\n

"What if the sea creatures get angry after hearing a bird's accent?"

\n\n

"It's the language of mermaids, and the mermaid is an imported species," muttered Xuan Ji.

\n\n

He half-knelt down, struggling to maintain balance on the speedboat, and held up a photo of Yan Qiushan. He dipped his hand in the sea water and wrote the three ancient characters of "Yan Qiushan" on the boat board.

\n\n

Wang Ze watched him with growing concern as he performed this seemingly superstitious ritual. It was as if he needed two incense sticks and an altar.

\n\n

"Xuan..." he began to say.

\n\n

But Xuan Ji shushed him and closed his eyes, focusing his mind for a moment.

\n\n

He tried to clear his thoughts and silently repeated the mermaid language he had heard in his hallucination.

\n\n

He felt like he had learned this obscure language before, but couldn't quite remember where. It could have been from the various tattered books he had seen in the Chiyuan Canyon, or perhaps from a spirit he had studied with...

\n\n

In that brief moment of illusion, he had only heard a few sounds, but it triggered his memory.

\n\n

He had lived a hazy life in his early years, with his memories all jumbled up.

\n\n

But now, Xuan Ji suddenly realized that he had learned so many things, a mishmash of knowledge that he had forgotten over time.

\n\n

With the mermaid language just spoken, his subconscious memories slowly surfaced, but they were so complex and disordered that he couldn't make sense of them.

\n\n

The Wind Gods formed a circle around him, watching him intently as Xuan Ji uttered a strange sound from his mouth. The voice seemed to roll out from the back of the nose, with a subtle, deep and gentle tone that reminded people of the waves in the deep sea.

\n\n

As soon as the words were spoken, Wang Ze, who was a water-based creature, felt something first, and his whole body was covered in goosebumps.

\n\n

At the same time, the joyful music in the distance stopped abruptly.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan put down his flute and suddenly raised his head: "Who is meddling in my affairs?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji spoke in the language of the mermaids and called out the name of Yan Qiushan.

\n\n

At first, the sea remained silent, but Xuan Ji was not in a hurry.

\n\n

After dozens of repetitions, the most sensitive Gu Yuexi suddenly widened her eyes - in the perspective of her vision, she saw the sound waves of the waves and Xuan Ji's mermaid language subtly overlapping, forming a kind of mysterious resonance.

\n\n

Underwater, Yan Qiushan and his fishing boat had already been swallowed up by the crystal wall, while Snake Skin, who was looking at the map, had followed it into the stone wall without realizing it.

\n\n

Suddenly, the water around them began to churn and form countless small whirlpools, slamming against the boat with great force.

\n\n

The blind man had the keenest ears and his ears twitched, "Wait, what's that sound? 'Yan'?"

\n\n

"Yan..." The man's voice was wrapped in the waves, spreading in all directions.

\n\n

At the moment it hit the boat, it suddenly amplified countless times, as if it had found its target.

\n\n

"Yan Qiushan!" Upon hearing his long-abandoned real name, Yan Qiushan shuddered.

\n\n

At the same time, a huge wave hit the boat, causing it to shake violently but not capsize.

\n\n

The front of the boat seemed to be fixed in place, while the back was about to fall apart.

\n\n

Something's not right!

\n\n

With a loud bang, the small boat was almost snapped in half. The impregnable illusion of the maze was finally broken, and everyone could see the crystal wall that almost sucked them in.

\n\n

They all retreated to the back of the boat. Snake Skin let out a scream and violently pulled himself out of the transparent stone wall, tearing off a piece of his scalp and hair, leaving a bloody mess on his forehead.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan's first reaction was that the guide was the problem. He grabbed the puppet girl by the neck and quickly broke several of her major joints, "Did you betray us?"

\n\n

"Yan Qiushan, have you gone mad?" The puppet girl screamed. She didn't have a trachea, so being choked didn't affect her ability to speak. "I am the most capable person by the Old Lady Yu's side. If she traps you all and drag me into it, what benefit would she have from that?"

\n\n

"Don't argue! Let's not fight amongst ourselves. Our boat is still being sucked in by that wall!" shouted the blind man. "There are diving suits on board. Let's split up and grab things. Abandon ship!"

\n\n

"There's a reaction! Look!" On the speedboat, Wang Ze noticed that the seawater beneath them split apart, forming a groove on the surface. "It seems to be working! Director Xuan, remember to teach me mermaid language when we get back. Knowing a foreign language really comes in handy!"

\n\n

"Leave a few people to watch the boat," Xuan Ji stood up. "The rest of us will go down. Old Wang..."

\n\n

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Ze reached out and several bubbles emerged from the seawater, just big enough to encase a person.

\n\n

Wang Ze jumped in first, the bubble sealing tightly around him, allowing him to move freely and breathe.

\n\n

"One person per bubble. Air is limited, so breathe slowly and conserve it."

\n\n

A few Wind Gods jumped into the sea, and the ocean welcomed them like an old friend, patiently accepting their presence. Xuan Ji continued to quietly recite the language of the mermaids, and the water immediately churned, forming an underwater passage that pointed in the direction of Yan Qiushan.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan furrowed his brow and resumed his puppetry technique. A group of once carefree sea fish immediately stiffened and changed direction, following his will.

\n\n

"Mermaid language...someone still knows it?" Mermaids had long been extinct, and even the knowledgeable Dan Li only knew a few phrases.

\n\n

At that moment, the fish swimming at the front made eye contact with Xuan Ji's bubble.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's heart skipped a beat. "Is it him?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji's gaze swept over the fish's eyes, and an inexplicable thought popped into his mind: "Puppetry technique!"

\n\n

Before he could even react, he grabbed the fish that swam in front of him.

\n\n

Behind the puppetry technique, Sheng Lingyuan felt an intense heat following the fish's senses, almost scorching him. He immediately withdrew the puppetry technique, and the faint energy flowed out of the fish's body.

\n\n

The school of fish, which had gathered together, looked at each other inexplicably and dispersed on the spot.

\n\n

Fortunately, it is said that these fish only have a memory of seven seconds and are used to this "who am I, where am I" state, so they drifted away happily.

\n\n

Xuan Ji held the floundering sea fish, and his first reaction was that the person behind the fish's eyes was Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

But then he was stunned. How did he know that?

\n\n

Xuan Ji first encountered the so-called 'puppetry technique' in the Retracing curse of the witch people's tomb.

\n\n

At that time, he felt that it was 'amazingly skilled, with doubts about its authenticity.' As for the principle, he completely did not understand it, and no one had told him that similar puppetry techniques could be used on other animals.

\n\n

But just now, the idea of 'someone using puppetry to manipulate schools of fish' appeared reflexively in his mind, as if it were common knowledge that he had always known.

\n\n

"This fish is not delicious. I am a water-based cultivator, trust me! I'll take you to eat the best seafood when we get back." Wang Ze leaned over, gesturing wildly and pointing to the Mountain prince's tomb beneath their feet. "Don't just stand there, hurry up and see what path this is pointing to!"

\n\n

In the sea, the magical language of the merfolk created a slender vortex with a diameter of about twenty centimeters. The water within that range spun rapidly in a clockwise direction, with bubbles sticking to the outside, as if a "rope" had formed out of thin air in the sea.

\n\n

At this moment, one end of this "sea rope" was tied to Xuan Ji's wrist, while the other end disappeared into the tomb passage.

\n\n

"This looks like an ancient tomb..." Wang Ze's scalp tingled.

\n\n

This was a well-preserved underwater tomb, unlike the chaotic burial mounds that were burned by the fire of the witch people's tomb. There might be a great secret buried underneath.

\n\n

Moreover, during the incident at the witch people's tomb, the tomb owner personally 'invited' Xuan Ji and him in.

\n\n

The owner of this place clearly wasn't as hospitable as the young clan leader. One hundred and eighty formations at the entrance clearly expressed the words 'not welcome.'

\n\n

Without special approval, Wang Ze and his team couldn't just barge into the ancient tomb, especially a non-human's tomb.

\n\n

Even someone as shrewd and smooth-talking as Wang Ze was feeling a bit hesitant. He pulled Xuan Ji aside, intending to explain the situation to the new director of the aftermath department.

\n\n

But Xuan Ji was staring at the underwater tomb, and suddenly blurted out, as if in a trance, "This is the the tomb of Wei Yun, of the Mountain clan."

\n\n

After he spoke, Xuan Ji snapped out of it and was stunned.

\n\n

Who was Wei Yun and the Mountain clan?

\n\n

Why did he say that name?

\n\n

It's unclear whether it was Wang Ze's unreliable water system or the bubbles surrounding them failing to block the water pressure, but Xuan Ji's heart began to race again, as if on a vibrating setting. He glanced at his sports watch and saw that his heart rate was approaching 160 beats per minute.

\n\n

"What's this 'Mountain'?" Wang Ze asked. "It sounds like a foreign name. Why would they bury themselves so far away from home?"

\n\n

At that moment, the other Wind God members caught up.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi glanced at the entrance to the tomb and her bubble suddenly shook. Second Team Leader's face, which usually showed no emotion, revealed a look of shock and horror.

\n\n

"What did you see?"

\n\n

"Bodies," she said, using her X-ray vision to peer into the tomb's entrance. "There are corpses all over the place down there."

\n\n

Wang Ze immediately asked, "What kind of bodies? How many? Are there any survivors?"

\n\n

"All kinds," Gu Yuexi paused before adding, "It's like a collection of specimens. There are too many to count, and I can't see the end of it."

\n\n

As someone with X-ray vision, Gu Yuexi's naked eye vision is 5.3 - no higher, because the vision chart only goes up to that point. During her missions, her highest record was being able to see through a mountain nearly 800 meters away.

\n\n

Wang Ze was stunned. He had known Gu Yuexi for so many years, but had never heard her say something like "I can't see the end of it."

\n\n

Just then, the sea rope on Xuan Ji's wrist suddenly tightened. This eerie Prince's tomb may have been thoroughly angered by one group of intruders after another, causing the sea to shake and the entrance to the tomb to slowly close.

\n\n

"Wait!" Wang Ze exclaimed in shock. "Zhang Zhao, stop the..."

\n\n

But before Zhang Zhao could even press the stopwatch, Xuan Ji's body moved before his brain could even process it. Several coins were flicked out from his fingertips.

\n\n

Wang Ze was taken aback.

\n\n

"Hold on, Director Xuan, there are regulations in the bureau..."

\n\n

"If a suspected ancient relic is discovered, it must be reported and reviewed. We cannot recklessly enter and destroy the site," Xuan Ji interrupted without looking back. "Two special circumstances can be exempted - when human lives are at stake, or..."

\n\n

The coins that flew out of his hand ignored resistance and cut through the water like bullets, fitting perfectly into the corners of the tomb. A sigh-like sound was heard, and a faint light flowed through the intricate patterns at the entrance of the tomb. The shaking tomb was solidified once again.

\n\n

"...if there are high-risk items within the site that cannot be ruled out as having mass destruction capabilities." Wang

\n\n

Ze looked at Xuan Ji in surprise, separated by bubbles. Their faces were made pale by the seawater and the lighting devices in their hands, and only their silhouette was visible.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's profile was sharp and clear, but Wang Ze couldn't help but feel that he was very distant, like a statue left in the shadows of time.

\n\n

"Both of these match. Someone has entered, and it's possible that it's related to the Yin Sacrifice ritual. There may be a demon sealed in this underwater tomb," Xuan Ji gestured to them.

\n\n

"Before entering a new organisation, we need to familiarize ourselves with the employee management manual. It's common sense. What are you looking at...follow me."

\n\n

"Director Xuan," Wang Ze couldn't help but stop him. "If there's anything wrong with Boss Yan, it's understandable. Can you give him some leeway?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji clenched his fist and pressed it against his chest, trying to calm his racing heart.

\n\n

"What do you mean by giving him leeway? You guys have me working as a field agent every day, and now you want me to be a judge too?" he said helplessly.

\n\n

Wang Ze was a sharp person and immediately understood the hidden meaning behind Xuan Ji's words. His eyes lit up.

\n\n

"We're here to save someone," Xuan Ji sighed. "As long as he hasn't done something irreparable."

\n\n

As long as he hasn't ended up like Bi Chunsheng... It's ironic, really.

\n\n

Bricklayers get paid by the job, accountants and lawyers get paid by the hour, and even if they quit halfway through, their previous work still counts and the employer has to pay.

\n\n

But the profession of "hero" is different.

\n\n

You can't change course halfway through, you have to see it through to the end.

\n\n

Otherwise, everything you've done before becomes a mistake and will be counted against you.

\n\n

Why would anyone choose this path? Is being a hero really something that humans should do?

\n\n

Xuan Ji sighed inwardly and walked down the path to the tomb.

\n\n

Behind them, in the coral reef, a small fish with bubbles coming out of its mouth peeked out and watched them go.

\n\n

On the shore, Sheng Lingyuan furrowed his brow, his relaxed expression gone. He strolled slowly along the beach, careful not to let the fish get too close.

\n\n

He couldn't see clearly, but he could sense that Xuan Ji had easily broken the formation at the entrance to the Mountain prince's tomb.

\n\n

But that formation was known only to Sheng Lingyuan himself.

\n\n

He had sealed the tomb alone, so who else could know the location of the formation's eye?

\n\n

Did Xuan Ji break it himself?

\n\n

Impossible.

\n\n

The last time he saw the little demon, he knew nothing and had no knowledge or common sense.

\n\n

He carried a comprehensive "Thousand Demon Bestiary" in his eyes, but couldn't even cheat properly.

\n\n

How could he possibly break a formation of this level? It's like a primary school dropout who can't even do basic addition and subtraction suddenly solving the trajectory of the stars with his bare hands.

\n\n

Moreover, when Xuan Ji caught the puppet fish earlier, Sheng Lingyuan actually felt a sense of backlash - the little demon was clearly not as powerful during their last encounter.

\n\n

Could there really be a prodigy in the world who can make a remarkable difference in just three days?

\n\n

Although Xuan Ji unintentionally intervened, Yan Qiushan and the others still faced constant danger underwater.

\n\n

After jumping off the boat, they couldn't shake off the man-eating "crystal wall".

\n\n

The underwater tomb passage seemed alive, constantly changing direction. No matter how far or fast they swam, the crystal wall that swallowed their small boat always blocked their way, waiting for them to fall into its trap.

\n\n

The blind man braked too late and scraped against the wall, getting his hand stuck in it.

\n\n

Suddenly, Snake Skin, the wooden puppet's leg, the flippers on Yan Qiushan's diving suit...all got sucked into the crystal wall. The blind man yelled in horror, causing Snake Skin to jump back and collide with the unbalanced wooden puppet, and the two of them bounced out together.

\n\n

Suddenly, a deep sigh came from deep within the tomb passage, and the blind man was stunned - the force that had been pulling him towards the wall had stopped.

\n\n

Snake Skin murmured, "W-what's wrong?"

\n\n

"It's not moving." The blind man hesitated, trying to pull his hand out, "Quick...help me."

\n\n

Snake Skin and puppet girl responded and rushed forward like pulling out carrots, trying to pull out the blind man.

\n\n

However, Yan Qiushan looked up and gazed deep into the tomb - the pale and eerie mermaid lamps illuminated the variously shaped corpses like models in a showcase.

\n\n

It was unclear who designed it, but at first glance, it exuded a strange and cruel beauty.

\n\n

The entire tomb was like a transparent specimen exhibition, displaying the greed of three thousand years of past and present. But in the deeper part of the tomb passage, there were no mermaid lamps, only pitch-black darkness that exuded a sinister and ominous feeling.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan hesitated for a moment, then carefully took the mermaid lamp he had broken off from the wall and ventured into the darkness.

\n\n

After swimming for less than five hundred meters, he arrived at the end of the mermaid lamp line, where there was no light.

\n\n

However, there was still something in the stone wall, arranged even more neatly. Yan Qiushan lifted the lantern and shrank back in horror, drifting several meters backwards.

\n\n

Inside the unlit stone wall, there were no longer any invaders with terrified expressions, but instead, there were children!

\n\n

The oldest of these children was no more than twelve or thirteen years old, while the youngest were likely just learning to walk. The boys were on the left, bare-chested and barefoot, while the girls wore small jackets that were very different from the clothing worn by the ancient Central Plains ancestors.

\n\n

They seemed to belong to some kind of ethnic minority, with tattoos on their wrists and ankles. The child corpses had peaceful expressions, with their hands folded over their stomachs, arranged in two rows like a row of lifelike dolls.

\n\n

From inside his diving suit hood, the voice of the puppet girl came through. She said, "These children may be from the Mountain clan."

\n\n

"What?"

\n\n

"Look at those tattoos," said the puppet girl as she and Snake Skin man rescued the blind man from danger.

\n\n

The three of them followed along, and the puppet girl pulled out a map of the Mountain prince's tomb. The map was protected by a half-piece of water pearl that the blind man had cut off, and it was not wet at all.

\n\n

In addition to ancient Chinese characters, there were also patterns that looked like decorations on the map, which were very similar to the "patterns" on the small corpse's tattoos.

\n\n

"These tattoos are likely the writing of the Mountain people."

\n\n

"So what does this mean? Are they the descendants of the prince? Did they not spare even such young children?"

\n\n

Snake Skin was a water-type ability user and did not need to wear diving equipment underwater.

\n\n

He approached the corpse of a child who was almost still a baby and was amazed.

\n\n

"Didn't they say that the Mountain prince was killed by Emperor Sheng Xiao? This old ancestor is amazing. Look at his style of cutting the grass and eliminating the roots!"

\n\n

(Translator's Note: The translation of "斩草除根" literally means "cutting the grass and eliminating the roots," but it is a Chinese idiom that means to completely eradicate a problem or issue.)

\n\n

A tiny octopus had hidden in his clothes, conveying the compliment to Sheng Lingyuan in full.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's eyebrows twitched slightly - he quite appreciated the compliment, but such achievements were not easy to claim.

\n\n

The puppet girl continued, "These children were probably not killed by the Emperor of Humanity. According to the records of the Qingping Division, the Mountain nobles, like the human race, would prepare their tombs before they died. Although the Emperor of Humanity killed the Mountain prince Wei Yun, he still left his whole body intact out of respect for his many years of loyalty and buried him in the tomb that the Mountain prince had prepared long ago.

\n\n

"This is a tradition of the high mountain people. It is said that after they finish building their tombs, they first fill them with accompanying people to 'warm them up'."

\n\n

Yan Qiushan interjected, "So you're saying that the Mountain prince we're summoning is someone who sacrifices children for burial?"

\n\n

On the shore, Sheng Lingyuan suddenly froze upon hearing this.

\n\n

Wait, are these people trying to descend into the tomb to get Wei Yun? But... Wei Yun is not a demon. He's just an unlucky guy who was neglected by his parents.

\n\n

He was given the title of "Prince" simply because the Mountain people's skill in crafting weapons has been declining generation after generation, and they finally found a talented person.

\n\n

The Mountain king gave him this "adopted son" status to control him.

\n\n

Later, in order to express their sincerity in surrendering, they sent him as a hostage to the human race. Wei Yun lived a miserable life, enduring humiliation and carrying heavy burdens, but he didn't achieve anything.

\n\n

Wei Yun was a man of few words, introverted, and spent his days forging iron... and he didn't die from being hunted down.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan reminisced for a moment.

\n\n

He remembered ordering a chase after him, but he never ordered anyone to kill him. It was actually Wei Yun who took his own life.

\n\n

As for the Mountain demon sealed beneath the tomb, that was certainly someone else.

\n","published_time":"2024-01-21T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-12-24T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-01-21T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":471,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":56,"chapter_title":"Chapter 56","content":"

"In the past, women used to bind their feet because of the social environment. It was a feudal practice, but we should respect each other's differences." Underwater, Snake Skin casually blew bubbles, like blowing layers of bubble gum, wrapping his head in layers.

\n\n

"Besides, even if he was a good young man who was virtuous in his lifetime, he became a demon and is now a bad guy. Are you planning to preach democracy and harmony to demons? It's all for the sake of the Chiyuan. Let's go, we've already wasted too much time on the road."

\n\n

Yan Qiushan remained silent.

\n\n

In the pitch-black underwater, his expression was indiscernible, and his gaze was colder than the crystal walls.

\n\n

There were countless child corpses for burial, stretching for over a hundred meters with no end in sight. The tomb passage grew narrower and narrower, forcing the group to walk in a single file. They dared not look around, only fixated on the back of the person in front of them.

\n\n

The wooden puppet leading the way had no back to stare at, and even though she was just a puppet, she felt uneasy. Unable to hold back, she spoke up, "The heavenly demon is only recorded in the ancient scrolls of the Qingping Division. I used to think it was just a legend."

\n\n

"It's almost becoming a legend," the blind man replied to her. "To become a heavenly demon, one must be a powerful expert in their lifetime. It's not something that anyone can do. After the sealing of Chiyuan for three thousand years, the human race unified the world, and the spiritual energy dried up.

\n\n

"Now, these useless descendants probably can't even compare to ordinary mortal cultivators from the past. They don't have the qualifications to become heavenly demons. Even if they go crazy like Bi Chunsheng, they can only become a mediocre 'human candle.' Without Chiyuan, it's impossible for new 'heavenly demons' to be born in the world. We can only search for ancient heavenly demons through ancient books."

\n\n

The wooden puppet girl asked, "Your sect has always talked about 'reigniting the Chiyuan', but how exactly do you do that? Can you just throw a missile in and cause a volcanic eruption? I heard that the Yue De Sect's disciple stole a new weapon from the Bureau, so you must be involved, right? Your sect has such great abilities, why not organize some spiritual-type users to infiltrate the military factory and steal missiles? Why go through such a big circle?"

\n\n

"You've been following Old Lady Yu for so long and should know a lot about the secrets of the Qingping Division. Yet you ask such an ignorant question. It's clear how the inheritance has been broken," the blind man sneered.

\n\n

"The volcanic activity in Chiyuan is a byproduct of energy eruption, just a superficial phenomenon. It's like when a woman is pregnant, her belly gets bigger. But can she just pick up a baby if she eats enough to make her belly as big as a ball and gain two hundred pounds? Chiyuan is now a primitive forest. If there's a drought, the forest will catch fire every three to five years, but that's just an ordinary fire. To truly reignite the Chiyuan fire, we need to break the Vermilion Bird seal left by the Emperor Sheng Xiao."

\n\n

"I know that," the puppet girl said. "The Qingping Division has records that Emperor Sheng Xiao used thirty-six Vermilion Bird bones to seal Chiyuan, extinguishing the fire and bringing peace to the world..."

\n\n

"Isn't it just so? With one seal on Chiyuan, all that's left in the world are mere mortals. The lions, tigers, wolves, and bears in the garden were all killed off, leaving only a bunch of weaklings. Even if they were to fight, it would be like blind birds pecking at each other," Snake Skin interjected.

\n\n

"It's just that the technological limitations of the time restricted the imagination of the Emperor. Who could have known that these weaklings would create nuclear weapons because they were unsatisfied with pecking at each other? If those were to explode, tsk, it would be even more powerful than the 'Great Cataclysm of 99' from back then."

\n\n

The puppet girl asked casually, "Why is it that with one seal on Chiyuan, all that's left in the world are mere mortals?"

\n\n

"This matter, you see, it's a long story," Snake Skin said in a poor tone, launching into a lengthy discourse.

\n\n

"Chiyuan, originally named the Nanming Valley, is said to be the nest of the divine Vermilion Bird. To the left of Nanming Valley is the territory of our demon ancestors, and to the right lives humans. Due to changes in climate, the spiritual energy within the demon territory was lost - you know, we demon are spiritual creatures of heaven and earth, unlike mortals who can survive on just a bit of grain from the ground.

\n\n

"With the loss of spiritual energy, many young demons were born stillborn, and our ancestors couldn't survive in their homeland anymore, so they had to go out to work. But the humans didn't welcome us, it's their territory after all, so we had to live with our tails between our legs, constantly retreating. Many demon had to work as cattle and horses for humans just to make a living... At that time, we also performed acrobatics, which was the ancient circus, all created by our ancestors. But even that wasn't enough...

\n\n

"Emperor Ping was a heartless ruler. He ordered the expulsion of all non-Chinese people and mercilessly slaughtered the elderly, weak, and sick.

\n\n

"The demon king was furious and declared war. We planned to pass through the Nanming Valley, where the Vermilion Bird resided. Although they were technically part of our demon clan, the humans had built a temple to worship them, and over time, the Vermilion Bird began to think of themselves as gods.

\n\n

"They always took the humans' side, and with their overwhelming numbers, they forced my king into a corner. The king unleashed his ultimate attack and slaughtered the entire Vermilion Bird clan, taking over the Nanming Valley and renaming it Chiyuan. It was then that we discovered the true value of Chiyuan.

\n\n

"The Vermilion Bird had suppressed the exceptional energy source within it, making even the hot springs unable to boil an egg. But now, we realized that it was an extraordinary source of energy! The Vermilion Bird had suppressed Chiyuan because its exceptional energy could benefit all clans except for the humans. The humans were inferior, unable to communicate with the heavens and the earth. Honestly, humans were just born as defective products, powerless and poisonous.

\n\n

These defective products should have been extinct long ago, at most we could keep a couple of them in the zoo for a photo op. But the Vermilion Bird feeds on the humans' incense offerings, so how could they bear to see the human race go extinct? In order to protect this species, the Vermilion Bird forcibly suppressed the other races and brought them all to the same level as the humans. Don't you think these red-haired parrots are hateful?

\n\n

"Unfortunately, later on, the Emperor of Humanity, a great trickster, came to power. He confused the witch people, the Mountain people, and others, and they foolishly followed him, allowing him to gain power and seal off the Chiyuan again. If it weren't for Mr. Nian here, what use would we have for being so weak? If the Chiyuan were unsealed, with your level of ability, a few iron mines would be like putty in your hands. You could take on a hundred steel mills by yourself. Hahaha."

\n\n

Yan Qiushan probably thought that acknowledging him would lower his status by two levels, so he ignored him and continued walking forward without even lifting his head.

\n\n

The blind man interrupted Snake Skin's silly laughter and continued, "However, when the Emperor sealed the Chiyuan with the Vermilion Bird bones, he did not anticipate the future population and scale of wars among mortals. Chiyuan is connected to the earth's veins, and every time there is a major war or disaster in the human world, it becomes a 'calamity,' causing Chiyuan to become turbulent.

\n\n

"If you observe historical records, you will notice that the birth rate of special ability users fluctuates. During peaceful times, the birth rate is the lowest, while during turbulent times, it is the highest. The most recent peak was during World War II in 1943. However, if you ask any current special ability person, none of them were born in 1944. If there were, they would have certainly changed their age. That year, there were no records of any special ability events around the world. Elderly people like Old Lady Yu should remember that all special ability people's energy levels declined, and some of the elderly ones..."

\n\n

"Some were too weak to survive the ordeal. However, even after the end of the war, there was some external force that suppressed the activity of the Chiyuan. This kind of thing has happened 35 times in history, if you catch my drift?"

\n\n

The wooden puppet girl was taken aback. "The Vermilion Bird Seal is made up of thirty-six Vermilion Bird bones. Are you saying..."

\n\n

"In recent years, there hasn't been a major disaster worthy of being called a 'calamity', but the birth rate has been increasing. This is unprecedented," the blind man said. "This means that there is only one bone left to complete the Vermilion Bird Seal, and it's on the verge of being unable to seal anymore. We've caught up at a good time."

\n\n

As the blind man spoke, he suddenly stopped. They had reached the end of the narrow tomb passage, and the space suddenly widened. At the end, there was a huge 'crystal wall.'

\n\n

"What is that?" Several people gathered around and raised the mermaid lantern.

\n\n

Inside the crystal wall was a male corpse, preserved perfectly like an exhibition.

\n\n

He looked as if he were still alive, even his eyelashes were clearly visible. His attire was different from the other children buried alongside him. He was wrapped up tightly, resembling the style of ancient people from the Central Plains.

\n\n

He appeared to be around thirty years old...or perhaps even younger, but his face showed no signs of aging from the passage of time. Although not a single strand of hair on his head was white, his mouth drooped and his brow was furrowed with worry lines.

\n\n

It was a face that had weathered many storms, yet even in death, it still seemed to be filled with deep contemplation.

\n\n

"Is this...the owner of the tomb?"

\n\n

"It should be him. Look at his belt," Snake Skin blew another bubble and bravely approached the male corpse, illuminating a waist badge on his belt.

\n\n

"It's said that the prince Wei Yun was sent by the Mountain king to serve as an attendant to the Emperor before he died...as a hostage. This waist badge was personally bestowed by the Emperor and is part of the official Great Qi system...tsk, this person is not quite what I imagined. Aren't these Mountain nobles part of the exploiting class? How did they produce such a bitter-faced man?"

\n\n

"You can ask him when he wakes up," the blind man calculated the time and urged, "We've been trapped in this tomb passage for almost a day. It's already eleven o'clock at night. We need to hurry up and finish the Yin Sacrifice ritual before then. Mr. Nian, are you ready?"

\n\n

Yan Qiushan tightened his cheeks.

\n\n

The puppet girl asked, "How do we write the Yin Sacrifice text underwater?"

\n\n

From his pocket, the blind man pulled out a worn-out carving knife. It was unclear whether the blade had never been sharpened or if it had rusted over time. The body of the knife was stained and the back was engraved with intricate characters, like a cheap souvenir sold at tourist attractions.

\n\n

Despite its appearance, the blind man cherished the knife and handed it over to Yan Qiushan with great reluctance.

\n\n

"Be careful, this is an antique. It was carved by the master craftsman of Mountain, who used it to inscribe the names of the spirits on swords and knives. The engravings not only leave marks on the weapon, but also leave imprints on the spirit's consciousness. Legend has it that it can communicate with the soul, so it's called 'Yin Spirit Blade' by the people. This is the only one left in the world."

\n\n

As soon as the "Yin Spirit Blade" fell into Yan Qiushan's hands, it immediately began to vibrate. The handle of the knife became hot, stirring up tiny bubbles in the surrounding seawater. The rust on the blade instantly faded away, revealing a chilling and menacing edge that exuded a fierce aura.

\n\n

The blind man let out a sigh, "Truly worthy of being Mr. Nian. Even if others 'purify' their bloodline several times, they may not be able to gain recognition from ancient artifacts. You were born with the ability to awaken the spirit of the treasure sword. No wonder the Yin Spirit Blade is so excited. This thing has passed through the hands of dozens of metallurgists, but it has never shown any reaction."

\n\n

Perhaps because the Yin Spirit Blade was too excited, Yan Qiushan's hand also trembled as if it was being led by the sword.

\n\n

"Snake Skin and I will protect you. The final stroke of the Yin Sacrifice text must be completed at the stroke of midnight. Once the text is formed, you must quickly retreat, and Snake Skin and I will push out the two types of offerings."

\n\n

The blind man caught the box containing the sacrificial offerings that Snake Skin threw to him. His fingers rubbed over the code on the box, and he knew immediately that Snake Skin had kept the box containing the infant blood.

\n\n

Snake Skin was a slippery and cowardly person who always chose safety over anything else, especially in critical moments.

\n\n

However... it was said that the ancient Mountain people were obsessed with wealth.

\n\n

The Mountain king refused to leave his precious White Jade Palace and was eventually trapped and killed by the Emperor. It's hard to say which type of offering the demon in this tomb values more. The blind man sneered and didn't bother to argue with him.

\n\n

He continued, "The demon has intelligence. As long as we can block his fatal blow when he appears, we can negotiate with him... Mr. Nian, don't hesitate. Think about your lifelong wish."

\n\n

In the sea, tiny waves rolled by. The metal plate on Yan Qiushan's chest stuck to his skin, emitting a slight heat. He remained silent, clutching the Yin Spirit Blade tightly and slowly moving forward.

\n\n

The sharp blade of the Yin Spirit Blade seemed capable of cutting through the water flow.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan's eyes were like two whirlpools. He looked at the male corpse in the crystal wall, separated by three thousand years and the tomb passage, and then firmly cut open his own palm.

\n\n

As the person's blood flowed into the sea, it didn't dissipate but instead seemed to be drawn by something.

\n\n

In an instant, the blood filled the grooves of the Yin Spirit Blade, causing it to tremble with excitement. The blood of the descendants had awakened the entire tomb, and all the corpses opened their eyes at once!

\n\n

At that moment, someone shouted from the entrance of the tomb, "Mr. Yan, stop!"

\n\n

The sound waves flew out of the bubbles, breaking through the water and reaching Yan Qiushan.

\n\n

The Wind Gods had arrived!

\n\n

But it was too late.

\n\n

The Yin Spirit Blade, now stained with blood, made the first stroke of the Yin Sacrifice text.

\n\n

A huge bubble emerged from where the sword had fallen, enveloping Yan Qiushan and the Mountain prince, isolating them from the others. Wang Ze rushed forward, only to be bounced back by the bubble.

\n\n

The blind man sneered loudly, "Who do you think you are? Do you really think you can interrupt the Yin Sacrifice ritual?"

\n\n

Yan Qiushan paused for a moment, then suddenly turned around. In a burst of blood-red light, he locked eyes with Wang Ze. A faint smile appeared on his stern face.

\n\n

Wang Ze was furious. "How can you still laugh? Are you an idiot, Yan Qiushan? Can you face Zhi Chun with a clear conscience?"

\n\n

Yan Qiushan shook his head at him and glanced at the blind man.

\n\n

Suddenly, he asked, "You said that there are no more 'heavenly demons' in the world after Chiyuan was sealed. But that's not entirely true, is it?"

\n\n

The blind man was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

\n\n

"From the information I have gathered over the years, even in ancient times, there was only the term 'demonic cultivator'. When a demonic cultivator loses control, they become a 'human candle', not a 'heavenly demon'. Those who become heavenly demons do not die, but decay with the world's natural laws. It can also be said that they become a part of the world's rules. In ancient times, they were called 'calamities' and 'disasters'. There is a limit to the number of heavenly demons that the world can accommodate, and each clan may only have one - humans, witches, and this Mountain clan..."

\n\n

Yan Qiushan laughed, his eyes like flint sparking with fire. It was as if his long-hidden soul had regained control of his body.

\n\n

He said, "One more dead is one less, thank you for showing me the way."

\n\n

The blind man asked, "What are you going to do..."

\n\n

He didn't finish his sentence before Yan Qiushan pulled out a small pottery box - he had been carrying the "poison" with him. The blind man thought he was going to ask the demon in the tomb to help him restore the Zhi Chun sword, and didn't care.

\n\n

At this moment, Yan Qiushan fiercely smashed the "poison" against the crystal wall, as if he was crushing his last delusion with his own hands. The blood of the mermaid, filled with infinite resentment, instantly dyed the crystal red. Yan Qiushan's Yin Spirit Blade suddenly stretched out in his hand, sparking against the stone wall and drawing several strokes, but it was not the Yin Sacrifice text.

\n\n

Wang Ze and Yan Qiushan were so close in the past that Yan Qiushan only had to make the first move and Wang Ze could already predict what he was going to do. It was a talisman that only those with a metal-type special ability could use, capable of instantly draining a person's energy and redistributing the free electrons in their metal objects to create a large enough potential difference for an electric arc to break through the air in a small area, typically used to detonate dangerous items.

\n\n

Especially in an enclosed space!

\n\n

In the blink of an eye, Wang Ze realized what Yan Qiushan was about to do and his eyes widened in horror as he stared at the walls covered in "blood-colored paint".

\n\n

The mermaid poison had a smooth texture and had a taste for fresh blood. Even through a cloth, it could quickly penetrate and cling onto its target. It feared light and fire because the oily substance within it was easily flammable.

\n\n

The blood of the merfolk, which contained toxins, had an extremely high energy density. Once ignited, it would immediately explode.

\n\n

At this moment, the sealed barrier created by the Yin Sacrifice ritual was unbreakable. If the poison on the walls were ignited, it could turn the Mountain prince into ashes!

\n\n

Although heavenly demons decay together with the earth and sky, they are still the lowest form of existence in the heavenly realm. They require a vessel. Three thousand years ago, the masters dealt with demons by sealing their bodies along with their spirit. Once the demon's spirit escaped, it would be even harder to capture.

\n\n

However, after three thousand years of desolation in the Abyss, vessels that could contain the heavenly demon power were rarer than the demons themselves. Once they were blown up, they didn't have to worry about the Mountain demons anymore.

\n\n

After Zhi Chun was poisoned at the sea, Yan Qiushan frantically searched through countless materials about the sea poison and the mirage island. But the more he searched, the more doubtful he became.

\n\n

The mirage island was composed of a creature called the "mirage bug". Although the mirage bug looked disgusting, it was very sensitive and afraid of "living energy".

\n\n

With many fishing grounds and tourist boats along the coast, humans and various marine creatures frequently interacted. Even before approaching human activity areas, the mirage bugs would scatter and flee in fear, causing the mirage island to naturally disintegrate and making it impossible to approach.

\n\n

Not to mention densely populated countries like their own, even the vast and sparsely populated mainland had never had a precedent of the mirage island approaching the continental shelf.

\n\n

So... where did the mirage island that almost approached the land come from?

\n\n

Yan Qiushan was not one to easily entertain conspiracy theories, for he knew he had nothing to gain from them. His family's bloodline was too diluted, and most of his relatives were ordinary people who rarely visited.

\n\n

He was not skilled in socializing, and it was unlikely he would make any significant achievements in the so-called "officialdom." He simply worked to make a living, and his position would not rise any further.

\n\n

As a special operations agent, his salary was high, and he lived a relatively comfortable life. However, it was still just a salary, and he had no connection to wealth and prosperity.

\n\n

He was poor and had nothing but Zhi Chun.

\n\n

To him, Zhi Chun was priceless, but what did he matter to others? He was neither as famous as the top ten famous swords, nor as sharp and unparalleled as those legendary magic swords and demon swords.

\n\n

As an "ancient sword", Zhi Chun was too gentle and lacked sharpness. He didn't even have a decent sword inscription and was almost an unfinished product. The sword spirit had been dormant for thousands of years until it awakened in his hands.

\n\n

People are insignificant, and swords are insignificant. What is there worth others racking their brains to calculate?

\n\n

It wasn't until someone came to him and asked if he wanted to restore Zhi Chun that he realized those people were missing a Mountain descendant who could perform the Yin Sacrifice ritual. Zhi Chun was gone, but people were still plotting over him and his fragments.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan thought about how there were thousands of field agents like him in the Bureau, with departments constantly churning out new recruits. But this so-called "heavenly demon" was different. They were rare and valuable, like a limited edition antique car compared to a common fleet of taxis.

\n\n

He had lived a happy life and had done enough in this world.

\n\n

He had also lived long enough.

\n\n

He had uncovered everything he needed to and all of his findings were sealed away. His former subordinates still remembered him, and if they could follow the small clues he left behind, they should be able to find what he had left behind as well.

\n\n

As Yan Qiushan listened to the sound of water, the mournful cries of the sea, the weeping voice of Gu Yuexi, and the angry shouts of Wang Ze, his world remained calm amidst the chaos, his hands steady as a mountain.

\n\n

After death, does the soul exist? If only he had embraced a belief earlier, any belief would do. Then, when death approached, he could convince himself that the soul lives on, able to travel between heaven and earth, and retrieve what was lost.

\n\n

"Yan Qiushan!" The Yin Spirit Blade left a familiar charm on the stone wall that sealed the Mountain prince.

\n\n

Wang Ze let out a scream even more heart-wrenching than before. "Are you an idiot?"

\n\n

Yan Qiushan stood facing the wall, his blade cutting through the blood of the merfolk. Through the sharp cracks, he faced the dead face of the Mountain prince who still mourned behind the wall.

\n\n

A smile flickered across his eyes, "Wang Ze, it seems like you're getting anxious."

\n\n

As the Yin Spirit Blade's stroke approached the beautiful and precise arc, it was about to connect the beginning and end.

\n\n

In order to find the flaw on the barrier, Gu Yuexi opened her perspective eye to the extreme, almost shedding tears of blood from the corner of her eye.

\n\n

At that moment, Zhang Zhao, who was struggling in the water, finally arrived and activated the one-second pause.

\n\n

Xuan Ji grabbed Gu Yuexi by the back of her collar, "Get out of the way!"

\n\n

His fingertips burst into a cluster of flames, the color of the flames changing several times before finally turning into a strange snow-white color. The oxygen in the bubbles was burned out in an instant, and the water pressure pushed them against his body, causing him to glow like a light.

\n\n

As soon as the snow-white flames touched the Yin Sacrifice ritual's barrier, it let out a sharp crack and dark, thick liquid dripped from the burned area like blood. Suddenly, Xuan Ji was bombarded with countless chaotic images and the sounds of battle and screams filled his ears, but he didn't have time to examine them closely.

\n\n

After a brief pause, time seemed to speed up.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan's dagger broke with a "clang" in his palm, and a string of terrifying sparks exploded from the wall. With a loud "boom," the sacrificial barrier shattered just as the mermaid's blood exploded.

\n\n

Wang Ze had never used such a powerful water spell in his life, and as the barrier broke, a dozen bubbles flew out and attached themselves to Yan Qiushan. It was unclear whether they were secure or not, but they were shattered by the shockwave of the explosion layer by layer.

\n\n

Suddenly, the entire tomb collapsed and a huge wave threw everyone inside out, regardless of whether they were gods or demons.

\n\n

Xuan Ji had already burned through all the oxygen in his bubble and now he was facing the explosion head-on. The bubble shattered into pieces - he was not only a fire user, but also a bird person, making underwater combat an impossible task.

\n\n

The rushing water hit him straight in the chest, taking away the last bit of air in his lungs, and Xuan Ji blacked out.

\n\n

As his lungs ran out of oxygen, the burning pain intensified and a scene flashed before his eyes. In a daze, he felt like he was surrounded by a group of people, standing in the midst of a raging fire.

\n\n

The people around him looked withered, as if they were about to run out of oil in their lamps. Their faces were unable to cover their skulls, but their eyes shone with fanatical light.

\n\n

With all eighty-one mouths chanting the incantation to open the gates of hell, the sound was deafening.

\n\n

Xuan Ji first noticed that these people were abnormally tall, but then he realized that it wasn't them who were too "tall," but rather he was too small - about the size of an adult man's palm. Before he could even process his current form, he felt excruciating pain in eight different places - his head, eyes, throat, wings, chest, and dantian - almost overwhelming his senses.

\n\n

Suddenly, he was lifted into the air and twisted into a contorted position, pinned onto something soft and warm with a faint heartbeat. It was the body of a living person!

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't have time to be horrified before the distant thunder had already descended. The corners of the bronze mirror shone brightly, and his eyes were dazzled through.

\n\n

However, strangely, he could still see things, as if he was sharing someone else's eyes!

\n\n

In the dim moment of lightning, he saw the scene reflected in the bronze mirror - a two or three-year-old boy was hanging from the base of the Vermilion Bird statue, suspended over a huge bronze cauldron. The cauldron was burning fiercely, and the boy had a palm-sized fledgling bird nailed to his chest.

\n\n

Scattered around were gem-like eggshells, and the bird seemed to have been directly cut out of the egg by someone. Its feathers had not yet fully grown, and the blood from the boy's heart soaked through, flowing all over the fledgling bird's body.

\n\n

The little thing was a bloody mess, and it was impossible to tell what species it was. The second thunderbolt struck with a blinding flash, illuminating the faces of the people around as if they were ghosts.

\n\n

In the lightning, a huge vermilion bird statue appeared, its silhouette pure white against the darkness. The statue depicted a man with wings and a feathered robe, his face and body human, but with a bird-like protrusion at the back of his head and adorned with beautiful long feathers.

\n\n

In the midst of the thunder and lightning, the statue's mouth twisted into a sinister and eerie smile.

\n\n

Suddenly, flames erupted from the bronze cauldron, turning snow-white.

\n\n

The boy and the bird were swallowed up by the flames, and the people around them, who had gone mad, were also engulfed by the fiery tongues.

\n\n

However, they seemed to be oblivious to pain and death, dancing and shouting in unison, "The heavenly demon is born! The heavenly demon sword is born!"

\n\n

One thunderbolt after another struck down, burning the madmen to charred corpses and causing the temple to crumble and fall apart. The boy's bones in the bronze cauldron seemed to have sucked the life force out of his body and grown new flesh once again.

\n\n

At the same time, the young bird had been burned to a smooth bird bone, and a flame-colored light flew out from the bird's bones, stirring the molten iron in the bronze cauldron and transforming into a sword.

\n\n

The hilt of the sword was engraved with intricate patterns, with a design in the middle that was exactly the same as the marks on Xuan Ji's body.

\n\n

The sword was so familiar, as if it had been with him day and night... no, even more familiar than that...

\n\n

Xuan Ji was in excruciating pain, as if he had been dismembered and reassembled, with every inch of his flesh and blood being kneaded. If there were eighteen levels of hell, the punishment he was receiving would probably be no better than that, but he couldn't even remember what unforgivable sin he had committed.

\n\n

Before Xuan Ji's eyes floated the iron gate and seal from his dream. The seal he had barely fixed a few days ago had completely broken, and the iron gate was falling apart. He heard the sound of his heart breaking, and a tidal wave of memories rushed out from behind the iron doors, instantly submerging the false persona he had built over the past ten years.

\n\n

'That child is...Lingyuan.' A thought emerged from Xuan Ji's oxygen-deprived brain.

\n\n

The word 'Lingyuan' almost shattered his heart.

\n\n

'And that Heavenly Demon Sword made from a young bird...is me. I am...the sword spirit.'

\n\n

The next moment, someone grabbed his shoulder and forcibly turned his head. Xuan Ji's scattered consciousness fluctuated, and in a daze, he thought he saw Sheng Lingyuan's face.

\n\n

He remembered the person in the small county town near Chiyuan who casually said, "I am a delusion of the people."

\n\n

Suddenly, a chill ran through his body. It was fortunate that Sheng Lingyuan arrived at just the right time. He had gone diving and stumbled in upon the explosion of the Mountain prince's tomb.

\n\n

The entire tomb had collapsed, and the crystal walls that had sealed various bodies from different eras had shattered into pieces. Whether it was the child corpses of the Mountain people buried with the prince or the tomb robbers who had served as "window models" for many years, anyone lucky enough to maintain their "shape" intact in the explosion was now jostling and floating around in the chaotic underwater scene.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan quickly retrieved a "bird" from among the dead.

\n\n

He couldn't understand why this type of bird, the Xuan Ji, would follow that black carp to the depths of the sea.

\n\n

It was usually quite clever, so why was it acting so foolishly?

\n\n

Whether acting on his subconscious or just on pure survival instinct, as soon as he touched Xuan Ji, Xuan Ji held onto him tightly, his grip so strong it felt like she was trying to crush his bones.

\n\n

At the same time, large bubbles were coming out of his mouth and nose, and Sheng Lingyuan frowned, estimating that he wouldn't be able to hold on until they reached the surface.

\n\n

As the last fire-keeper of Chiyuan, if he accidentally drowned in the sea, it would be a big problem.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan couldn't help but think of a sentence he heard a few days ago in the store. At the time, he didn't quite understand it because it didn't seem grammatically correct, but now he understood how to use it perfectly - "Look at what you're capable of!"

\n\n

He pinched Xuan Ji's chin and thought disdainfully, "Tsk, salty."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had originally intended to use force to pry open his lips, but as soon as he touched them, Xuan Ji's stubborn teeth loosened, allowing him to quickly catch his breath.

\n\n

Sensing the other's almost complete trust, Sheng Lingyuan suddenly felt a bit strange and wondered, "Did he choke on water and lose his mind?"

\n\n

After catching his breath, Sheng Lingyuan grabbed Xuan Ji and silently recited a sentence in the language of the merfolk.

\n\n

In the underwater tomb, three thousand years of cold and deathly air surged up, creating a huge vortex that stirred up the surrounding seawater like a hurricane, spraying all the living and dead bodies upwards in one fell swoop.

\n\n

Luckily, when the first tremor shook the tomb of the Mountain prince, the emergency response measures for sudden natural disasters were immediately activated by the relevant departments along the coast of Yuyang. All work boats went into "refuge", otherwise, who knows how to explain the scene of these dancing corpses.

\n\n

As the speedboat on the water was hit and flipped back and forth, a Wind God agent stumbled and knelt on the side of the boat, just in time to meet the gaze of a corpse with a shocked expression. The corpse maintained the same look as the Wind God agent, with wide eyes and mouth open.

\n\n

At this moment, a pale hand climbed up the edge of the boat, tilting the speedboat to one side. Immediately after, a wet body "flew" out of the water and landed on the boat.

\n\n

The speedboat was filled with several high and low exclamations of "Oh my god" and "Dead person!"

\n\n

"Not yet," Sheng Lingyuan emerged from the sea with his hair flowing like seaweed.

\n\n

He tilted his head to pour out the water from his ears and let out a hiss.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was grabbing onto his wrist and a strand of hair like a drowning man clutching at a straw. "Is he a crab? Excuse me, help me pry open his hand."

\n\n

Wang Ze was covered in bubbles.

\n\n

When the explosion happened, he didn't have time to distinguish between the living and the dead. He frantically grabbed at anything and was already exhausted when he was washed up to the surface, and sank bank down into the waters with a 'gurgle'.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao acted quickly and paused a second to help Gu Yuexi pull him out of the water.

\n\n

"I almost... " gasped Old Wang, struggling for breath. "This is the first time in history that I almost drowned in a water system... cough cough... Where's Mr. Yan? Mr. Yan!"

\n\n

Wang Ze's bubbles of all sizes floated on the surface of the sea like life rafts. He wiped the water off his face and swam around, finally finding Yan Qiushan.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan was in a double-layered bubble, with bloodstains on the corners of his mouth and his left arm hanging unnaturally by his side. It was unclear whether it was broken or dislocated, and he was unconscious.

\n","published_time":"2024-01-28T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-12-31T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-01-28T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":478,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":57,"chapter_title":"Chapter 57","content":"

From a few meters away, Wang Ze couldn't bring himself to swim over and check on Yan Qiushan. He let Gu Yuexi push him aside and rushed over in a panic.

\n\n

Wang Ze stood frozen in the icy cold water of the early morning, suddenly afraid that Yan Qiushan might be dead, but also a little afraid that he might still be alive.

\n\n

Images of Yan Qiushan's final smile kept flashing through his mind. If he were in Yan Qiushan's position, Wang Ze thought, anyone who dared to carelessly try to rescue him would receive a big slap in the face.

\n\n

At this moment, Gu Yuexi had already shivered and pushed away the bubbles on her body, wiping away the blood under her eyelids. She stared at Yan Qiushan with her big rabbit eyes, and after a moment, she hooked the bubbles wrapped around him and swam towards the speedboat.

\n\n

"He has three fractures and internal bleeding. We need to get him to the hospital right away! Captain Wang, why are you just standing there?"

\n\n

Hearing her words, Wang Ze was stunned for a moment, but then he snapped out of it. He didn't care about his dignity as a water-type expert and quickly swam over, creating waves as he went.

\n\n

He grabbed the double-layered air bubble and pulled Yan Qiushan onto the boat, shouting, "Back to land, quickly!"

\n\n

"Wait, he also has a broken rib on his right side."

\n\n

"Find something to stabilize the broken bone first. There's a first aid kit on the boat!"

\n\n

"What about these two?" Zhang Zhao pointed to the wooden puppet girl and the blind man not far away - Snake Skin, who was also a water-type ability user, had already escaped during the chaos, and the blind man had fainted. The wooden puppet girl was already injured in the tomb of the Mountain prince, with her limbs disabled and her movements restricted.

\n\n

At this moment, she was trapped in a bubble, curling up nervously.

\n\n

"Tie them up and take them away, don't worry about them. Is there anyone who knows first aid or has healing abilities?"

\n\n

"He's too badly injured. We need to get back to the surface as soon as possible. Find a way to clear the floating corpses in the water, there are too many blocking our way..."

\n\n

As he was moving, Yan Qiushan was disturbed by voices and blearily opened his eyes. His gaze was empty yet relieved as he looked up at the starry sky, like a bug trapped in a glass jar. His companions were trying to persuade him to stay, but he paid no attention, impatiently staring at the train schedule to another world, holding a ticket that was already three years late.

\n\n

His heart was set on going.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was not afraid of falling into the water.

\n\n

He lightly stepped on the edge of the boat, as if floating in mid-air. The sea breeze swept through his wet hair, making him look like a water spirit. With a cold gaze, he watched the Wind Gods in chaos.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan reached out and brushed his hand, causing the seawater on his body to freeze and then crack with a "crack" as he casually flicked it away.

\n\n

"Noisy," Sheng Lingyuan looked at Yan Qiushan and thought to himself, "The dead are almost being awakened by the noise."

\n\n

Although Yan Qiushan may seem foolish, he was not stupid. He had already figured out that there was something suspicious about his broken sword, and he had no intention of simply presiding over the Yin Sacrifice ritual.

\n\n

However, it was clear that the other side was not completely unprepared for him either. In the end, Yan Qiushan didn't even know who the real heavenly demon among the Mountain people was.

\n\n

The person behind the scenes may have learned from the lessons of the previous two times and used him as a decoy. So who was the real demon?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan did not inform the busy Wind God - he couldn't be bothered, as these ants were not much help anyway. He silently released his divine sense and delved into the turbulent waters to investigate. The heavenly demon of the Mountain clan was buried in this graveyard for some special reason and had no physical body.

\n\n

He thought these people had come for his soul, and Yan Qiushan's body, which carried the blood of the Mountain people, was the perfect vessel for the demon to possess. Yan Qiushan's body was decent, but it was far from strong enough to bear the weight of a heavenly demon.

\n\n

If the demon tried to force itself in, it would be like trying to fit into a pair of small shoes. Sheng Lingyuan had planned to wait until they were done and then come out to kill them both, saving himself the trouble.

\n\n

But then Xuan Ji and the "Qingping Division" caught up with them, and one mishap led to another. Now, Wei Yun'a tomb had been opened, and it seemed that someone else was in charge of the Yin Sacrifice ritual.

\n\n

Who could it be?

\n\n

And where would the heavenly demon's soul attach itself?

\n\n

This was going to be troublesome... Just then, the speedboat hit a floating corpse, causing a jolt that made Xuan Ji sit up like a fake corpse.

\n\n

His spirit seemed to still be trapped in a nightmare from three thousand years ago, and he blurted out in a panic, "Lingyuan!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan looked at him with confusion.

\n\n

Who was this little brat calling out to?

\n\n

The icy night wind carried a stench of decay and saltiness, hitting Xuan Ji in the face. He was stunned for a moment, struggling to remember where he was.

\n\n

He looked down at his hands, which were still there, as were his eyes and his pounding heart.

\n\n

He was a tall and sturdy man, not the little bird that had just been hatched from its shell in his dream. Xuan Ji couldn't tell if the sudden memories flooding his mind were a dream or if he had actually slept for ten years. His mind was in disarray, and he clutched his forehead in confusion.

\n\n

And then there was the strange vision he had just experienced underwater. He wasn't sure if it was due to lack of oxygen, but he had a vision of Sheng Lingyuan, and that person...

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had been waiting nearby for quite some time, but Xuan Ji seemed lost in his own thoughts and didn't acknowledge him.

\n\n

After a while, Sheng Lingyuan couldn't help but ask, "What's the matter?"

\n\n

Suddenly, a gust of sea breeze caught Xuan Ji off guard, causing him to cough and sputter.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan dried off the water and ice on his body, but his clothes were stiff from the cold, making him uncomfortable.

\n\n

He looked down at Xuan Ji for a moment, pondering to himself: "This little demon is clearly transformed from the bones of the Vermilion Bird. How did he learn the language of the merfolk?"

\n\n

In theory, even if their so-called "Fire-keepers" had a lineage, the first generation of Fire-keepers would have only emerged after the Vermilion Bird seal had taken shape. At that time, both the mermaids and the Mountain people had long since become historical ashes, and those who could speak the language of the merfolk, this obscure language, had already died out.

\n\n

Could it be that the bones of the Vermilion Bird still retained memories from its life?

\n\n

The fact that the bone seals could become spirits was already incredible enough for Sheng Lingyuan, but the idea that the Vermilion Bird bones could retain memories from their past lives was simply unbelievable.

\n\n

After all, dead things were dead things, and bones were just bones, no different from chicken bones or fish bones that were spat out after a meal. Moreover, when he had chosen the bones from the Vermilion Bird tomb to carve the seals, he had specifically picked out the protruding bones from their chests and bellies for convenience.

\n\n

A bird couldn't possibly have thirty-six chests, so he had taken a little bit from each member of their entire clan. Even if the Vermilion Bird was a divine bird, how could memories be left on dead bones?

\n\n

And whose memories would these thirty-six fragments have?

\n\n

Furthermore, how was this little demon able to break his seal?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan instantly appeared behind Xuan Ji, looking down at him with a lowered gaze.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was caught off guard and jumped in surprise.

\n\n

In the next moment, a cold finger pinned him in place and he instinctively held his breath. Sheng Lingyuan lifted his chin, his clear irises slightly drooping at the corners.

\n\n

When he stared at something, his gaze was both focused and melancholic. As long as he didn't go crazy, even if he was staring at a piece of poop, he could make it seem like he was gazing at something with deep affection.

\n\n

"What's wrong?" Sheng Lingyuan's finger slid up from Xuan Ji's jawline, brushing past his temple as he squinted. "Do we have any other connections besides this?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji grabbed his hand that was pressed against his own solar plexus, a burst of flame shooting out from his hand and shattering the black mist that was about to invade his mind.

\n\n

As he squeezed Sheng Lingyuan's hand, it felt like a block of ice, causing his skin to tingle and his insides to burn, making him tremble uncontrollably.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan felt uneasy at Xuan Ji's inexplicable expression, so he released his hand.

\n\n

As the fire-keeper, Sheng Lingyuan didn't want to see Xuan Ji constantly risking his life.

\n\n

He subtly reminded him, "Before you act impulsively in the future, it's better to think twice. What if I wasn't nearby today? How can you be so reckless and not give others peace of mind?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji remained silent.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had a way with words, even when it came to farting, he had to package it in a nauseatingly sweet format of "You are my heart and soul, what would I do without you?"

\n\n

He gave it out for free, indiscriminately, and managed to win over a bunch of fools who were grateful to the point of tears, willing to do anything for their emperor.

\n\n

From the physical to the spiritual, he was the epitome of a "scumbag" - Xuan Ji knew this, but still couldn't help the tingling sensation on his scalp.

\n\n

His gaze fell on Sheng Lingyuan's chest, and he thought of the boy and the young bird from his fragmented memories, feeling lost - because his memories were incomplete, like a small piece of a giant puzzle, with no clear direction.

\n\n

If he really was a sword forged from a young bird, then what about his blade?

\n\n

Why did he later appear in Chiyuan with a blank mind, unable to remember his own name?

\n\n

And why... couldn't Sheng Lingyuan recognize him?

\n\n

"Woah, you finally woke up!" Wang Ze heard some commotion and rushed over, sweating profusely.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan didn't respond to their calls and his breathing became weaker and weaker. The speedboat was bouncing around among the floating corpses, and they had no idea when they would be able to reach the shore.

\n\n

"Director Xuan, do you have any strength left? Can you help us cremate these big brothers blocking our way? It's urgent, tell them we'll hold a memorial service for them on the shore. We guarantee there won't be any shortage of wreaths and paper money."

\n\n

Xuan Ji snapped out of it and realized the speedboat was bouncing around violently.

\n\n

In just a moment, they had already collided with several floating corpses. When he stood up, he stumbled a bit.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan grabbed his shoulder. "Hold on tight."

\n\n

Xuan Ji recoiled as if he had been electrocuted, taking two steps back in a panic and almost falling into the water. At the moment, there were severely injured patients beside him who had not yet been rescued, leaving no time for Xuan Ji to dwell on other thoughts.

\n\n

He had to forcefully suppress them.

\n\n

Although this new memory surfaced suddenly, and caused him to experience self-awareness issues, it wasn't entirely useless - for example, it brought forth a plethora of miscellaneous knowledge in his mind.

\n\n

As the coin rolled over Xuan Ji's fingertips, it bounced into the air with a "pop."

\n\n

A string of incantations naturally spilled out of his mouth, even though he couldn't recall where he had learned them from.

\n\n

A small flame ignited on the coin, emitting a bright green glow as it hung in mid-air like a firefly.

\n\n

The floating corpses that had been blocking the speedboat's path suddenly arranged themselves in an orderly fashion, slowly forming a path on either side of the boat.

\n\n

Xuan Ji gestured to Wang Ze, "Let's go!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan looked at the coin with interest.

\n\n

"The Guiding Lamp?"

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It was a talisman used by people from the northern frontier, different from the ones used by the central plains cultivators. When the capital fell, many people from the central plains fled to the north, enduring countless hardships along the way.

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The north was also a harsh and impoverished place, and many newcomers from the south couldn't adapt to the environment.

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In the first few years, they would die in droves under the relentless onslaught of the sharp wind, and the locals couldn't keep up with the number of corpses. So the high priest of the north lit eighty-one Guiding Lamps at the foot of the holy mountain.

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This way, the nameless corpses lost in the freezing cold would follow the lanterns and lie down at the foot of the mountain, waiting for a straw mat, instead of being left to rot in the wild and be devoured by hungry beasts.

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The large-scale corpse-collecting spell known as the "Guiding Lamp" was such a niche technique that even Sheng Lingyuan had only seen a high priest perform it once in the Northern Plains.

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How could this little demon know how to use it?

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The boat flew through the sea of floating corpses, leaving the burning coins behind. The corpses no longer tangled with the boat, but instead orderly converged towards the light, resembling a group of pilgrims from afar.

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Yan Qiushan, who was half-conscious, was also drawn to the fire with his unfocused gaze. His pupils even faintly reflected a glimmer of light.

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Gu Yuexi thought he had regained consciousness and quickly whispered, "Mr. Yan! Mr. Yan, can you hear me?"

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"Cover his eyes," Xuan Ji said, "the Guiding Lamp attracts the dead."

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Upon hearing this, Gu Yuexi's eyes welled up with tears and she quickly covered Yan Qiushan's eyes with her hands.

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Xuan Ji checked Yan Qiushan's condition and felt that it was not optimistic.

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They were too far from land and if they wanted to get there quickly, Xuan Ji could only think of flying over or using a space-shrinking technique in the water, but neither of these options were suitable for Yan Qiushan's condition. Furthermore, the injured man seemed to have no will to survive.

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Most of the Wind Gods around them were Yan Qiushan's old subordinates. Some were shouting "hold on" or "don't fall asleep," while others were crying and recalling the past, trying to use human memories to hold onto the man's soul.

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They were all talking at once, like a group of ducks holding a meeting.

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However, their voices seemed to be blocked by something and couldn't reach the man's ears. Yan Qiushan's breath was as light as a thread, and his body temperature was rapidly dropping.

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Even though his eyes were covered, his head still involuntarily turned towards the direction of the Guiding Lamp.

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At this moment, Sheng Lingyuan suddenly interjected amidst this chorus of sounds: "Mr. Yan is a man of honor, even though he has left your organisation, he still upholds righteousness, which is admirable. However, I have a doubt. Why are you willing to risk your life? Is it just to destroy Wei Yun's tomb?"

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His voice, which had nothing to do with the matter, was too discordant, and the group fell silent for a moment.

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Wang Ze turned his tearful eyes and asked with a choked voice, "What do you mean?"

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Sheng Lingyuan gazed at the light from the Guiding Lamp that was getting farther and farther away.

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"Wei Yun lived a life without control, he was a pitiful person. Besides the bitter memories in his grave, there was nothing. Who told you that Wei Yun was a demon of the Mountain people?"

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Yan Qiushan's face had been covered by Gu Yuexi, but his fingers, which had turned blue, curled slightly. It was the first time he had reacted to the outside world.

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Wei Yun of the Mountain clan was a close attendant of the Emperor Wu. When Emperor Wu wiped out the entire Mountain tribe, he singled out this little prince and treated him differently.

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Not only did he give him a lavish burial in the Mountain royal tomb, but he also personally sealed his tomb. Suddenly, Xuan Ji's mind recalled this fact.

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Wang Ze immediately noticed Yan Qiushan's reaction and realized that this was a topic that could bring Yan Qiushan back to his senses.

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He quickly followed up on Sheng Lingyuan's words and asked, "If the demon didn't just die, but also buried a group of young children who never had the chance to grow up as his companions, would that be considered pitiful?"

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"These children did not die by his hand," Sheng Lingyuan strolled over to Yan Qiushan and spoke calmly, "The Mountain people are skilled in refining weapons, but not everyone can create a spiritual masterpiece. The 'Tian'er master is a once-in-a-century talent.

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"At that time, the mermaids disappeared and the art of weapon refining declined, with many traditions lost. Wei Yun was the last precious 'Tian'er' of the Mountain people, comparable to a national treasure and invaluable. Unfortunately, this treasure had legs and could walk. The Mountain king, Wei Yu, took Wei Yun in as his adopted son to prevent him from falling into the hands of other tribes...

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"Later, this precious 'Tian'er was sent as a national gift to the human race. He was named a prince, but in reality, he was just a tool. The children in the tomb were orphans he grew up with, who were brought to the palace by the Mountain king to 'raise' and ensure Wei Yun's obedience. Later, the two races fell out and Wei Yun didn't give a warning in time.

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"The Mountain king assumed that Wei Yun had betrayed their clan and locked the group of children in a room filled with poisonous gas that was meant to purify the blood of mermaids. Wei Yun was unable to intervene in time and, devastated by the tragedy, took his own life."

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Wei Yun had once been loyal to him, and despite not having a close relationship, seeing how carefully obedient and faultless he was, Sheng Lingyuan decided to collect all the small corpses with nowhere to go and bury them together with Wei Yun, as a way to honor their relationship in life.

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Sheng Lingyuan lowered his gaze and removed the ice flowers from his sleeve, calmly saying to Yan Qiushan, "Wei Yun is not a monster. He was a coward by nature and lacked the ability and courage to spill blood. When you were down there, did you not see that his room room wasn't even sealed?"

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Yan Qiushan, who was already on the brink of death, struggled to move a little.

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Amidst the commotion of the crowd, he miraculously regained some consciousness and broke free from the spell of the guiding lamp, turning his head with great effort towards Sheng Lingyuan.

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At that moment, someone's watch chimed the hour, and the boat was suddenly illuminated - it was eleven o'clock, the dead of night. Everyone on board felt something stir within them as the calm sea suddenly erupted into a frenzy.

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The starry sky was obscured by thick, dark clouds that seemed to appear out of nowhere. The clear, green light of Xuan Ji's "Guiding Lamp" was whipped around by the wind, causing the flame to flicker and change color. The peaceful atmosphere that had just been present was now gone, replaced by a cluster of ghostly lights.

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Gu Yuexi and Zhang Zhao quickly opened their protective gear to shield Yan Qiushan.

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Suddenly, the sea began to churn, and something seemed to be rising from the depths below, passing over the corpses and undulating like seaweed.

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With her X-ray vision, Gu Yuexi was the first to see what it was. Her face suddenly changed, and the searchlight on the speedboat was turned on. They saw that the "shadows" crawling on the bodies were not seaweed or waves, but densely packed Yin Sacrifice texts!

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The flame on the Guiding Lamp became weaker and weaker, until it finally turned back into an ordinary coin and fell lifelessly. Xuan Ji picked it up again, and as soon as the coin touched his hand, it sizzled and burned into ashes.

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"What's going on?" As a water-type ability agent, Wang Ze, although belonging to the freshwater variety, felt it was his duty to stand in front of everyone. "Didn't our boss blow up the Prince's coffin? Where did this Yin Sacrifice text come from? And, Sword Spirit, are you saying that the Mountain prince is not a heavenly demon? Then who is? Is there something else sealed in this tomb?"

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On the edge of the speedboat, the blind man who had been handcuffed by Zhang Zhao woke up at some point. He seemed to have smelled something intoxicating and took a deep breath, laughing, "Hehe."

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Zhang Zhao was frightened by his laughter and kicked him, "What are you laughing at?"

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"I understand," the blind man's eyebrows danced with excitement, and his pale eyes became even more terrifying. "I understand now!"

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"What do you... do you understand now?" The puppet girl was also shackled to the side of the ship, with half of her body submerged in the sea.

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At this point, she was starting to feel afraid, sensing that there was something moving beneath her feet. The floating corpses of the children kept surfacing one after another, "swimming" past her with eerie smiles on their once expressionless faces.

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"No wonder when I warned the organization several times about Yan Qiushan's duplicity and unwillingness to open up, they wouldn't listen to me. Now I understand. He was just a decoy, and we needed him to be duplicitous. It was perfect to use him to lure out all you small fry and catch you all in one fell swoop," the blind man laughed heartily. "I'm really quite clever!"

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Xuan Ji couldn't help but glance at Sheng Lingyuan.

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If this was solely aimed at the Bureau, there would be no need to go through so much trouble. Their data is severely lacking, with a history of corrupt personnel.

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If it weren't for Yan Qiushan intentionally leaving clues for the Wind Gods, even if they performed a hundred Yin Sacrifice rituals, the Bureau probably wouldn't have noticed.

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It would be pointless to expose oneself needlessly. So, they must be targeting someone else...

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Sheng Lingyuan lowered his head and chuckled.

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Last time in Dongchuan, he used Aluojin as bait and had lightning strike the hidden figure behind the scenes. It seemed that the other party was determined to get revenge.

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"There is indeed a heavenly demon among the Mountain people," Sheng Lingyuan said, "It's the former Mountain king... Wei Yu."

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As soon as the name was uttered from Sheng Lingyuan's mouth, a corresponding image flashed through Xuan Ji's mind - tall, dressed in luxurious clothing, with a meticulously groomed beard and hair.

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At first glance, he exuded an air of nobility.

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"Speaking of King Wei Yu, what can I say about him?" Sheng Lingyuan spoke as their speedboat was surrounded by a group of burial child corpses from Wei Yun's tomb.

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The sight was enough to send shivers down one's spine, but Sheng Lingyuan nonchalantly dug his hands into his pockets and bent down to examine one of the small corpses that had almost climbed onto the boat.

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He whispered, "He wanted too much - he was greedy, foolish, and willing to make a deal with the devil...and he's also old and ugly."

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As soon as he finished speaking, all the child corpses in the sea stood up and opened their eyes at the same time!

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"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Wang Ze was startled and shuddered as a thin wall of water rose up around the speedboat, blocking the body and the boat. "Brother Sword Spirit, we are public officials, let's stick to the facts and not engage in uncivilized personal attacks."

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Gu Yuexi nervously asked, "Is Wei Yu also buried in this underwater tomb? Is this a double-layered tomb?"

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"He wasn't buried," Sheng Lingyuan said, "I... "

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Xuan Ji quickly coughed heavily on the side, covering up Sheng Lingyuan's words.

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Sheng Lingyuan seemed to find it amusing and smiled at him, changing his words smoothly, "He was tortured to death by the human race."

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"Tortured to death? Then where do we put this heavenly demon hybrid after summoning it out? Didn't our boss say..." Wang Ze didn't finish his sentence, suddenly realizing something. "Holy shit!"

\n","published_time":"2024-02-04T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-01-07T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-02-04T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":485,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":58,"chapter_title":"Chapter 58","content":"

The child corpses began to climb up the water wall, and at the same time, a large number of bubbles emerged from under the speedboat as it ascended. A group of child corpses swam under the boat, lifting it up and holding it in mid-air!

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The boat tilted, and the searchlight rolled into the water, scanning a large area of dark seawater.

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The child corpses climbed up the edge of the boat, opening their mouths to reveal their uneven teeth, singing in unison like a choir.

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"What are these little brats howling about?" Wang Ze asked.

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"'Bloodline unbroken, the heavenly demon never dies,'" Xuan Ji murmured. "'Sheng...human race, do you still remember how many pieces you cut me into back then?'"

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"I know your 'corpse language' is at level ten," Wang Ze said, collapsing. "Just give me the gist, no need to translate word for word!"

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The words spoken by those child corpses were not "corpse language," but rather the ancient elegant language from three thousand years ago.

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Before this, Xuan Ji could only vaguely understand it. To describe his level, it was probably like a person who scored 425 on the English level 4 exam trying to watch an American TV show without subtitles - sometimes understanding, sometimes not, relying on context and body language to guess and infer.

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But at this moment, he found that he was familiar with those ancient elegant words, as if they were his hometown dialect, with no barriers between him and them.

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He even promptly changed the demon's use of "Sheng Xiao" to "human race" to avoid exposing Sheng Lingyuan's identity.

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"Remember," Sheng Lingyuan said calmly from the boat, switching to the ancient language, "108 pieces, the executioner's skills are too poor."

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The child corpses all laughed at once, with the most annoying laughter of children mixed in with the sound of waves. "Hehehe," they said, "there are exactly 108 corpses here."

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Before the words had even finished, one of the child corpses suddenly shot up like a flash of light, flying straight towards Sheng Lingyuan at a speed so fast it was hard to keep one's eyes open.

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Sheng Lingyuan quickly stepped back, narrowly avoiding the child corpse as it brushed past him. But on the back of his hand was a fresh cut from a knife.

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Xuan Ji instinctively covered his hand, feeling as if he had also been cut by a knife. His heart was trembling with fear.

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The child corpse landed on the deck of the speedboat, and the part of its body that had touched Sheng Lingyuan's blood was corroded, revealing charred flesh and faintly visible bones.

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"The blood of the Heavenly Demon is so powerful," it laughed with a sinister grin, "Your Majesty, your Heavenly Demon Sword that could cut through heaven and earth has already been shattered. Is the blood on your body enough to dye this entire sea after you've killed all 108 of my clones?"

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The Heavenly Demon Sword... has been shattered...

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The Heavenly Demon Sword...

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Xuan Ji's pupils contracted, and in an instant, a thousand years of time and space transformed into a giant hammer that smashed straight into his forehead with a "buzz," causing his soul to tremble.

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In a daze, he felt as if he was in a palace, freezing cold. Otherwise, why would the person holding him keep trembling?

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The person's cold and disheveled hair hung over him like a winter morning's brocade. He smelled the familiar fragrance on the person's body, and under his feet were rows of people's heads, a group of people kneeling on the ground, groveling and asking for death.

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"Your Majesty, this sword was damaged when it slayed the Demon King. The Demon King has already turned into a demon, corrupted by such impure energy that even the Mountain clan cannot cure it. It is connected to your mind and spirit. If you keep it, it will surely harm your mental state."

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"You have always been wise and impartial, but lately you have shown signs of impulsive behavior. It is clear that this is an ominous object and must be disposed of early."

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"Your Majesty, the demon race has not yet been eradicated, and the country has just been stabilized. The bones of millions of soldiers are not yet cold, and you carry the hopes of the people..."

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Xuan Ji couldn't help but be stunned, thinking to himself: Even Sheng Xiao is trembling.

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Sheng Lingyuan, who was as human as anyone else, could no longer bear it and interrupted the noisy room, saying coldly, "The bones of millions of soldiers are not yet cold, does the Prime Minister want to chill them first?"

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The old minister kneeling at the front bowed his head, revealing the jagged shoulder blades under his neck like an old horse waiting to be slaughtered, ready to be executed.

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"Go down and receive thirty lashes yourself," Sheng Lingyuan sneered like a famous tyrant from history. "Anyone else who speaks out of turn..."

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As soon as he finished speaking, the water cup on the table exploded, hot tea spilling all over the table. His laughter was filled with an indescribable murderous intent as he swept his sleeves and flipped the table, drawing his sword and leaving.

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A gaze shot over, causing Xuan Ji to tremble. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a masked figure standing silently on the outskirts of the crowd, their gaze devoid of emotion like a shrine.

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That gaze had watched the downfall of the witch people, and now it was watching him.

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At that time, the Du Ling Palace had not yet been completed, and the Imperial City was in a mess. The imperial carriage was temporarily stopped at a palace thirty miles away. Xuan Ji could already wander around without anyone seeing him, as he had detached himself from the sword.

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Sheng Lingyuan couldn't actually see him either, but most of the time, he could share the sword spirit's sixth sense and "see" his position through his eyes, and "hear" people's whispers behind his back through his ears.

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The wandering sword spirit was always well-informed. He could rely on his invisibility to catch the first hint of spring breeze and hear scattered rumors when the dust was stirred up.

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"It's just a sword, and the Right Minister only said a few words, but he got thirty cane strikes... A veteran courtiers of two dynasties in their twilight years! They carried him away and he was out of breath. His family is preparing to mourn him. Your Majesty has..." The speaker's lips moved, as if he wanted to say "gone mad", but he dared not speak it out loud.

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Instead, he lightly slapped his own face.

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"I've heard that a sword has two edges, one side hurts others, and the other side hurts oneself. It's true. That day, the demon sword was able to slay the demon king, such power can naturally also confuse people's hearts. Your Majesty, in recent years, has indeed become less kind and benevolent than in the past."

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"Shh... Be careful what you say!"

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"There's something I want to tell you, but it's just between us. There's no one else around. You may not know this, but I've heard that when the Emperor was young, he was lost for over two years before he was found. And when he was found, he had the Demon Sword with him. It must have been with him for many years, and he must have had a deep emotional attachment to it."

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"But even if the attachment is deep, it's still just an object."

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"My older brother is one of the Emperor's guards, and he said he once heard the Emperor laughing alone while holding the sword."

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"Is that so?"

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"Could it be that the sword is really as the legends say, and has a spirit? But...what kind of trouble could the Demon Sword's spirit cause?"

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"That's not really a concern. It hasn't caused any trouble in recent years, but the Demon Sword was corrupted by the demon king's aura. I'm afraid that in the future..."

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"Ah, in the past, the ones causing chaos in the court were either flatterers or temptresses. How did a sword become the problem in our dynasty? What is going on?"

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"The imperial teacher observed the stars last night and sighed several times, only saying 'inauspicious'."

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"Disaster! It must be a disaster!"

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Although the demon king had already died, the shadow he left in people's hearts had not dissipated.

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Legend has it that the demon king had consumed one thousand innate spiritual objects during his lifetime, resulting in nine hundred and ninety-nine clones. His life was more numerous than the legs of a centipede, and people were afraid of him even in their dreams.

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After more than twenty years of chaos and darkness, it was too tragic. Whether it was the human race or other races, they were all on the brink of collapse and could not withstand another catastrophe.

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And just at this time, an unsettling rumor spread—

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They said that during the battle with the demon king, the Heavenly Demon Sword of the Emperor of Humanity had a small crack, and one nine hundred and ninety-ninth of the demon king had slipped inside.

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The loyal and brave officials who were worried about the world were terrified when they heard about this. They collectively went to seek confirmation from the Mountain king - who had been experts in sword-making for generations.

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The Mountain king Wei Yu patted his chest and said that he had an obligation to the greater good, and his personal safety was insignificant. Even if he was hated by the Emperor in the future, he would not be afraid.

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With the tacit approval of the Imperial Tutor, this "hero" conspired with the loyal officials to stage a palace coup.

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During the New Year's Eve banquet, Dan Li toasted the Emperor three times.

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Dan Li was the Imperial Tutor and his caregiver, so it was inappropriate for the him to refuse the toast. Therefore, Sheng Lingyuan had no choice but to drink.

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However, the Emperor, who was immune to all poisons and could hold his liquor, could not stand steady after just one stick of incense.

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Xuan Ji had a premonition and forcefully shook his head, trying to shake off the memory.

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The New Year's Eve banquet, with its clinking glasses and bustling atmosphere, made him shudder. He instinctively didn't want to remember it. However, the terrifying memory had already been lurking deep in his mind, waiting to swallow him whole.

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The drug Dan Li put in the wine was called "Thousand Dreams," meaning "a dream of a thousand years." It was said that just one drop, if dropped into the moat and flowed downstream, could make the entire city drunk for three whole days.

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Legend has it that there were only three drops of "Thousand Dreams" left in the world, and that night, all three drops were poured into the three cups of the Emperor.

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When the Heavenly Demon Sword was smashed inch by inch by the Mountain king using a so-called "secret method," Sheng Lingyuan was trapped in the nightmare of "Thousand Dreams."

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But that didn't mean he couldn't hear. From a young age, he had been connected to the spirit of the Heavenly Demon Sword, and the senses of the sword were his own.

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However, since Sheng Lingyuan had come of age, it seemed that the Heavenly Demon Sword had grown more powerful and temperamental.

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Living together day and night, they would inevitably argue and bicker. Sometimes, if one misspoke, they would ignore each other, and the one who was angrier would unilaterally "close off" their thoughts, not letting the other hear what they were thinking.

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But perhaps because the sword spirit had been lazy and unwilling to practice properly, he was never able to unilaterally "close off" his senses to Sheng Lingyuan... until that day.

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That was the first time the sword spirit completely severed the tactile connection between them, being extremely closed-off and not wanting to share any of the pain of being broken with him.

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However, his sense of touch and pain were gone, while his sight and hearing remained. Sheng Lingyuan could still "hear" and "see", but he felt like a prisoner trapped in a cumbersome body, struggling desperately to find a way out.

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He couldn't feel the sensation of being torn apart, but when the mithril fell, it felt like his liver, intestines, and spine were shattered.

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"Don't listen...Lingyuan, don't look...let me tell you something else...breaking the sword body may not be a bad thing...who knows, I might be free from this."

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"I want to travel the world, without taking you with me...you're always so busy anyway..."

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"I also want to experience the pleasures of the world...I don't want to use your lousy tongue anymore. You complain about everything, even when it tastes good...you're just a person who deserves to eat plain rice and drink plain water..."

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When the Heavenly Demon was born, it was sacrificed with the lives of eighty-one of the top human experts, sealing the grudges of those that died in the depths of the Chiyuan during the first Pingyuan battle into the young Heavenly Demon.

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Every night since then, from midnight until dawn, the child and his sword would suffer endless torment and burning. They had to stay awake and struggle constantly to maintain their clarity, lest they be devoured by the irrational spirits.

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Only those who survived this repeated grinding and tempering could become the true emperor who suppressed the demons.

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This made Sheng Lingyuan's childhood tumultuous and extremely weak.

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For thousands of nights, both the person and the sword endured by listening to each other's voice and breath. And now, that familiar breath was about to disappear.

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The Heavenly Demon Sword was broken from the tip to the hilt. In the depths of his consciousness, Sheng Lingyuan saw the Sword Spirit for the first time.

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Perhaps because of its origin as a bird, his Sword Spirit had wings, and he was enveloped in a huge pair of wings, with flames all around him.

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His appearance was unclear, but there was a vague outline of a young and clumsy figure.

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He really couldn't grow up, even though he was in his twenties.

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If he were human, he should have already started a family.

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Sheng Lingyuan desperately wanted to hold onto that ball of fire and take a look at his face, but before he could even touch him, the person turned into ashes before his eyes.

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In that instant, Sheng Lingyuan's soul broke through the limits of his body and struggled out of the three drops of "Thousand Dreams". His limbs were out of control, and countless attendants held him down.

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His eyes seemed to be burning with flames that could destroy everything as he crawled out of the sleeping quarters. The heavenly demon sword spirit disappeared into his sea of consciousness, its faint voice still echoing as if there were unfinished words: "Lingyuan, I..."

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But they didn't even give him that. With the final blow from the Mountain king, the sword spirit was gone forever.

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The sword shook violently, roaring incessantly.

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In an instant, the cold iron turned red as fire.

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The Mountain king, who held the mithril, was shocked. His hand trembled, and the last piece of the sword body splashed up, with the sword inscription reading "Tong."

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The world-shattering heavenly demon sword, with the inscription "Tong," was not at all imposing. The shared vision was completely blacked out.

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Sheng Lingyuan's left eye could no longer see the world in the sword spirit's eyes.

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He reached out to grab his own eye, but those around him quickly shouted and held his hand, so he didn't catch anything except a piece of flesh from the corner of his eye.

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Xuan Ji struggled to break free from his memories and returned to reality, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Sheng Lingyuan.

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Sheng Lingyuan had just mocked King Wei Yu, his smile still lingering on his face, and the small dimple at the corner of his eye still visible. When he met Xuan Ji's gaze, he was completely puzzled and didn't understand what the other meant.

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He only felt that this little demon was acting very strangely today.

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Xuan Ji felt his heart sink from his chest all the way down to his feet, sinking into the icy depths of the sea... That man didn't remember him.

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After spending so many days together, the sharp and perceptive Emperor had no familiarity with him at all.

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Xuan Ji remembered that when the Heavenly Demon Sword was broken, the Du Ling Palace had not yet been repaired. According to historical inference, the emperor was only in his twenties at that time.

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He had been broken into a piece of scrap iron, but the emperor still had half a lifetime of political career ahead of him. He fought monsters and leveled up all the way, killed all his political enemies, fought against the heavens, the earth, and the people, and had endless fun.

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A sword that was smashed to pieces... for the emperor, it might be like an old torn piece of clothing, just evidence of the imperial power being offended.

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After he defended the imperial seal with his blood, those scraps had no place in his heart anymore.

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On the sea where lightning flashed and thunder roared, the young corpses of the Mountain clan quickly changed positions and formed a formation. Suddenly, they would turn into a sword shadow and emerge from underwater, beside the ship, and other tricky places, shooting towards Sheng Lingyuan like 108 hidden arrows.

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Sheng Lingyuan calmly watched as the swords and knives that couldn't penetrate his protective black mist were deflected with hoarse screams. The Mountain king destroyed his sword, and he wiped out the entire clan, perhaps feeling that the debts were settled.

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Even after three thousand years, when he meets his old acquaintance again, his face remains as calm as a still lake, without any ripples.

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"The Heavenly Demon Sword is no ordinary iron," the child corpses, who had been speaking in unison, now spoke one by one. Some were crisp, some were soft, and some had the hoarseness of a teenage boy going through puberty.

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Their voices rose and fell, surrounding the area in three-dimensional stereo.

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"It must be soaked in the thickest mermaid blood and then struck with steel drills in several 'acupoints'."

\n\n

As they spoke, seventeen or eighteen child corpses transformed into swords, almost weaving a net and pressing down on the top of the boat.

\n\n

Quick-witted Zhang Zhao paused for a second and then the speedboat took off, forcefully breaking through the sea of corpses and narrowly avoiding the "sword net," which fell and created a large splash of water.

\n\n

"Do you know? The most spiritual swords have 'key points', like the seven orifices of a person. They represent its vital points and show that it is alive. Only the most experienced master blacksmiths can find them. To destroy a sword, you must pierce these vital points through cleanly. Then, use a hammer made of mithril and weigh it down with thousands of pounds to strike it. The better the sword, the better the sound it makes when struck. Some are clear and some are low, but I love that sound the most...

\n\n

"The Heavenly Demon Sword is the best of the best, and when the mithril hammer strikes it... tsk, the sound is both deep and lingering, like it's carrying a mournful tone. Your Majesty, I heard that you are a master of music, but unfortunately, you didn't hear it at the time. Otherwise, you could have evaluated it for us."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan remained unmoved, even letting out a chuckle: "I come from a humble background, a rough soldier who only knows a few country tunes picked up from who knows where. Please forgive me for my lack of refinement, Mountain king."

\n\n

Suddenly, a child's corpse hidden at the back of the boat transformed into a flash of light and flew towards Sheng Lingyuan, stabbing towards his back without warning.

\n\n

"Be careful!" cried Gu Yuexi.

\n\n

Without turning his head, Sheng Lingyuan pulled out a bamboo flute he had casually carved on the road from his pocket and deftly blocked the attack.

\n\n

The flute was sliced in half, and the blade reverted back to the child's corpse, crashing heavily onto the deck.

\n\n

Before it could regain its footing, Sheng Lingyuan flicked his wrist and nailed the sharpened end of the bamboo flute onto the child's forehead in one swift motion.

\n\n

"I'm quite a rough man, if you insist on my hearing my views, then what I love most is hearing about the excitement of households cooking lamb and slaughtering cows," said Sheng Lingyuan as he played his bamboo flute.

\n\n

In just a few words, he had already poked seven holes in the child's corpse.

\n\n

"During festivals, when the knife comes down, blood is spilled. But the farmer's knife is never fast enough, and one cut often doesn't kill the animal. It's still howling, and the hot blood can be directly consumed. Cut it up and stew it in a pot, and everyone can share in the celebration of a bountiful harvest."

\n\n

With a snap, the bamboo flute broke, and the child's corpse trembled violently before becoming still. Its small limbs began to wither, and it transformed into an ancient-looking curved knife, which sprang up and sliced off a strand of the puppet girl's hair.

\n\n

The puppet girl screamed and cowered, "Is this a person or a sword?"

\n\n

A person nearby spoke in a hoarse voice, "It's both a person and a knife...these corpses are sword spirits."

\n\n

The wooden puppet girl turned towards the sound and saw Director Xuan slowly standing up.

\n\n

Just moments ago, Director Xuan had suddenly become ill and had been leaning against the side of the boat in silence after the boat had rocked back and forth.

\n\n

As a member of the "Bird species," it was understandable for him to be skilled in water combat, but on this stormy boat ride, he finally played the role he was meant to play - that of a cheerleader.

\n","published_time":"2024-02-11T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-01-14T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-02-11T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":492,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":59,"chapter_title":"Chapter 59","content":"

The words "Sword Spirits" were like a sore spot for Yan Qiushan, almost causing him to be caught by the Guiding Lamp.

\n\n

But now, he struggled and focused his gaze on Xuan Ji, his eyes reflecting a terrifying fire.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao asked in confusion, "What? Weren't these children orphans adopted by the Mountain King?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji lifted his heavy eyelids, pressing down on his gaze as if he were afraid to see the person's face.

\n\n

People age, burdened by memories. And there was no heavier burden than this.

\n\n

Xuan Ji could only recall bits and pieces of his own past, unable to make sense of it all. His memories were turning him from a carefree youth into a lifeless corpse.

\n\n

He could almost smell the stale odor seeping out of his bones.

\n\n

After the destruction of the Heavenly Demon Sword, for some unknown reason, the young Vermilion Bird chick who had been forcibly sealed inside as a sword spirit did not perish with it.

\n\n

Xuan Ji remembered falling into a realm that was neither demon nor ghost, like a shell-less turtle, lacking in soul and intelligence, and unable to remember anything.

\n\n

At first, he instinctively followed Sheng Lingyuan, drifting aimlessly around him. It wasn't until some time later that he gradually regained some consciousness and understood what he was.

\n\n

He discovered that no one in the world could see or feel him anymore, and he became a confused account beyond life and death.

\n\n

Xuan Ji collected himself and briefly recounted the history he had witnessed to everyone present.

\n\n

"After getting rid of the heavenly demon sword, the Emperor did not disappoint the people's expectations and returned to his "normal" self. His temperament became gentle and peaceful again.

\n\n

"He lightly brushed over the incident of the people forcing him to break the sword and did not investigate further. He even admitted candidly that he had been like in a dream before, his mind unclear, and had done many foolish things.

\n\n

"The Emperor comforted those who had been wronged because of the demonic sword, giving posthumous pardons and compensation to their families.

\n\n

"For the living, he granted them promotions and rewards. In terms of governance, His Majesty worked diligently and soon everything was in order.

\n\n

"He no longer displayed the erratic behavior of before and became a great emperor for the ages. The court officials felt that their hard work had not been in vain and were overjoyed.

\n\n

"The Mountain king Wei Yu may have thought he had achieved great things, and his past heroic deeds were praised by his courtiers, making him overly proud. Or perhaps he believed that without the Heavenly Demon Sword, the Emperor had no claws, so he boldly revealed his ambition to expand the Mountain clan.

\n\n

"He repeatedly demanded money and land from the court, becoming increasingly arrogant. He even listened to someone's persuasion and began practicing the infamous Mountain black magic, drinking three cups of infant blood on every new and full moon, consuming placenta for nourishment, and extracting essence from young boys and girls.

\n\n

"The children he detained in the Mountain palace became his prime materials. The effectiveness of dark magic was unknown, but the constant use of it did not seem to make King Wei Yu any more youthful or attractive.

\n\n

"As public discontent grew, the once righteous officials who had supported him could no longer tolerate his insane behavior. With repeated incidents, they denounced the Mountain king as a barbarian and refused to associate with him any longer.

\n\n

"Two years later, Sheng Lingyuan turned against King Wei Yu and accused him of ten crimes, including colluding with demons, falling into the path of evil, and betraying trust.

\n\n

"He swiftly surrounded the city of the Mountain king with lightning speed, and the defense of the small island city was like paper compared to the emperor's throne, which was won by fighting against demons. From the order to attack the city to taking over the palace, it took less than half an hour - on normal days, even a stroll from the city wall to the palace would take longer.

\n\n

"The reason why they attacked so quickly is because there was an insider helping them, and that traitor is Wei Yun," Xuan Ji said. "But even with his help, they still didn't make it in time to save those children. King Wei Yu hates Wei Yun to the bone and wanted to drag him down with him.

\n\n

"When the army of the Emperor was at the gates of the city, he ordered the poisoning of all the orphans in the palace - using the extracted blood of mermaids to create a gas chamber for the mermaid poison. That's why every child's body was filled with a large amount of the poison. Interestingly, filling living creatures with the poison is the first step in the ancient method of refining the spirit of the Mountain people's magical artifacts."

\n\n

Everyone present was stunned by the barbaric and ancient sorcery of the primitive people.

\n\n

"The spirits of the Mountain people are definitely made from living creatures," Xuan Ji somehow found a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and chuckled vaguely. "Otherwise, what do you think it is? Artificial intelligence? Shouldn't we, as field agents, also read more books in our spare time? The Mountain people were still in a slave society 3,000 years ago, slightly stronger than primitive humans. Do you think they could pass the Turing test back then? What are you thinking? Are you planning to give this group of people a bunch of Fields Medals?"

\n\n

Yan Qiushan trembled and touched his wound, curling up in pain.

\n\n

Then what about Zhi Chun?

\n\n

He wondered: Was Zhi Chun also once a living person?

\n\n

When Zhi Chun was alive, did he also struggle in the cruel and desperate blood of the merfolk, filled with poison gas, and finally killed and imprisoned in a knife?

\n\n

Then his one-sided way of treating him well, even going to great lengths to try and repair him after his blade was destroyed, was it really good for him?

\n\n

And what is the relationship between the Sword Spirit and the owner of the sword?

\n\n

Is it a replication of the ancient slave and master dynamic?

\n\n

Even the wooden puppet girl was stunned, turning to the child corpses surrounding them on all sides and murmuring, 'So...so the last batch of divine weapons that went missing after the destruction of the Mountain clan...they were actually...'"

\n\n

The "divine weapons" were always clearly placed in the tomb of the Mountain prince clan? Even the Qingping Division was kept in the dark... No, the Qingping Division was already kept in the dark, but she finally realized it.

\n\n

That so-called "map of the tomb of the Mountain prince" was actually a death trap, leading them straight into a ravine. If it weren't for the field agents of the Bureau who happened to catch up, they would have become mere decorations in a crystal wall long ago!

\n\n

"Not bad, it's these burial objects. Of course, Qingping Division's map was meant to prevent you from stealing it. See, it worked." Sheng Lingyuan laughed.

\n\n

Xuan Ji had just briefly mentioned the Heavenly Demon and the Heavenly Demon Sword, only giving the Wind Gods a brief history lesson, and he didn't notice anything wrong.

\n\n

"I can't stand curved blades, so who wants this one?" The Mountain king, Wei Yu, seemed to have no regard for anyone else.

\n\n

All the child corpses were only going towards Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

As the current leader of the Wind God, Wang Ze had never experienced this kind of "cold treatment". On one hand, he was anxious because of Yan Qiushan's injury, and on the other hand, he was furious: "Give it to me! These uneducated orphans who haven't even graduated from elementary school, who do they think they are looking down on?"

\n\n

However, Xuan Ji intercepted him halfway, saying nothing, just beckoning to the curved knife. The blade obediently fell into his palm.

\n\n

"Sorry," he nodded to Wang Ze with a cigarette in his mouth. "Let me cut in line first. I have some debts to collect."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan thought Xuan Ji was talking about his personal sword, because he had taken the sword for himself and Xuan Ji was now left without a suitable weapon.

\n\n

It was almost unfair for him to fight with just a steel coin in hand.

\n\n

So, the emperor generously waved his hand and made a promise: "Of course, I will compensate you with a better sword if there is a chance in the future."

\n\n

Xuan Ji turned his back to Sheng Lingyuan and listened to his carefree voice. He smiled strangely and didn't answer.

\n\n

Suddenly, intricate flame patterns appeared on the blade of his curved sword, and with a light "buzz", all the jumping child corpses froze in place. Next, a layer of snowy white fire appeared on the blade. With one swing, it cut through the darkness and the deep sea.

\n\n

The fire on the blade burned through the Yin Sacrifice barrier just like it did in the underwater world. Not only did it not extinguish in water, but it also spread out along the seawater.

\n\n

The Yin Sacrifice text that pervaded the deep sea behaved like it had encountered a natural enemy. It retreated in droves, and the sword spirits' teeth chattered.

\n\n

They formed a circle around the speedboat, retreating more than twenty meters.

\n\n

"You guys go first and quickly take the wounded to the hospital. I'll take care of things here." Xuan Ji turned his back to the speedboat, his huge wings surrounded by swirling flames, suspending him in mid-air.

\n\n

He blew out a smoke ring from his nose. "Don't forget to contact Director Xiao for me. Tomorrow, my department will be renamed the 'Rearguard Department'."

\n\n

A group of sword spirits, shoulder to shoulder, surrounded Xuan Ji with their cold, eerie gazes. Their whispers were like waves crashing against the shore.

\n\n

"How audacious..."

\n\n

"Such a young one..."

\n\n

"How audacious... how audacious..."

\n\n

Meanwhile, a massive black shadow emerged from the depths of the sea, taking on a humanoid form. Its edges undulated with the waves, enveloping the entire sea.

\n\n

The Wind God agents on the speedboat felt an indescribable pressure, as if the air around them had been sucked dry. Through her X-ray eyes, Gu Yuexi saw the familiar black aura that represented heavenly demons within the darkness.

\n\n

It was much stronger than the nameless heavenly demon of Chiyuan and Aluojin, and within the swirling black aura was a giant face that was faintly visible. It looked like a man in his prime with handsome features, but with strange black markings on his face.

\n\n

In the next moment, Gu Yuexi suddenly realized that those markings were the lines where his skin had been cut open and sewn back together!

\n\n

The King, Wei Yu, had once been dismembered into 108 pieces by the Emperor.

\n\n

The face within the darkness suddenly opened its eyes, which were like two deep wells with nothing inside. The eye sockets were filled with surging black aura, and a hurricane suddenly rose up.

\n\n

He opened his mouth, and 108 child corpses burst into laughter at the same time.

\n\n

The sea trembled beneath them, and the small speedboat was buffetted like a helpless leaf in the midst of a typhoon.

\n\n

Someone shouted, "Oh no, a tsunami!"

\n\n

With all his might, Wang Ze quickly activated a dozen protective bubbles around the speedboat, which was almost sucked dry by the force of the waves. The boat spun like a top in the chaotic bubbles, and the various protective gear glimmered in the flashing bubbles, creating a disco ball effect.

\n\n

At the same time, Zhang Zhao instinctively paused a second. That second freeze-frame gave everyone a chance to see the scene around them - hundreds of non-decaying bodies floating in mid-air, with wide, white-eyed stares, pale as paper from being struck by lightning.

\n\n

The raging sea looked like a scene from a doomsday movie, with waves dozens of meters high silently roaring, ready to crash onto the nearby land dotted with lights!

\n\n

Dr. Wang from the Research Institute had said that heavenly demons were equivalent to natural disasters. The first heavenly demon that Gu Yuexi and the others had encountered had been too rebellious and was consumed by the Yin Sacrifice ritual, so they left it alone. The second heavenly demon, for some reason, either due to unfavorable conditions or something else, dispersed into the mountains of Dongchuan amidst the sound of strong winds and light rain. They had always thought that the legend of "heavenly demons" was just an exaggeration.

\n\n

It wasn't until now that they understood why only one demon could emerge as the fate and calamity of a clan. Why "heavenly demons" were a part of the rules of heaven and earth.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's clan emblem appeared on his forehead, and he decisively bit his tongue and made a hand seal.

\n\n

In the next second, time began to flow again, and a huge totem fell from under Xuan Ji's feet. The fiery halo rapidly expanded, and everyone was blinded by the light.

\n\n

A distant bird cry could be heard from the direction of the horizon, and at midnight, the eastern sky was illuminated with a pale light, as if the fire could break through the darkness!

\n\n

When the waves were raging, Sheng Lingyuan had already left the fast boat filled with mortals, standing on the sea with black mist under his feet. The strong wind broke the leather rope that tied his hair, and his long hair scattered.

\n\n

Suddenly, he looked up and his pupils shrank - the fire-keeper had activated the power of the Vermilion Bird bone to suppress the Chiyuan.

\n\n

The fire light smashed onto the sea surface, forcibly pressing down the huge waves. The two sides struggled like a big bird diving down to press down a venomous snake on the ground, and the venomous snake struggled to fight back with its fangs.

\n\n

The roaring of the sea was deafening, and the fierce wind collided with 108 child corpses, making a sound like ancient battlefield of metal and iron!

\n\n

However, just as the black shadow was about to be pressed into the water by the fire light, a lightning bolt like a giant dragon suddenly struck without warning - but it was not aimed at King Wei Yu, but at Sheng Lingyuan!

\n\n

The heavenly thunderbolt came unexpectedly, like a stirring stick in a pile of shit.

\n\n

Except for His Majesty, who had a vague premonition, no one else reacted in time.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was shocked and turned pale. In a flash of lightning, Sheng Lingyuan's body was surrounded by black mist, which briefly froze the surrounding seawater into ice.

\n\n

He pushed away the Wind Gods' speedboat with a backhand, arrogantly withstanding the wrath of heaven and earth. The thunder and demonic energy clashed head-on, and even though he had already pushed the speedboat dozens of meters away with one palm, the dozen or so protective bubbles on the boat still shattered instantly.

\n\n

Wang Ze, who was holding up the protective barrier, was hit first and almost had his spine broken by the terrifying pressure. Even King Wei Yu and his child corpses were affected, with many of them swept away by the lightning and turned into their original weapons when they fell into the sea.

\n\n

The demonic shadow of King Wei Yu in the water was also dispersed. Xuan Ji was still in shock, and then he was stunned again.

\n\n

When Sheng Lingyuan's demonic energy erupted, he suddenly felt a strange sensation, as if something invisible had bound his hands and feet. The totem under his feet immediately dimmed, and most of his strength was sucked away!

\n\n

Chiyuan was sealed by Sheng Lingyuan, so he immediately realised what had happned just now. In a world where spiritual energy was almost extinct, the power of the Vermilion Bird bone of the Fire-keepers could extinguish the fires of Chiyuan. It could be said that they were invincible in the world.

\n\n

However, all things in the world have their own balance, whether it is the demon or the guardian who restrains the demon, the heavenly way will not allow them to be unrestricted.

\n\n

The Fire-keeper and Chiyuan, the source of demonic energy, are in a mutually restraining relationship. The heavenly way prohibits the Fire-keeper from using the power of the divine and demonic outside of Chiyuan.

\n\n

Once the Fire-keeper uses the power of the Vermilion Bird Bone outside of the Chiyuan, the suppression of the Vermilion Bird Seal on the Chiyuan will loosen.

\n\n

This will make the heavens nervous, and the Chiyuan Canyon will definitely be filled with thunder and lightning. Who knows, tomorrow we might see news of a forest fire.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan, for some reason, is connected to the Chiyuan and couldn't separate himself from it when the Heavenly Tribulation struck. Therefore, he was also struck by lightning.

\n\n

In other words, as long as Xuan Ji uses his true power, the Heavenly Thunder will continue to chase after Sheng Lingyuan and strike him. Of course, Sheng Lingyuan is not willing to just sit there and be a lightning rod.

\n\n

As soon as he resists, the demonic energy will erupt and the power of the Vermilion Bird Bone will immediately be forced to turn back and suppress him. As a result, Xuan Ji's power will be correspondingly depleted.

\n\n

Previously, Xuan Ji was lost and clueless, following a group of mortals and unable to remember any useful spells. He couldn't even harness the power of the Vermilion Bird Bone to suppress demons. But now, his strength and memories have returned, and with them, the shackles that bind him.

\n\n

Together, they fought side by side, but it was a futile effort. They were destined to turn on each other. As their internal conflict escalated, the already fragile seal on Chiyuan began to crumble. Soon, without others instigating things with the Yin Sacrifice ritual, the two of them would unwittingly unleash the fiery abyss, and this lawless fire-keeper would be consumed by the inferno.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan swallowed a mouthful of blood. This brat was probably born to be his nemesis!

\n\n

The dispersed demon shadows of King Wei Yu that had just been beaten began to gather in the seawater.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was in a state of distress as he hovered in mid-air with his wings. Sheng Lingyuan had been struck by lightning several times and had accumulated some experience in this regard. He gradually figured out the limits set by the heavenly way and managed to maintain the release of demonic energy on the edge of angering the thunderclouds, freezing the demon shadows in the water along with the seawater.

\n\n

The demon shadows were unable to condense for a while, and Sheng Lingyuan was helpless against them. The frozen ice blocks were constantly washed and melted by the surrounding seawater, maintaining a dangerous balance like walking on a tightrope. Xuan Ji, who was skilled in exorcising demons and dispelling evil, dared not move recklessly and use his true powers as the fire-keeper.

\n\n

The sea surface was at a stalemate for a while.

\n\n

A speedboat carrying a Wind God almost turned into a gyro, and it was only at this moment that it stopped dangerously. Whether it was the exceptional performance of the Wang Ze's koi luck blessing, the boat did not sink.

\n\n

And at that moment, the critically injured soldier Yan Qiushan suddenly stared intently in a certain direction.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi had just thrown all of her protective gear onto the wounded soldier and hadn't had time to take care of herself. Her vision was still blurry and her legs were weak. When she noticed Yan Qiushan's gaze, she was taken aback.

\n\n

Following his line of sight, she saw the child corpse that had been jumping around earlier, frozen and turned into a puppet with its strings cut.

\n\n

It bobbed up and down in the waves, while the gloomy sacrificial text that had been forced back by Xuan Ji contracted into a single line and converged on a figure not far away, highlighting that person.

\n\n

Among the countless child corpses, there was a face that was equally lifeless, floating on the surface of the water like a member of an army of corpses... except that his face was so familiar - Zhi Chun.

\n","published_time":"2024-02-18T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-01-21T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-02-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":499,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":60,"chapter_title":"Chapter 60","content":"

The man's lower body was submerged in seawater, his features relaxed and unremarkable at first glance, but upon closer inspection, he exuded a certain charm that reminded one of a potted plant basking in the afternoon sun.

\n\n

He seemed to have been carved according to the phrase "warm and jade-like," with his semi-long hair cascading down his neck.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi remembered that on the day of Zhi Chun's accident, Yan Qiushan had mentioned wanting to give him a haircut... but never got the chance.

\n\n

This "warm jade" was now surrounded by a large group of ancient corpses, his body covered in dark sacrificial texts. A bolt of lightning illuminated his pale face, making him look like a unearthed artifact.

\n\n

Yet even so, he still appeared immaculate.

\n\n

Gu Yuexi was stunned, feeling a sense of familiarity with the man, as if he had just handed her a cup of hot tea yesterday and asked in a gentle voice how the team was doing.

\n\n

Suddenly, everything around him felt unfamiliar and unreal. Yan Qiushan summoned an incredible burst of energy from somewhere, causing all the metal parts on his body to melt. He seemed to have lost all sense of pain as the molten metal seeped into his wounds, temporarily sealing them and welding his broken bones back together.

\n\n

He was only half alive, half ghostly, and his remaining life force was rapidly draining away. His face turned a deathly gray, and all the vitality in his body seemed to have retreated into his eyes, giving them a sickly glow.

\n\n

As he and his sword looked out over the sea of corpses, they met each other's gaze on the eerie and terrifying surface.

\n\n

"It's definitely not Zhi Chun," Wang Ze immediately denied, "Zhi Chun has been gone for a long time. This fake is a blatant fraud. Yuexi, show these excavated relics your expertise in identifying fakes - just tell them what kind of crap this is!"

\n\n

Gu Yuexi opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything.

\n\n

The aura and energy field of this "Zhi Chun" in front of her were all genuine, making her feel like crying.

\n\n

But the blade was broken, wouldn't the sword spirit be...

\n\n

Zhang Zhao realized something was wrong and looked at her with suspicion, "Sister?"

\n\n

Even Sheng Lingyuan, who was confronting the demon shadow, was briefly distracted and glanced at Zhi Chun. He lightly furrowed his brows, showing a rare expression of surprise.

\n\n

"Wake up, Gu Yuexi! Why are you spacing out now? Say something!" Wang Ze exclaimed.

\n\n

A blast of icy air hit Wang Ze, making him shiver. He saw that Sheng Lingyuan had somehow landed on the small boat, wrapped in a chilling black mist that resembled a blizzard.

\n\n

"Sword..." Sheng Lingyuan said one word, then seemed to realize he misspoke.

\n\n

After a pause, he corrected himself, "There is a connection between the Sword Spirit and the master. This Mr. Yan should be able to tell the real from the fake."

\n\n

Xuan Ji heard this and approached him, feeling a faint glimmer of hope. However, just as he had finished using his ultimate move, his family emblem was still on his forehead, and he smelled like a vermilion bird.

\n\n

He landed next to Sheng Lingyuan, and his aura thinned the demonic energy by three inches.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan immediately stepped aside in disgust.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..." What a load of nonsense!

\n\n

"If he recognises him wrongly, what then? He's struggling to breathe, and when people lack oxygen, they can't even recognize their own mother. That guy is now a 'person with restricted mobility,' what does he know?"

\n\n

Wang Ze never takes anything seriously, always wearing a silly grin on his face. Over time, people began to suspect that he only had one expression, like it was permanently stuck on his face without ever being washed.

\n\n

But now, this sudden appearance of "Zhi Chun" has completely infuriated him.

\n\n

"Zhi Chun was poisoned in order to save people. Although he was a sword, and although...in the end, he had no choice...he is still a hero. His photo is still hanging on the martyr wall in the security department!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had never seen a carp with such a loud voice before, and he couldn't help but chuckle at the novelty of it.

\n\n

"If you speak too loudly, your words may come out before your brain has a chance to catch up. Even the heavens and earth cannot last forever, let alone humans. What was good in the past may not be good now. A fruit left out for just a few days will spoil, and even a villain can become a hero.

\n\n

"The blade of Zhi Chun has been destroyed, we saw it with our own eyes! Even if someone stole fragments of it, they could not create a complete 'living sword'! We searched through all the available information and found only one phrase: 'blade destroyed, spirit dispersed'. Boss, do you think you're the only one who wants to restore Zhi Chun? The W Zone's protective shield on the 60th underground level hasn't been turned on in three years. That's because they're afraid you'll come back to visit him secretly, and it won't be convenient for you! The administrator charges me three cigarettes every month!"

\n\n

The Wind Gods on the speedboat were speechless.

\n\n

"Alright, the accomplice in the theft of Zhi Chun has turned himself in," said Sheng Lingyuan with a smile and his hands behind his back. "Well, well, the world is truly vast and full of wonders. I am curious, how did the broken sword 'resurrect' itself? Unless it wasn't your only blade, right?"

\n\n

"What do you mean?" asked Zhang Zhao. "Can a sword spirit have two blades? Can a person have two heads?"

\n\n

A member of the Wind God Squad whispered, "Boss, there really is a person with two heads sharing one body."

\n\n

Zhang Zhao: ...

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan waved his hand towards the water, and a piece of floating ice flew into the air, with a sword frozen in the middle.

\n\n

It turned out that a few child corpses had been swallowed up by Xuan Ji's fire earlier, breaking free from the control of King Wei Yu and becoming ordinary swords.

\n\n

One of them had just fallen to the side of the boat.

\n\n

King Wei Yu died without a complete body, so when he was summoned by the Yin Sacrifice ritual, he could only rely on other things to move, but... why did he choose to possess these child corpses in Wei Yun's tomb that were turned into swords?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan touched it with his hand, and the ice melted into black mist and dissipated. The sword fell into his hand, and he gently stroked the blade.

\n\n

"As they say, there is nothing strange in this world. This is a 'sword without spirit', a half-finished product."

\n\n

Xuan Ji suddenly felt uneasy and took a few steps forward. He hooked the frozen sword from Sheng Lingyuan's hand with a rough motion.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan thought he just wanted to take a look - after all, this little demon was rude more than once, so he didn't pay much attention.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao was completely confused.

\n\n

"Wait a minute, boss, I'm confused. What does 'half-finished product' mean? If it has no spirit, what's the difference between it and an ordinary sword?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan said, "Ordinary swords and knives are made of ordinary iron, but what the Mountain people call 'divine weapons' are mainly made of living materials. When the weapon spirit 'is born', it autonomously absorbs the surrounding steel and iron to form a weapon. When Wei Yun arrived, these orphans had already been poisoned by King Wei Yu and could not survive. Even if he managed to refine them into weapon spirits, he only had enough time to refine one of them."

\n\n

To His Majesty, in that situation, saving one life was better than none. If it were him, he would have immediately chosen the one with the best aptitude and left the rest without hesitation.

\n\n

But Wei Yun was different. He was timid and always hesitant, always striving for perfection. In his eyes, choosing one child to refine into an weapon spirit was not about saving one, but abandoning the other one hundred and seven.

\n\n

"Master Wei Yun, the 'Tian'er' expert, was greedy and had unrealistic ideas. He couldn't make decisions and planned to forge over a hundred sword spirits in one furnace," said Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao asked, "Did he succeed?"

\n\n

"Of course not," Sheng Lingyuan replied nonchalantly. "At that time, the art of refining by the Mountain people was declining. Those who could barely forge iron were called 'masters.' Wei Yun, the last 'Tian'er,' probably thought too highly of his skills. He couldn't even repair a sword properly, let alone achieve what his predecessors couldn't. However, he was so determined that he swore to sacrifice himself in the furnace. Perhaps the heavens saw his sincerity and gave him some results. He managed to forge over a hundred 'divine weapons' without spirits, which were recorded in the Qingping Division."

\n\n

Upon hearing this, Xuan Ji's eyes flickered as he carefully examined the sword in his hand. Suddenly, he felt something and turned to Zhi Chun, "This doesn't make sense. If there's a 'divine weapon', then there must be a spirit, otherwise the body of the weapon wouldn't condense."

\n\n

"You seem to know a lot about this obscure field of refining," Sheng Lingyuan, perhaps tired of speaking Mandarin, suddenly switched to a more ancient tone and casually asked Xuan Ji, "So, did you collect any experience from gathering scrap metal in Chiyuan?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was stunned. In that instant, he couldn't even think about how Sheng Lingyuan knew he had adopted weapon spirits in Chiyuan.

\n\n

This light and airy sentence suddenly shattered his anxious expectations and confirmed his suspicions - in the Emperor's mind, damaged swords and weapons were truly just scrap metal.

\n\n

Back then, he had slaughtered the Mountain royal family, but it was only because he was a king who had been forced into a corner and had his power tainted by others. It had nothing to do with the sword he wielded.

\n\n

He had thought that they had grown up together and that there would be a place for him in that person's heart.

\n\n

But his heart was in turmoil, and Sheng Lingyuan was completely unaware.

\n\n

The emperor turned to Zhi Chun and said, "Yes, if there is a divine weapon, there must be a spirit. Otherwise, the body of the weapon cannot condense. Back then, Wei Yun refined over a hundred weapon bodies, but only obtained one spirit - the only sword spirit in the world that has multiple weapon bodies."

\n\n

When he had arrived back then, he had felt the aura of a weapon spirit "emerging" among the corpses.

\n\n

But after searching for a long time, he found nothing and assumed it was just an illusion caused by the abundance of failed weapon bodies.

\n\n

No wonder he had never heard of Zhi Chun's divine weapon, which was thousands of years old and still shining like new.

\n\n

It turned out to be Wei Yun's legacy.

\n\n

Wei Yun didn't trust him and didn't give him the truly spiritual sword before he died.

\n\n

But fate is unpredictable, who knew that this treasure sword would end up in his hands again after three thousand years, destiny cannot be stopped.

\n\n

Following Sheng Lingyuan's gaze, Gu Yuexi's pupils narrowed to a line as she scanned the lifeless child's corpse, then looked at Zhi Chun.

\n\n

Suddenly, she seemed to understand something and looked up abruptly, "Could it be..."

\n\n

"So your name is 'Zhi Chun'," Sheng Lingyuan pronounced the gentle name with an even gentler tone, as if singing an ancient mermaid song, "It really is Wei Yun's style - no wonder your sword body is damaged, but the sword spirit is not extinguished."

\n\n

Gu Yuexi's tired and bloodshot eyes suddenly lit up, "Are you saying that even if the sword body is broken, Zhi Chun can still live on with another body?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan smiled but said nothing.

\n\n

"Captain Yan, can you hear me? Captain Yan, you have to be okay, you..."

\n\n

"The sacrificial text..." At this moment, Zhi Chun from the sea suddenly spoke up. He seemed to have not spoken for a long time, stumbling even more than when Sheng Lingyuan first came to this world, almost saying one word at a time.

\n\n

"...was written by me." Yan Qiushan's expression was as if he had been stabbed. "The sea poison of the mirage island corroded my blade, the blade shattered, but I found out that I was still alive... but you can't see me, no one can see me, and I can't remember who I am... just a vague consciousness."

\n\n

Zhi Chun looked at Yan Qiushan with sadness and said with difficulty, "Actually... I've been following you during that time."

\n\n

With a "plop," Xuan Ji accidentally dropped the sword, frozen solid, into the sea as se heard Zhi Chun say, "No one can see him, and he can't remember who he is."

\n\n

However, everyone's attention was focused on Zhi Chun, and no one noticed his slip-up.

\n\n

"It wasn't until recently...that I slowly regained some consciousness and feeling," Zhi Chun continued.

\n\n

Wang Ze pressed on, "What kind of feeling?"

\n\n

"My... sword." Zhi Chun said, "It's been far away, sometimes present, sometimes not... I've been chasing after it... and I chased it here. But I can't get in, those swords have been sealed inside the wall with powerful magic. I have no other thoughts in my mind, my memories are jumbled, I only vaguely feel that someone is looking for me, I want to go home... back to him... I run back and forth in those tombs, shouting at them... but no one can hear me, those cold and icy tombs won't let me through even a bit."

\n\n

Zhi Chun gently closed her eyes: "Those sacrificial texts suddenly appeared in my mind at that time, there was a voice telling me that there are 108 sword bodies sealed inside this wall, as long as I am willing to offer them, I can return to the present world."

\n\n

Excluded by the world, with only a vague obsession in his heart, a person he couldn't see was like a thorn in his throat, hooking onto his remaining soul.

\n\n

He wasn't alive, nor was he dead... It was too similar, and Xuan Ji almost had the illusion that someone else had spoken of his experiences.

\n\n

If the heavenly demon sword spirit, who had no one to rely on back then, had such an opportunity, what would he have done?

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked himself honestly and felt that he wouldn't hesitate for a second in the face of this temptation. Knowing that his own humanity was fragile, he was especially willing to be tolerant of others' weaknesses.

\n\n

So he spoke gently, "At that time, your mind wasn't clear, and you didn't really know what the Yin Sacrifice ritual was, right?"

\n\n

Zhi Chun pursed his lips and didn't say anything - because it sounded like an excuse.

\n\n

"Those who don't know shouldn't be blamed, and considering your mental state at the time, legally speaking, you were probably 'incapable of action'. I think the person who led you to write the sacrificial text is fully responsible," Xuan Ji said. "Do you remember when you were poisoned by the sea on Mirage Island? It was that incident that ultimately led them to decide to destroy your body. But when I first heard about this, I didn't think the bureau would be so careless, so I believe it was deliberately arranged. The Yin sacrificial text was probably implanted in your consciousness by someone taking advantage of your confused state, and you were also a victim..."

\n\n

As he was speaking, Sheng Lingyuan next to him became impatient and interrupted him without any sympathy, "There's no need to go on about these useless things. When you wrote the Yin sacrificial text, you used your own hundred weapons as sacrificial offerings, didn't you?"

\n\n

Zhi Chun felt ashamed and guilty, "Yes, I...I am guilty..."

\n\n

"No, Your Majesty...Ling..." Reality and chaotic memories mixed together, and Xuan Ji didn't know what to call him for a moment. "Listen to me first, you..."

\n\n

Before he could finish speaking, a white figure flashed before his eyes.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had already stepped on the sea water and rushed to him. The sea water he had stepped on immediately froze into thin ice, trapping Zhi Chun inside.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan acted quickly and grabbed Zhi Chun's neck.

\n\n

"Stop!"

\n\n

"Lingyuan!"

\n\n

Wang Ze and Xuan Ji both spoke up, and Yan Qiushan's five fingers clawed into the deck. At first, Zhi Chun instinctively leaned back, but then he regained his composure.

\n\n

He probably felt that he deserved his punishment, so he lifted his head without flinching and silently gazed into the Emperor's cold yet passionate eyes, waiting for his fate to be decided.

\n\n

When Sheng Lingyuan met his gaze, he suddenly paused for no apparent reason, and his fingers loosened.

\n\n

"It's no use killing you," he said after a moment of silence. "Once the Yin Sacrifice ritual is complete, it's impossible to turn back. It's a shame that Wei Yun's efforts only resulted in creating a single sword spirit like you. You're not living up to your potential."

\n\n

Zhi Chun had been holding up until this point, but upon hearing these words, he suddenly seemed to collapse and began trembling in the icy seawater.

\n\n

"Captain Yan!" Gu Yuexi's cry came from the speedboat.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan's body, which had been propped up by metal, knocked against the deck.

\n\n

His previous outburst seemed to be a last gasp, and he could no longer continue.

\n\n

He stared at Zhi Chun with eyes that were almost dilated. Zhi Chun's face turned pale, and he immediately wanted to rush over, but she was pinned in place by countless Yin sacrificial texts.

\n\n

"Ling..." Xuan Ji quickly came up with an idea and turned to Sheng Lingyuan, switching to a more elegant tone. "Your Majesty, can you freeze him first?"

\n\n

Unlike the useless ice-water types, which can only make a bowl of shaved ice, Sheng Lingyuan's black mist can freeze a person directly like liquid nitrogen.

\n\n

At the same time, his powerful repair ability can minimize cell damage during the thawing process - as long as he is willing.

\n\n

Of course, he usually isn't willing.

\n\n

Due to the nature of his powers, Sheng Lingyuan found it much easier to destroy things with his black mist than to repair them. He often had to resort to a "transfer" technique, such as sacrificing layers of flowers and trees to restore a hotel room he had demolished.

\n\n

Xuan Ji quickly added, "I'll give you my power to draw from. He won't make it to shore, you..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's gaze shifted, a sly smile on his face as he asked, "But why should I save him?"

\n\n

Looking down at Yan Qiushan, the man's life force was so weak that it was almost imperceptible.

\n\n

The metal that had been supporting his body was now attacking him, and blood was seeping from his seven orifices. He was not only going to die, but he was going to die in a painful and gruesome way.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't discriminate based on bloodline. He had personally established the "Super Hybrid Camp" of the Qingping Division. As an ancient heavenly demon who had been buried for many years and forced to return to the scene, he had no fondness or resentment towards his descendants who were separated by thousands of years.

\n\n

He would save them if it was convenient, and kill a few if they got in his way.

\n\n

In theory, although Yan Qiushan exuded a strong Mountain aura, he was still a human being, and his talent and appearance were both exceptional.

\n\n

Since he had not betrayed the "Qingping Division" and his position was quite clear, it was easy for Sheng Lingyuan to spare his life. However, Sheng Lingyuan was simply too lazy to lift a finger.

\n\n

For some reason, Yan Qiushan always managed to inexplicably provoke his malice.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan couldn't stand the sight of him.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's temples throbbed with pain from his cold-blooded attitude.

\n\n

The other Wind Gods couldn't understand their ancient language conversation and continued to futilely try to save Yan Qiushan. Suddenly, the ice floating on the water made an unsettling "crack" sound.

\n\n

The demon shadow that had stopped moving slowly stretched within the ice, causing all the child corpses to tremble and their teeth to chatter.

\n\n

Then, the entire boat was almost lifted into the sky. Black water droplets burst out like a long dragon, and the demon shadow trapped in the ice forcibly broke free.

\n\n

The child corpses controlled by King Wei Yu were corroded by the black mist of Sheng Lingyuan, with some flesh melting away to reveal white, bony skeletons, but he showed no hesitation.

\n\n

"Your Majesty," the shadowy demon laughed, "It's been three thousand years since we last met. Have you grown old or just weak? Why are your hands so soft?"

\n","published_time":"2024-02-25T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-01-28T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-02-25T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":507,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":61,"chapter_title":"Chapter 61","content":"

Sheng Lingyuan uttered something quickly, and the waves responded by rolling and crashing down on the flesh and bone remains in the water.

\n\n

A humanoid figure with a fish tail emerged from the water, like the vengeful spirit of a mermaid who had died centuries ago and come back to life, biting at the demonic shadow in the water.

\n\n

Wei Yuxuan burst into laughter, "Using the mermaid language, what a mighty emperor of humans!"

\n\n

The sounds that humans can hear and produce are limited, unless they have a special bloodline. Otherwise, learning a foreign language can only be a rough imitation with varying degrees of success. Tricks like "searching for people in the sea" can be used occasionally, but they may or may not work.

\n\n

What effect would using mermaid language have in a serious battle of magic? To put it disrespectfully, it was like learning to bark like a dog during a fight, attempting to scare the enemy with fierce barking.

\n\n

Sure enough, the giant mermaid made of frozen waves looked fierce.

\n\n

As soon as it appeared, it directly dispersed the demonic shadows in the sea. Dozens of child corpses were swept away by the waves, losing their human form and becoming lifeless swords sinking into the sea.

\n\n

However, after sinking only thirty meters, they were caught by the reassembled demonic shadows. They transformed back into human form, revealing their white, grimacing teeth, and rushed out of the water towards the "sea mermaid."

\n\n

The "sea mermaid" was quickly entangled by the children's corpses.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's face darkened, and a small hurricane rose under his feet. The cold seawater around him transformed into various ancient water monsters, guarding this sea god's throne like an impenetrable barrier. However, they were powerless against the demon.

\n\n

"The Heavenly Demon is limited by the heavenly ways, Your Majesty. Are you now bound by nine of your ten fingers? Even the sound of your breathing could bring down heavenly calamity. And this one next to you, with the scent of the Vermilion Bird, is he your jailer?"

\n\n

King Wei Yu controlled the corpse of a child and laughed sharply.

\n\n

"Back in the day, the Emperor of Humanity destroyed the witch people, severed my Mountain bloodline, exterminated the Shadow clan, and made all the demons bow their heads. What a mighty power... Who would have thought that you are nothing but a tool of the Human race? In the end, you are trapped in your own cocoon, hiding your bow when the birds are gone. Ha! Imprisoned in the Fire Prison for three thousand years, your minions all dead, and your body still serving others. Do you have a fetish for humiliation?"

\n\n

Gu Yuexi was thrown to the side by the rocking boat.

\n\n

In order to protect Yan Qiushan, she didn't care about herself and hit her lower back unprotected on the corner of the speedboat, causing her to black out.

\n\n

A Wind God next to her quickly caught her and exclaimed, "Team Leader Gu!"

\n\n

Gu Yuexi's overuse of her X-ray vision caused it to bleed uncontrollably. Several lines of blood ran down from her temples to her chin, a horrifying sight.

\n\n

The cold sea breeze took away Yan Qiushan's body temperature, and she watched in horror as death swallowed him whole.

\n\n

The numbness began to spread towards his heart and brain, his heart beating slower and slower, his blood vessels becoming weaker and weaker...

\n\n

Seeing her expression, everyone's hearts sank. Zhang Zhao tightly held onto his stopwatch, instinctively wanting to press it, but knowing it would be useless.

\n\n

Wang Ze lowered his head, his shoulder muscles bulging like an enraged cat.

\n\n

"Wind God... Wind God agents, " he first squeezed out a few words from his throat, then Wang Ze jumped into the sea with a leap, and countless small bubbles instantly enveloped him, like wearing a suit of armor.

\n\n

Wang Ze fired a mithril bullet into the forehead of a child's corpse blocking his way and roared, "Who cares if it's a typhoon or a tsunami! Bring it on!"

\n\n

As a freshwater expert, Wang Ze's combat effectiveness was reduced in the sea, but there was still plenty of water vapor in the air. Water droplets quickly condensed in mid-air, and before they could fall, they continued to drop to freezing point, turning into countless ice knives and arrows, smashing towards the group of corpses.

\n\n

The dense mithril bullets, hidden under the "ice rain," rushed towards their targets, hitting some child corpses in the head and splitting others in half. For a moment, they cleared a space in the group of corpses surrounding the speedboat.

\n\n

"Ants!" sneered King Wei Yu with a sharp voice. The broken child corpses turned into sword fragments, weaving a deadly net that wrapped around the speedboat, tightening suddenly.

\n\n

Just as the boat was about to be turned into minced meat, Zhang Zhao paused a second.

\n\n

In an instant, Wang Ze wrapped the speedboat with seven or eight layers of water film outside, which froze into a "frost flower," temporarily separating the flesh and blood from the swords.

\n\n

Then, a bright blade of light descended from the sky, tearing apart the sword net. Xuan Ji held his curved blade like a full moon. The blade that had previously been a child's corpse dared not disobey him.

\n\n

He had a lit cigarette in his mouth and pinched the end to brush it against the blade. With a "sizzle," a flame shot out, extending the blade by a good length.

\n\n

Even before the blade's edge touched them, the flames, like banners, had already clashed with the short weapons of the child corpses.

\n\n

The flames seemed to have a life of their own, spreading wherever they touched and even burning on the sea. King Wei Yu, who occupied over a hundred bodies, had hit the jackpot and felt the pain of over a hundred burns.

\n\n

All the child corpses screamed in unison, and the swords and blades scattered in all directions like sparks. The whole process was slowed down, and the sea surface was a magnificent sight with shimmering waves.

\n\n

The ice protection layer around the speedboat melted and fell back onto the sea.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao was stunned, "What kind of fire is this?"

\n\n

"It's the 'Evil-Expelling and Home-Protecting Divine Fire', a must-have for home and travel. When consumed..." Xuan Ji put the cigarette back in his mouth, squinting from the smoke.

\n\n

He covered the darkness and sadness that flashed in his eyes and avoided Sheng Lingyuan's gaze.

\n\n

With a flick of his wrist, he unsheathed his curved blade with a crisp sound. It was as if he had been coiled up for thousands of years, never having the chance to stretch his muscles and bones.

\n\n

He chuckled softly, feeling a little sore but not bitter.

\n\n

"It can also enhance male vitality. Want to try some? If it doesn't work, it's on me."

\n\n

These winged creatures seemed to have a special ability - no matter what they had in their mouths, they could still speak rubbish nonstop. No wonder they were better at cracking sunflower seeds than others.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao quickly declined, "No, no, no. I'm still young and haven't reached the legal age for cremation."

\n\n

"Be careful," Xuan Ji said, "don't let the child's corpse run away in the chaos."

\n\n

The Wind God on the speedboat shuddered. This was the sea, with no boundaries to the east or west, and no limits to the north or south. There was no cover, and if even one child's corpse slipped away, the great demon King Wei Yu would take advantage and escape into the crowd!

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan and Xuan Ji were constrained by each other, so they could only carefully control the powers they used to maintain a delicate balance.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan dared not freely release his black mist, and Xuan Ji dared not summon the power of the Vermilion Bird that seemed capable of destroying the world.

\n\n

They could only barely maintain their powers at a level slightly higher than that of ordinary special abilities users - relying mainly on experience and combat awareness to win.

\n\n

Xuan Ji and the Wind Gods spoke in Mandarin, which King Wei Yu couldn't understand, but he clearly had the same idea. The child corpses split into two groups, with a large number of white bones and already broken bodies forming a defensive formation around the Wind Gods' speedboat and Xuan Ji, while seven or eight child corpses with intact appearances and preserved body shapes quietly slipped into the water and fled in all directions!

\n\n

The heavenly demons were either insane or crazed, but most of them were trapped by obsession. Generally speaking, even the most detestable people have some pitiable aspects, but King Wei Yu is a very special case - he is not a "normal" person, he is simply a bad embryo.

\n\n

If there were gods in charge of "greed" in the world, King Wei Yu would be the embodiment of the "god of greed".

\n\n

Unfortunately, this kind of person was born in troubled times.

\n\n

During the chaos of the Nine Provinces, even ordinary people were filled with blood and energy, let alone King Wei Yu, who was like a "vicious dragon" stirring up trouble.

\n\n

Before his death, King Wei Yu lived a life of extreme luxury and desire. He had a white jade palace in the East Sea, known as the "place where wind and rain do not enter, and cold and heat do not invade." Because he had a strange aversion to wearing shoes, every inch of the white jade palace had to be spotless and have a roof overhead.

\n\n

To prevent the palace from becoming a "black house of white jade" on his thousand-acre estate, he enlisted the help of thousands of skilled craftsmen from his clan to create an artificial "sky" filled with "Blue Sea Pearls" set in large crystals.

\n\n

Blue Sea pearls were extremely rare deep-sea pearls, and even the Emperor Sheng Lingyuan had only seen 100,001 of them in his lifetime. One of them was set in his coronation crown, passed down from his family's ancestors, while the remaining 100,000 were in King Wei Yu's white jade palace.

\n\n

Crystal covers hung mermaid lamps around the deep-sea pearls, and the snow-white light refracted through countless deep-sea pearls, presenting a vividly realistic blue sky on the ceiling of the White Jade Palace.

\n\n

The mermaid lamps never go out, so day and night are indistinguishable in the entire White Jade Palace.

\n\n

The mermaid clan was burned alive in this palace because one person did not want to dirty his foot.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan coldly said, "Wei Yu, did we allow you to leave?"

\n\n

Then, a series of mermaid language flowed out of his mouth.

\n\n

In an instant, Xuan Ji's goosebumps rose. He understood the general meaning of the mermaid language: the sky is the coffin, the sea is the grave, blood feud is deep, and a million resentful spirits are lined up. There are some people who, even if their hands and feet are tied and they only have the skill of barking like a dog, can still use it to create a powerful sonic wave that can shatter their enemies' livers and gallbladders.

\n\n

As the thick black clouds rolled over the sea, shadows of people with fish tails could be seen swimming and flashing in and out of the turbulent waves.

\n\n

For a moment, all the souls who had died tragically in the sea, those who had been wiped out, and those who still harbored resentment even after death, were all stirred up by this emperor and forced to do his bidding.

\n\n

The most sinister language of the merfolk spread far and wide, echoing as if countless deep-sea merfolk were responding to it.

\n\n

Suddenly, the fastest swimming child corpse shot out of the water, jumping dozens of meters high.

\n\n

The black sea water beneath him formed the shape of a mermaid, and with a tsunami-like force, it flew up and bit the child corpse's neck. The child corpse struggled fiercely, and black mist seeped out of the seawater, "biting off" half of his neck.

\n\n

Then, more black mist rolled up and formed into mermaid shapes, each taking a bite and chewing the child corpse to pieces, leaving behind only a rusty halberd on the spot.

\n\n

Around Sheng Lingyuan, the sea water began to freeze in the continuous waves, and a floating iceberg appeared out of nowhere on the intersection of tropical and subtropical waters.

\n\n

Not far away, a speedboat was completely covered by the ice and stranded.

\n\n

The blind man hanging on the side of the boat was frozen halfway into the iceberg and after a moment of reaction, he screamed in agony. Everyone on the ship was stunned.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao murmured, "He... he's really a sword spirit?"

\n\n

This mermaid language was insane. Even though Sheng Lingyuan didn't use any demonic energy, thunder still rained down from the sky.

\n\n

Without hesitation, Xuan Ji flew over to rescue Sheng Lingyuan. He spread his wings and wrapped Sheng Lingyuan inside them. At the same time, he threw nine coins wrapped in flames into the air, which stopped the thunderbolt just twenty meters above the ground.

\n\n

The collision of thunder and fire was blinding. Xuan Ji was pushed down by the immense pressure, and his knee shattered a piece of floating ice. He and the broken ice were thrown into the sea of corpses.

\n\n

The corpses were armed and ready to attack, but Xuan Ji tightened his arms around Sheng Lingyuan, protecting him with his wings.

\n\n

Little did Xuan Ji know, Sheng Lingyuan was immediately overwhelmed with a splitting headache upon seeing his fiery red feathers.

\n\n

Without any gratitude, he grabbed Xuan Ji's wrist and forcefully threw him off his body, exclaiming "Mind your own business!"

\n\n

The furious King Wei Yu roared as the demonic shadow expanded in the sea, spreading black mist in all directions. Every living being felt the suffocating pressure, as if something was devouring their life force.

\n\n

A Wind God who was watching over Yan Qiushan was shocked as he looked up and exclaimed, "Yan Qiushan has stopped breathing!"

\n\n

The howling wind on the sea surface was accompanied by a piercing cry, thunder and lightning were rampant in the sky, and schools of fish panicked and fled in all directions. They were trapped here, with no way to seek help and no strength to struggle.

\n\n

The life and death of mortals were so insignificant, not even worth mentioning.

\n\n

At this moment, a faint voice came from the sea, "Save him!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan lowered his gaze and saw that the thunder that had just struck him had landed not far from Zhi Chun.

\n\n

The sword spirit, wrapped in layers of gloomy sacrificial text, looked at him sadly from five or six meters away. "I...I don't know who you are, but can you save him? Please..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan raised an eyebrow in surprise - this sword spirit understood ancient language.

\n\n

Zhi Chun pleaded, "Please, whatever you want, as long as I have it, even if you want my life..."

\n\n

"Okay," the black mist lifted Sheng Lingyuan from the sea, and he dodged a steel sword that was transformed from a child's corpse. He let his wet hair hang down, like the countless legends of a demon that leads people to eternal damnation. "Then I'll take your life."

\n\n

Zhi Chun was stunned.

\n\n

Half of Xuan Ji's heart was frozen, while the other half was burning with anger that threatened to consume him.

\n\n

The totem on his forehead, shaped like a flame, seemed as though it would burst through his skin. He thought he had briefly connected with this person's mind and soul in his distant childhood, but it was all just a damn illusion.

\n\n

This beast had no heart or liver.

\n\n

"Sheng. Ling. Yuan!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan ignored Xuan Ji and eagerly gazed at Zhi Chun. "The Yin Sacrifice was caused by you. While the heavenly demon power is not yet established, the sacrifice can still be stopped if you violate the contract. Will you dare to bear the backlash of a thousand cuts?"

\n\n

"Zhi Chun, don't do it! Don't listen to this demon..." Xuan Ji's voice suddenly choked, and he saw the bloated shadow of King Wei Yu suddenly freeze as if it had solidified.

\n\n

From a distance, Zhi Chun glanced at the people on the speedboat, and a deep vortex of seawater swirled around him. In the center of the vortex, the sword spirit's hand turned into a blunt long sword, and the blade illuminated Zhi Chun's pale face as his eyes met Xuan Ji's.

\n\n

He politely smiled at Xuan Ji and shook his head. In the next moment, his hand slashed through the thick, calloused sacrificial text.

\n\n

The sacrificial person cut the text, and Zhi Chun broke his promise!

\n\n

Xuan Ji only had time to cut his finger and draw a protective formation with his blood on the surface of the sea, then savagely pressing it into the water. The next moment, Zhi Chun shot up into the air. A lightning bolt, ten times more severe than the one that came down on Sheng Lingyuan, directly engulfed his body.

\n\n

Under the wrath of thunder, the people lost their senses, almost blending into the shadows, disappearing without a trace.

\n\n

The Yin sacrificial text surged on the sea, exploding in patches amidst thunder and lightning.

\n\n

The lightning that pierced through the air sent all living creatures around flying, regardless of whether they were gods or demons. The demonic energy dispersed with a loud boom, causing the icebergs on the sea to crack inch by inch.

\n\n

The stranded speedboat slipped into the water, and the icy seawater engulfed people's heads and bodies.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan laughed heartily as the black mist rushed towards Yan Qiushan like fish breaking through the water's surface.

\n\n

He froze the dying man in place as promised.

\n\n

Yan Qiushan's entire body stiffened like a specimen, with only a metal fragment on his chest floating in the seawater.

\n\n

It emitted a faint light, forming a thin protective layer that gently enveloped him, just like the foolish merfolk who cherished a pearl in their mouths thousands of years ago.

\n\n

The backlash of the Yin Sacrifice ritual was so powerful that it could even obliterate Sheng Lingyuan's incarnation, let alone a mere Sword Spirit.

\n\n

After what seemed like an eternity, everything finally calmed down.

\n\n

The debris of swords and the speedboat floated silently on the water, while the dark clouds and storm dissipated, revealing a sky full of stars.

\n\n

On the surface of the sea, there was no longer any trace of the Yin Sacrifice ritual or Zhi Chun.

\n","published_time":"2024-03-03T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-02-04T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-03-03T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":514,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":62,"chapter_title":"Chapter 62","content":"

Wang Ze risked his life to save his own people and even the suspect, cramming them all into a bubble.

\n\n

He almost coughed up his lungs in the process, but was then swept away by the chaotic currents.

\n\n

In the midst of the giant waves, a small carp struggled as if it were just playing around. It bobbed along, not knowing where it was headed until its bubble bumped into something and gently bounced back, securely fastened in place.

\n\n

Wang Ze slowly regained consciousness, his vision filled with stars and feeling like he was about to have a stroke.

\n\n

His eyes rolled around for a while before finally focusing on a thin layer of ice that had "caught" the bubble.

\n\n

The thick clouds dispersed, and the starlight and moonlight fell aimlessly.

\n\n

Xuan Ji and Sheng Lingyuan were not far from each other. They stood several steps apart, one surrounded by flames and the other shrouded in mist.

\n\n

The fiery light on Xuan Ji's wings dragged on for a long distance in the silent night, like a human-shaped lighthouse. However, it could not penetrate the dense black fog around Sheng Lingyuan, the "Sword Spirit," who was three feet away in the mortal world.

\n\n

Only a vague outline of his sharp jaw and a smile that was not quite a smile could be seen. The two of them spoke quickly in ancient language.

\n\n

Xuan Ji squeezed out a few words from between his teeth: "Are you satisfied?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan said calmly, "Before his death, King Wei Yu practiced dark magic in pursuit of immortality. He drank the blood of live infants by the liter and became a half-demon. He died a thousand deaths, his resentment soaring to the heavens. He cannot be compared to Aluojin. I am limited by the will of heaven, and you are held captive by Chiyuan. If we don't provoke the sacrificial offering to break the ritual, how can we quickly defeat the heavenly demon when it emerges?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji's temples throbbed with anger. "Your Majesty, do you bigwigs always view things from a god's perspective, treating all living beings as mere fodder? You-"

\n\n

"I'm not that arrogant," the heartless Emperor interrupted. "But he's just a sword."

\n\n

Xuan Ji had been to the snowy mountains and witnessed the aurora, but he had never felt so cold as he did at that moment.

\n\n

"Just a sword..."

\n\n

This emperor can create ice in the Pacific near the equator with just a wave of his sleeve, and freeze Xuan Ji, who has fire in his veins, into an ice sculpture with just a word.

\n\n

Although Wang Ze couldn't understand the ancient phrases, he could vaguely sense that the atmosphere between the two was very wrong, tense as if they were about to fight.

\n\n

He was now one hundred percent certain that Xuan Ji's so-called "sword spirit" was just a casual lie.

\n\n

Besides, he had never heard of any family's "weapon spirit" being able to partially freeze the Pacific, let alone a sword spirit. Even if the refrigerator spirit and the air conditioning spirit worked together, they couldn't do it.

\n\n

This "sword brother" seemed to be an old acquaintance of the Mountain king from three thousand years ago, and knew a lot of ancient secrets that not even Zhi Chun had heard of.

\n\n

He was unfathomable.

\n\n

If it weren't for his thunderous physique, Wang Ze would even suspect that the Mountain king was afraid of him. Looking at their auras alone, it was clear that these two were not on the same side. Their energies clashed and contradicted each other.

\n\n

But then again...

\n\n

Struggling to peel off the bubbles that were wrapped around him, Wang Ze used all four limbs to climb up onto the floating ice. His weight caused a piece of the ice to crack and break, but he didn't care who saw or heard it.

\n\n

The most important thing was to survive and make it back to land.

\n\n

The sound of the cracking ice finally caught the attention of the two strangers, who turned to look at him.

\n\n

Wang Ze, gasping for breath, managed to utter a few words: "I-I mean... internal conflicts between the team... can we wait for the ambulance to arrive before we solve this? The Civil Affairs Bureau doesn't even start work until dawn, so please, please save me first!"

\n\n

Yuyang was a peaceful and idle place. The local branch of the Bureau was even called the "Retirement Home". Since its establishment, everyone from field agents to logistics personnel has been living a fairy-like life, working from nine to five, and never hearing of "overtime".

\n\n

Occasionally, they would catch a small group of people engaged in feudal superstition activities, which would be considered a "major case" that needed special attention during the year-end summary.

\n\n

But on this night, they were in for a surprise.

\n\n

When the abnormal energy alarm went off, Du Ruo, the field manager of the Yuyang branch, was staying up late applying a face mask. She mistook the alarm for a smoke alarm and thought it was her skinny and sneaky husband smoking on the balcony again.

\n\n

Manager Du stormed onto the balcony, fuming with anger and ready to make an on-the-spot arrest. But when she looked out, her husband was nowhere to be found.

\n\n

She was so startled that her face mask cracked.

\n\n

Her home was a "first-class sea view" property, with the back balcony facing the sea. It was supposed to be low tide that day, but the sea level had inexplicably risen, and the violent sea breeze carried a fishy smell as it rushed in, leaving a layer of water droplets on the glass window.

\n\n

On the water droplets was a distorted and ugly face!

\n\n

In a fit of stress, Manager Du let out an uncivilized curse and accidentally crushed two bricks on the balcony wall. She quickly regained her composure and became furious.

\n\n

"If this ghost keeps haunting my house, it won't be able to reincarnate!"

\n\n

She was about to roll up her sleeves and go find out what was going on when a person's face, with no intake of breath, opened its mouth and said to her, "Is this Manager Du from the Yuyang Branch? I am Wind God Wang Ze. I can't hold on any longer. I urgently request support, it's a matter of life and death!"

\n\n

Manager Du's face mask slipped down to her chin.

\n\n

Who hasn't had dreams when they were young? Since joining the Bureau, "Wind God" had been Manager Du's dream. She even participated in two special forces recruitment camps, but unfortunately, the "power system" was overcrowded and the competition was fierce.

\n\n

With average qualifications, she was rejected both times and had to accept the organization's assignment as a regular field agent.

\n\n

Since then, every Captain of the Wind God agents had been her idol, but always out of reach - collecting their photos as computer desktop backgrounds, and not allowing her husband to have any objections to her idol worship.

\n\n

Du Ruo's voice suddenly jumped up eight octaves, squeezing out a girlish tone as she asked coquettishly, "Who the heck are you?"

\n\n

The idol's strength was depleted, and his face on the glass "melted" as the droplets quickly formed a coordinate, followed by three crooked letters - SOS.

\n\n

Fifteen minutes later, ambulances and rescue boats quickly set out.

\n\n

Manager Du was pumped with adrenaline, removing her mask and rushing over herself, even putting on some battle makeup on the way.

\n\n

Her teenage heart was beating to the rhythm of disco, but was momentarily stopped by the scene, almost causing a heart attack: "Oh my god, what the hell exploded here?"

\n\n

When they arrived, the sea was calm and peaceful, like a sparkling cemetery. The gentle waves carried the scent of death and mixed with the moonlight and floating corpses.

\n\n

The bodies bobbed up and down with the waves, surrounded by a circle of intricate ice floes that kept them from drifting away.

\n\n

The corpses varied in appearance. Some still had human features, while others were already decomposing. Some had been corroded to the point where their flesh, bones, and tendons had all disappeared, leaving only a clean skeleton behind.

\n\n

Suddenly, in the eerie silence of the sea, a clear and melodious flute sound rang out.

\n\n

Manager Du was startled and looked in the direction of the sound. Through the misty water, she saw a man sitting on a floating ice floe in the middle of the corpse sea.

\n\n

He looked like a water demon, with his wet and disheveled hair and crossed legs, playing a short flute.

\n\n

He was truly a remarkable sight.

\n\n

As Manager Du was looking through her telescope, she suddenly exclaimed, "Wait, don't go over there yet...give me the telescope! Oh my goodness, is that a person?"

\n\n

She locked her lens onto the figure and the man with long hair looked up and met her gaze.

\n\n

Manager Du was so startled that she almost dropped the telescope.

\n\n

However, the man smiled kindly at her and pointed to the west with his short flute.

\n\n

She read his lips as he said, "There are living people over there."

\n\n

Then, he put the flute to his lips and played a tune. The floating icebergs on the sea immediately swayed to his rhythm, and even the floating corpses within them danced along in a strange yet harmonious way.

\n\n

It was truly a remarkable sight, and it made Manager Du realize that music is a great art that can bridge the gap between different species. The man was playing a cheerful tune called "Good Days."

\n\n

The rescue fleet carefully navigated around the sea of corpses and headed west, where they found the Wind Gods' speedboat. Xuan Ji retrieved the speedboat and spent half the night rescuing everyone on board.

\n\n

"Quick, we need medical attention here! We have wounded!"

\n\n

"Slow down, slow down, this one is severely injured! We need special care!"

\n\n

"What is this? There's a frozen person here who can still react! Oh my god, what do we do? Should we thaw him out?"

\n\n

"If we thaw him out, he won't survive," Xuan Ji said. "Quickly move him to a place where he can receive proper medical attention, and he will naturally thaw out."

\n\n

Du Ruo asked in a hurry, "Are these all comrades of the Wind Gods? What was their mission? How did things get so bad... And you, sir, who are you?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji helped the rescue team lift Yan Qiushan onto the stretcher.

\n\n

He handed her his work ID and said, "I'm from the Bureau's Aftermath Department Director. Let's save the person first, and I'll explain everything to you when we get back. Thank you, brothers, for your hard work."

\n\n

Du Ruo suddenly realized, "Oh, you're from the aftermath department."

\n\n

She thought to herself, "No wonder they're so well-equipped. The comrades from the Special Forces are really reliable. They even protect their logistics colleagues so well, even when they look like bears themselves."

\n\n

"Director Xuan, your back clothes are all burnt," Du Ruo said. "Stop working and come over here. Let us treat your burns."

\n\n

Xuan Ji casually wiped his back and said, "It's okay, it's not a burn. I'm just wearing a backless outfit."

\n\n

Du Ruo: "......"

\n\n

What's wrong with this leader from the Bureau? Is he even more shameless than her?

\n\n

Just then, Xuan Ji suddenly paused and looked up towards the northwest, his eyes fixed on something. Du Ruo followed his gaze, but all she could see was the faint light of the sea and the lighthouse, with nothing else in sight.

\n\n

Du Ruo looked at Xuan Ji in confusion, wondering if he had caught a cold and was about to sneeze. "Hey...someone, get a blanket for the bureau director. It's pretty chilly out here on the sea..."

\n\n

Before she could finish her sentence, Xuan Ji, who had been perfectly fine just moments ago, suddenly fell over.

\n\n

"Holy crap! Someone help...hey?"

\n\n

The cheerful flute music suddenly stopped, and a shadowy figure darted towards them, catching Xuan Ji in mid-fall.

\n\n

It was the "water demon" who had shown them the way earlier. As he got closer, the ghostly aura around him grew stronger, like a perfectly crafted horror mystery that made people break out in cold sweat and unable to look away.

\n\n

He nodded at Du Ruo, and quickly grabbed a blanket from a nearby medic, wrapping Xuan Ji up like a cocoon before carrying him onto the emergency boat.

\n\n

The family emblem on Xuan Ji's forehead was faintly visible, and after losing consciousness, his body instinctively released a fiery aura, repelling all evil spirits.

\n\n

Just a brief touch and Sheng Lingyuan felt like he had touched a hot iron, his palm almost burnt. He didn't make a sound, and after finding a place to put Xuan Ji down, he flexed his fingers as if feeling a bit of pain, and black mist rose from the burn, quickly healing the wound until it was as good as new in just a moment.

\n\n

"Vermilion Bird..." Sheng Lingyuan looked at Xuan Ji thoughtfully. Xuan Ji's brow furrowed tighter and tighter, as if trapped in a nightmare.

\n\n

In just a short month, this little demon suddenly became fluent in the elegant language of the Mountain clan and knew of the secrets of the mermaids. They could even manipulate the ancient Vermilion Bird fire... and speak a few sentences of imperfect mermaid language, as if they had suddenly become enlightened.

\n\n

It reminded the emperor of the "inheritance" of some ancient races - the previous generation would directly implant the inheritance into the successor's mind before dying, to ensure the continuation of the traditions of the tribe.

\n\n

The Fire-keeper was the spirit of the Vermilion Bird's bone. Each generation of Fire-keepers had perished in the Chiyuan, never having the chance to meet their successors. It was not unusual for them to pass down their knowledge and skills through "inheritance."

\n\n

The only problem was that this "inheritance" should have been completed during the transition of old and new. It was unheard of for someone to live for decades, living a mundane life, and then suddenly pass down their knowledge.

\n\n

Was this just a peculiar tradition of the Fire-keepers, or was there something wrong with the Chiyuan that triggered this inheritance?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan stroked the short flute in his hand, thinking of the strange broken stone tablets in the Chiyuan. He couldn't tell if it was just his imagination, but he saw a flicker of firelight in the northwest direction - where the Chiyuan was located, thousands of miles away.

\n\n

Deep in the primitive forest, the grand canyon was restless tonight. All the spirit vessels, including Dao Yi, had retreated into their own bodies.

\n\n

A pile of scrap metal clung to the cliffs on either side of the canyon, trembling in the wind. It looked as if a row of magnets had been installed to collect them.

\n\n

Ever since Xuan Ji had used the Vermilion Bird's true power on the sea, black mist had been swirling beneath the canyon, and flames had been burning fiercely. It was as if two angry dragons were entangled together. It wasn't until dawn broke that everything finally calmed down.

\n\n

Dao Yi was the first to peek out of his vessel to take a look. But before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, there was a loud cracking sound. The few remaining stone tablets near the altar crumbled into dust one by one.

\n\n

After the last one collapsed, a mournful bird cry echoed from the altar.

\n\n

A fire-red seal, tens of yards in size, appeared, just like the red paper seal on the iron door in Xuan Ji's dream. With a flash, everything disappeared into thin air. Amidst the haze, Xuan Ji heard the sound of the stone tablet and seal shattering.

\n\n

Before he could resist, he was once again engulfed by the rushing tide of memories.

\n\n

"I'm not going." It was a beautiful afternoon, and the young Sheng Lingyuan lazily sat under a tree, flipping through the pages of a "leaf" book from the Witch Clan.

\n\n

It was said to be an ancient text, and the pages were fragile. He handled them with great care, as if he were pinching the wings of a cicada. While reading, he multitasked by teaching his sword spirit a lesson in his sea of consciousness. "You're embarrassing me."

\n\n

The sword spirit goaded him, "No one saw you. That kid is long gone!"

\n\n

"That kid" was Aluojin, still a carefree child who hadn't yet led the Witch Clan and himself down a dead end. He liked to dry pear slices in the ice spring under the altar and was spotted by the Heavenly Demon Sword, which forced him to go and get some - taking without asking.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan, the young boy, had a rosy complexion and a strong aura. When he was with the innocent sword spirit, he was affectionate but also a bit temperamental.

\n\n

Although he looked ninety percent like his adult self, he and the bone-chilling heavenly demon seemed like two different people.

\n\n

The young boy didn't even lift his eyelids as he firmly refused, "A gentleman is cautious when alone."

\n\n

"I'm not a gentleman, I want to eat dried pears!" The sword spirit was not happy and started throwing a tantrum in his sea of consciousness. "What about the fruit you promised me? Where is my fruit? Don't tell me there are no fruit or fruit slices!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan closed his book of leaves and let out a long sigh. "This matter can't be resolved, can it?"

\n\n

The Heavenly Demon Sword was very special. Teacher Dan Li said that he and Lingyuan were one.

\n\n

When he was young and the sword was not yet formed, he was born on Lingyuan's back. Even when the sword was unsheathed, it couldn't detach from the body like Zhi Chun.

\n\n

The spirit had to undergo years of hard cultivation to detach from the body. Those with good aptitude could achieve it in a few decades, but some who were not talented might not be able to do it even after a hundred years, which could lead to the demise of their master.

\n\n

As a child, he tasted the sweetness and bitterness of the mortal world through Lingyuan's senses. At that time, Lingyuan was his world.

\n\n

Lingyuan didn't like strong-tasting food, but the Heavenly Demon Sword, who shared his senses, was different. If the sword spirit were to cultivate its own body in the future, it would have to become a debauched playboy who loved good food, women, and wine.

\n\n

He was kind, lustful, loved wine... and was even greedy.

\n\n

In the great courtyard, the pear tree has once again produced a batch of fruit. This season, the sunshine is particularly abundant, and everyone says that the fruit must be sweet.

\n\n

The Sword Spirit has been drooling over them for a long time. Sheng Lingyuan, who is fifteen or sixteen years old, considers himself an adult and acts maturely. He doesn't want to act like those mischievous kids who wait for the fruit to ripen while drooling.

\n\n

However, he was so reserved that Aluojin was able to beat him to the punch and pick all the good ones, leaving the Sword Spirit angry enough to want to shave Aluojin's little braid into a bald head.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan couldn't stand his own tantrum and had to promise to go pick up the leftovers for him. When he climbed up the tree, he found that Aluojin had already picked the best ones and only two were left.

\n\n

Just as he was about to pick them, he heard someone timidly calling out "Brother Lingyuan" from below the tree. It was the most beautiful little girl of the Wu people, looking up at him with eager eyes.

\n\n

The prince of the human race was being ridiculous by fighting with a little girl over a pear. Sheng Lingyuan had no choice but to give in.

\n\n

But as soon as he pacified one side, the other side exploded. The little girl from the witch race was happy, and the sword spirit caused chaos in his mind.

\n\n

It's unclear where he got such a temper, but he was so angry over a pear that he learned a new skill - the ability to unilaterally shut down his thoughts, although it was not very effective and often leaked out.

\n\n

The sword spirit said, "You promised me first, that's mine! Who let you give my things to others so casually! Even if you want to marry her in the future..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan interrupted, "Nonsense!"

\n\n

The sword spirit immediately demonstrated what true nonsense was: "You are just forgetting your principles for the sake of beauty! You are fickle! I want to eat dried pears!"

\n\n

"I'm not being fickle...just leave me alone, will you?"

\n\n

"I'm so annoyed! Why don't you practice properly and pull me out of your back and throw me away!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan couldn't take it anymore and stood up with a huff, saying: "Shut up, here you go, okay!"

\n\n

He refused to sneak around and deliberately coughed loudly at the entrance of the cold pool, as if announcing his arrival.

\n\n

The sword spirit boasted, "I told you that the little ghost is not..."

\n\n

He didn't finish his sentence when someone inside the cold pool screamed. Two figures stuck together quickly separated, one of them still not fully dressed and only had time to cover their face with one hand.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "..."

\n\n

Sword spirit: "...here."

\n","published_time":"2024-03-10T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-02-11T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-03-10T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":521,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":63,"chapter_title":"Chapter 63","content":"

The people of the Witch Clan were open-minded and unrestrained.

\n\n

The young and ignorant Sword Spirit stared at the two people in the cave without any sense of taboo, exclaiming in amazement in Sheng Lingyuan's sea of consciousness, "Oh my, they're kissing in broad daylight, how shameless!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan: "..."

\n\n

The original form of the Sword Spirit was a demon, and the lifespan of demons was extremely long. Therefore, their growth period was also very long, and their mental development was very slow, always remaining childish.

\n\n

At that time, the world was difficult, and if you were from a poor family, you could already support yourself at the age of thirteen or fourteen.

\n\n

Even the mischievous bear child king of the Witch Clan, Aluojin, had begun to develop his own ambitions and aspirations.

\n\n

In terms of age, the Sword Spirit should be similar to Aluojin, but he was still an ignorant little rascal.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan could only scold with a red face, "Stop it, close your eyes, don't look!"

\n\n

The Sword Spirit stood his ground and said, "If you don't close your eyes, how can I 'not look'?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was mentally exhausted - it was said that the Sword Spirit, being a product of artificial cultivation, usually had gloomy personalities. Even if they weren't gloomy, they were usually quiet and reserved.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't know if he had committed some sin in his past life to end up with such a companion. The young man of fifteen or sixteen years old knew what he should and shouldn't understand, and he understood it all.

\n\n

If Sheng Lingyuan had just accidentally stumbled upon them, he wouldn't have made a fuss and would have quietly left. But the problem was that he had coughed loudly earlier to show that he was "above board".

\n\n

His hearing was excellent, so he shouldn't have missed the fact that there was someone in the cave. It was all because of that annoying Sword Spirit who wouldn't stop talking.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan lowered his head, concealing his embarrassment, and calmly greeted the two people inside the mountain cave with a slight bow.

\n\n

"I apologize for disturbing you. I seem to have forgotten something."

\n\n

Without looking up, he felt as if his feet were on fire and he couldn't stand still for a moment. He turned around and walked away.

\n\n

"Your Highness!" The people inside the cave chased after him. "Wait, Crown Prince!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was slightly taken aback and only then did he realize that the two people in the cave were not a man and a woman, but two young members of the witch clan.

\n\n

However, he didn't want to make a big deal out of it and appear rude, so he immediately concealed his surprise and deliberately lowered his gaze, pretending to be nonchalant. He smiled and asked, "Is there anything else you need to tell me?"

\n\n

One of the young witches caught up to him, fidgeting and stuttering, "Your Highness, we...we...about today, could you please..."

\n\n

"That's natural, I won't be too talkative," Sheng Lingyuan immediately replied.

\n\n

Then he felt like he answered too quickly, which seemed suspicious. So he composed himself, and with a nonchalant air, he adjusted his clothes and smiled, "In the Peach Blossom Spring, love affairs with peach blossoms are elegant and romantic. Just now, it was my error for entering, there's no need to spread rumors everywhere."

\n\n

No matter how inexperienced or uncertain he felt inside, Sheng Lingyuan always had a way with words.

\n\n

After his eloquent speech, Sheng Lingyuan bowed to the two young witches and gracefully...escaped.

\n\n

With a face as if he was enjoying the spring breeze, he scolded his sword spirit in his mind.

\n\n

The sword spirit was a rascal, and he casually ignored Sheng Lingyuan's scolding.

\n\n

When the little prince finished venting, he eagerly asked, "Lingyuan, Lingyuan, isn't it said that only women can give birth to children?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was not in a good mood and said, "You really are knowledgeable, even knowing this."

\n\n

But the Sword Spirit didn't realize he was being mocked and asked, "Yeah, if they can't have children, why bother doing it?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was speechless.

\n\n

The Sword Spirit had a wild idea, "Maybe their witch clan has some strange spell that can turn men into women when they eat it? Have you read about it in those leaf books?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan said, "...Shut up, can't you let me live two more years?"

\n\n

The mouth of the heavenly demon sword spirit couldn't be shut. He was naturally lively like an energetic little wild dog, but unfortunately, in this vast world, there was no place for him to frolic.

\n\n

Fortunately, he had been imprisoned in the sword before he was born, so he didn't know what freedom was and had nothing to get used to. His excess energy had nowhere to go, so it was all directed towards Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

"So, does this count as them being married?"

\n\n

"No, right? They haven't gone through the three letters and six gifts."

\n\n

"Hey, Lingyuan, why do you keep saying 'can't tell anyone' one moment and then talking about some 'romantic affair' the next? I'm confused. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was getting agitated by the constant questioning, but luckily he had a trick up his sleeve when dealing with the Sword Spirit. He pulled out a book with the smallest font and stared intently at the convoluted words of the witch language.

\n\n

After enduring for half an incense stick's worth of time, his mind finally quieted down. The Sword Spirit could only rely on his eyes, but this unskilled little thing had a bad habit. As long as there were no pictures in the book, he could stare at the words for a while and he would fall asleep like he had been drugged.

\n\n

The carefree Sword Spirit floated in the young prince's sea of consciousness, sleeping until nightfall when all was quiet.

\n\n

This troublemaker woke up. He found himself in complete darkness and knew that Lingyuan had closed his eyes to rest.

\n\n

The Sword Spirit felt Lingyuan's gentle and steady breathing, so he idly perked up his ears to listen to the whispers of the wind and the rustling of the grass and trees in the Dongchuan forest.

\n\n

It was a time of hazy spring, where the scent of flowers, the chirping of birds, the swimming of fish, and the crawling of animals all seemed to be whispering sweet nothings, everywhere was a secret rendezvous. Suddenly, the Sword Spirit became bored, not because he was slow to develop or ignorant, but because he couldn't help it.

\n\n

Since his birth, he had been a small consciousness hidden on the back of Sheng Lingyuan. When Lingyuan didn't pay attention to him, he felt as if he didn't exist.

\n\n

How can someone who has never seen themselves in a mirror understand the many "pleasures" of the world?

\n\n

It's impossible.

\n\n

Late at night, tossing and turning, the sword spirit can only rely on fantasies of picking a few ripe pears from a tree tomorrow to pass the time, but it only makes him crave them more.

\n\n

In the quiet of Lingyuan's mind, occasional dreams flash by, mostly about books that are difficult for the witch race to understand.

\n\n

Sometimes, he unconsciously recites newly learned words in his dreams - this is Lingyuan's habit for many years, clearing his mind before bed, focusing only on recalling what he learned today or some unresolved issues.

\n\n

This way, when he falls asleep, his fragmented dreams are filled with these academic problems.

\n\n

It helps deepen his memory and organize his thoughts, and most importantly... he won't dream of escape and killing anymore. The dream was filled with dull and peaceful poetry and books. Even though it couldn't educate the ignorant sword spirit, at least it was enough to lull him to sleep and not scare him.

\n\n

Bored, the sword spirit lay in the sea of consciousness, watching the pages of witchcraft text flash by.

\n\n

Soon, he became sleepy again and muttered, "You still haven't told me whether those two people we met during the day were good or bad."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was still asleep, but his words caused a ripple in the sea of consciousness. The dizzying witchcraft text suddenly disappeared, and the dream turned into the scene they saw in the cold pool during the day.

\n\n

The demon sword spirit became alert, "Yes, it was just the two of them!"

\n\n

In the dream, the mist from the cold pool slowly rose. The sword spirit followed the mist and walked forward, wanting to take a closer look, but the scene in Lingyuan's dream was blurry.

\n\n

The Sword Spirit asked, "Can two men get married? Is it a common practice for all or just for the witch tribe?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was asleep and couldn't answer. However, at this moment, his dreamy and chaotic scenes had a strange and gentle feeling of illusion.

\n\n

The Sword Spirit didn't expect him to respond and pondered the words "get married" like talking about distant legends such as "heaven and earth" and "the ultimate creator." These were two words he roughly understood but had no connection to.

\n\n

However, when he thought of Sheng Lingyuan's marriage, the Sword Spirit felt inexplicably uncomfortable. Sheng Lingyuan was going to get married. The great saint of the witch clan joked during a chat that His Highness would probably have to get married and have a successor when he went on a conquest.

\n\n

The meaning of "marrying an empress" is to take a stranger as a wife, and from then on, they are a family. But he, relying on Lingyuan's eyes, ears, nose, and tongue, could only see a strange woman and listen to their conversations, like an extra object left behind.

\n\n

The Sword Spirit shuddered, his "world" was about to leave him, abandoning him in this cold and pitch-black place. This thought ignited like a wildfire and couldn't be extinguished.

\n\n

The mentally challenged Sword Spirit was already tormented by possessiveness and sadness.

\n\n

"If humans could do this too, would you still have to marry a woman?"

\n\n

The Sword Spirit blurted out, "Can you not find someone else and only have me from now on, okay?"

\n\n

His words seemed to have triggered some reaction in Sheng Lingyuan's dream, and the surroundings became even more hazy. The cold pool seemed to have turned into a hot spring, with mist filling the air.

\n\n

Sword Spirit's vision was completely obscured by the white mist - although Sheng Lingyuan was not fully conscious, he instinctively prevented him from seeing clearly.

\n\n

The mist was damp and indescribably subtle, and an unusual sensation passed through the young man's body, like an itch that was also tingly.

\n\n

Sword Spirit felt Sheng Lingyuan's breathing become shallow and rapid, and the man seemed to be uncomfortable, curling up his body.

\n\n

When he came to his senses, he asked in confusion, "Lingyuan, what's wrong with you?"

\n\n

The mist in the dream grew thicker, and there seemed to be a figure inside. The Sword Spirit hesitated for a moment before wandering towards the figure. For some reason, his heart was beating faster and he had a sense of knowing something.

\n\n

He was afraid to see the person in the mist, yet couldn't resist the urge to take a closer look.

\n\n

In the mist, there was the silhouette of a young man with long, disheveled hair, covered in water vapor.

\n\n

It was Lingyuan - usually, when people dream, they don't see their own image. But since they were connected spiritually since childhood, their consciousness could influence each other to some extent. In the Sword Spirit's eyes, the image of himself in Lingyuan's dream was the same as the appearance of the young man he had seen in the mirror or on the surface of the water.

\n\n

In this dream, Sheng Lingyuan was different from his usual self. He was bare-chested, with a rare flush on his face, making his features extremely vivid.

\n\n

He didn't look like himself at all. He carefully held someone from the water and pressed them against the cold stone wall beside the pool.

\n\n

The figure was shrouded in white mist, and the sword spirit could only vaguely make out a human shape, but not the face. Although the sword spirit didn't understand what was happening, he felt an unnamed anger rising in his heart.

\n\n

He wanted to rush forward, but the mist in the dream spun around and pushed him out. It was the first time he had been rejected in Lingyuan's spiritual world.

\n\n

The sword spirit was furious and shouted, "Lingyuan!"

\n\n

His voice echoed in the dream, and somehow even produced an echo, "Lingyuan..."

\n\n

In an instant, a violent tremor spread from Sheng Lingyuan's side, flowing through his entire body like stepping on the tail of a thunderous monster. The Sword Spirit couldn't help but hum, even his soul felt numb.

\n\n

In just a moment, the dream suddenly dissipated, and Sheng Lingyuan woke up, his vision flipping as he sat up abruptly.

\n\n

Before the Sword Spirit could react, Sheng Lingyuan suddenly closed off all his senses, and the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit was inexplicably locked up in the "little black room."

\n\n

This was the first time in his life - as Sheng Lingyuan grew older and his control over his mind grew stronger, he gradually became able to easily shut out some of the Sword Spirit's thoughts, that is, ignore him. And when his body was injured or on the battlefield, Sheng Lingyuan would also sever his sense of pain, smell, and taste to avoid harming the Sword Spirit.

\n\n

But his eyes and ears were always open, and the Sword Spirit foolishly thought he would never close them off. Little did he know that he just hadn't done that yet!

\n\n

Unable to see or hear anything, trapped in complete darkness, the Sword Spirit went crazy, screaming and thrashing around in Sheng Lingyuan's sea of consciousness.

\n\n

Luckily, Sheng Lingyuan didn't keep him trapped for too long.

\n\n

In less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the Sword Spirit was able to regain his senses.

\n\n

As soon as he made contact with the outside world, he shuddered in shock - Sheng Lingyuan must have some kind of problem, as he had taken a cold bath in the middle of the night without even bothering to heat up the water, using icy well water instead!

\n\n

It was probably so cold that Sheng Lingyuan's heart was pounding so fast it felt like it was about to explode, causing him chest pain.

\n\n

The Sword Spirit thought to himself, "Good! Freeze to death, you bastard! You should have turned off your sense of touch!"

\n\n

The Sword Spirit was completely confused and angry. He couldn't understand why taking a bath was such a taboo, especially since they had bathed together before.

\n\n

He was also upset about not getting to eat the pear he had been craving, being locked up in the dark room for no reason, and the blurry figure in his dreams.

\n\n

All of these frustrations added up and caused the Sword Spirit to throw a tantrum, breaking his record for ignoring people.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had no choice but to mix a spoonful of pear blossom honey into his food for half a month, making himself almost sick of it.

\n\n

The witch clan leader even thought he was sick and became very worried.

\n\n

By the way, at that time... the Sword Spirit was just as bold with the future emperor as he was with everyone else. He would curse and argue with him, throwing tantrums whenever he pleased, even more spoiled than Aluojin.

\n\n

Must have been very annoying, right?

\n\n

That's why he was eventually discarded, even more thoroughly than the Witch Clan.

\n\n

No, that's not right... When the Witch Clan was exterminated, Lingyuan was truly heartbroken. After all, Aluojin and the tribe were living, breathing people he had spent time with day and night.

\n\n

What was he to Lingyuan?

\n\n

What did he mean to Sheng Lingyuan?

\n\n

After that, Sheng Lingyuan didn't consult him and grew up on his own. Before, when Sheng Lingyuan closed his mind, it was either because something was happening outside and he needed to focus, or because he was arguing with his sword spirit and feeling upset.

\n\n

But suddenly, there were more and more blank spaces in Lingyuan's sea of consciousness. Sometimes, even when he was just sitting quietly, he would be shut out.

\n\n

The Sword Spirit intentionally ignored him. At first, he was not proficient in closing his mind, but after doing it many times, his consciousness was honed.

\n\n

It was like a childish revenge, but Sheng Lingyuan didn't care. The two of them spent their youth together without suspicion or estrangement, but gradually faded apart.

\n\n

However, not long after, they left Dongchuan. To prevent chaos, Dan Li suggested that the young man who had grown up should succeed to the throne.

\n\n

Under the crown forged by iron and blood, the young man's feelings that were as thin as cicada wings disappeared in the blink of an eye.

\n\n

The annoying spring breeze never entered Sheng Lingyuan's dreams again.

\n\n

Who was the person in his dreams?

\n\n

Who was he thinking of when he was lost under the big pear tree in Dongchuan?

\n\n

Could it be a brilliant young girl or a young boy?

\n\n

These secretly troubling questions had plagued the Sword Spirit for many years, but he never found the answer.

\n\n

In the end, Dongchuan was gone, and so was the pear tree.

\n\n

The petty anger and jealousy that arose from it were not worth mentioning and gradually lost in the tumultuous waves.

\n\n

When Xuan Ji woke up in the special ward of the Yuyang sub-bureau, his body was unscathed, but his heart was pierced by a thousand arrows.

\n\n

The pain was so unbearable that he wanted to abandon his flesh and drift away unconsciously.

\n\n

He remembered the long period of silent darkness, where his obscure feelings were suppressed tightly, unnoticed even by the discerning emperor.

\n\n

Xuan Ji always felt that his unpredictable temperament might be due to his non-human nature. He was always fickle and lacked persistence, sometimes even out of sync with the mundane world.

\n\n

It turned out that he wasn't always like this.

\n\n

It was just that the warmth inside him had dried up a long time ago.

\n\n

The person who caused this was heartless and had forgotten about him, leaving him to be covered in dust and unknown.

\n\n

To him, he was...just a sword.

\n","published_time":"2024-03-17T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-02-18T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-03-17T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":528,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":64,"chapter_title":"Chapter 64","content":"

Freedom is the beginning of exile, the source of pain. - Foreword.

\n\n

Xuan Ji lay in the special care ward, lost in fathomless sorrow and loneliness. It was late at night, and the hospital ward was silent and dark.

\n\n

Suddenly, a voice broke the stillness. "Are you awake?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was caught off guard and nearly jumped out of his skin.

\n\n

He scrambled to gather his wits and saw a dark figure by the window.

\n\n

It was the same male protagonist from his dream, or was it just a hallucination?

\n\n

He didn't say a word, but pressed his hand to his chest to calm his racing heart. The shock had left him feeling like he had been hit in the chest, and he wondered if he could file for workers' compensation for the emotional trauma.

\n\n

The rooms at this hospital for special ability users are all single rooms, facing north and south with clean windows. The thick curtains are half-drawn, with only a thin layer of gauze hanging in the middle.

\n\n

Moonlight, starlight, and lamplight mix together, sneaking through the gaps in the gauze and avoiding the people by the window, as if afraid to touch them.

\n\n

Xuan Ji looked over with furrowed brows, as if he had lost his soul. His eyes were still watery, as if he had just been bullied.

\n\n

He looked a bit aggrieved, a bit shrunk, and vaguely carried some indescribable longing.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan looked him over and asked, "Are you hungry again?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

Why did he have to say "again"?

\n\n

Xuan Ji knew that he had completely lost control of his facial expressions and had also left a strange and rigid impression on him. He quickly tore his gaze away from Sheng Lingyuan and forcibly suppressed his turbulent emotions.

\n\n

"Yan... cough," he couldn't think of anything to say, so he randomly pulled out a topic to cover up his embarrassment, "Where is Captain Yan and the others?"

\n\n

"They're all alive. I wouldn't break my promise over such a small matter," Sheng Lingyuan sat down lazily on a wooden chair and replied. "Don't worry."

\n\n

How should Xuan Ji respond to this?

\n\n

He could only close his mouth in confusion and go pour himself some cold water. The special abilities medical team probably thought that all fire-elemental users needed physical cooling, so they made the ward as cool as a morgue. Even the drinking water was icy cold from the air conditioning.

\n\n

Xuan Ji shivered uncontrollably and let out a sigh of relief, finally waking up. The memories were fragmented and lacked crucial details, leaving the cause and effect unclear.

\n\n

Lost in his memories, Xuan Ji felt like he was the spirit of the heavenly demon sword, experiencing all the pain and suffering firsthand.

\n\n

Now, far away from the fantastical underwater tomb, he had returned to reality and regained his sanity, like a turtle slowly retreating back into its shell.

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't make sense of why he had sent that death glare to the emperor while at sea. After all, Sheng Lingyuan was already a demon, and although Xuan Ji didn't understand the difference between "heavenly demons" and "normal demons," he knew that the emperor was a formidable force amongst all demons.

\n\n

He was not indiscriminate in killing and paid great attention to maintaining public safety. He respected the confidentiality rules of the bureau, which he had established himself.

\n\n

What was most commendable was that despite his limited proficiency in Mandarin, he still insisted on using polite language, earning him the title of a "model villain with good behavior." He was the emperor, and it was his duty to let "non-humans" like Zhi Chun perish.

\n\n

The good deeds were all done by this big demon, so what were the people's police doing?

\n\n

Besides, they had no other way to deal with King Wei Yu at the time. In order to contain the tricky demon king and minimize the risk of King Wei Yu escaping into the crowd, Zhi Chun had to break the contract.

\n\n

Others may have been hindered by personal feelings or political correctness, and even if someone had thought of this, no one dared to mention it.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan took on the role of the villain for everyone without hesitation, which actually relieved everyone.

\n\n

Although it was inconvenient to publicly express gratitude for this, to complain about it would be both powerless and shameless.

\n\n

Xuan Ji drifted along with the currents of the mortal world, his personality polished to a smooth roundness. When he calmed down and looked at his burning anger from an outsider's perspective, he quickly realized that he had only been influenced by the Sword Spirit's unattainable desires.

\n\n

Because of his own greed, he had developed a twisted expectation of others. This secret expectation had always been a sharp knife hanging over his head, and when it fell through, of course he would be heartbroken.

\n\n

But there was no insurance for heartbreak, after all, this was not someone else's fault.

\n\n

What did the Sword Spirit's feelings have to do with Sheng Lingyuan anyway?

\n\n

The emperor was certainly ruthless, but he had no issues with the sword spirit during their days together in their youth.

\n\n

Later, when he was forced to break the sword by his courtiers, the emperor himself was a victim. The heavenly demon sword was not something he wanted to destroy, and he did not hide it away. Whether it was because the sword spirit did not live long enough to be hidden or because he simply did not care about it, the fact remained that he did not do it.

\n\n

As the saying goes, "judge actions, not intentions; no one is perfect."

\n\n

The sword spirit was tormented by desire, but the emperor was innocent. He simply did not wrong the sword spirit and did not owe it anything.

\n\n

"Perhaps I got too caught up in the role," Xuan Ji swallowed the last sip of water and calmly adjusted his mindset.

\n\n

He then glanced at Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

In his memory, the Sword Spirit was young, still a teenager.

\n\n

By the time he turned twenty, he had never experienced a moment of freedom. In this world, there were no other creatures besides Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

It was normal to become obsessed with it to the point of losing control. After all, who hasn't gone a little crazy in their youth?

\n\n

But if you really think about it calmly, according to Xuan Ji's personality, he should have kept his distance from someone like the Emperor.

\n\n

Although every strand of hair on Sheng Lingyuan was in line with his aesthetic, it's worth noting that he also drooled over the mansions he passed by on the bus every day.

\n\n

However, he never had any improper thoughts. After all, he couldn't even afford the property fees.

\n\n

Appreciating beauty is one thing, but being unable to attain it is another. There are so many beautiful things and people in the world. It's not necessary to be so shocked and amazed like a lovesick teenager.

\n\n

"At sea, I had a bit too much sea breeze and my attitude was not good. It was my fault. If it weren't for you, we might have been left behind. Thank you," Xuan Ji apologized to Sheng Lingyuan politely.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan was interested and propped his head up to look at Xuan Ji. After parting ways with Dongchuan and seeing this little demon again, he felt like he had undergone a transformation.

\n\n

If it weren't for the fact that he still had the aura of the Fire-keeper, Sheng Lingyuan would have thought he was a different person.

\n\n

"My deal with the Sword Spirit was a mutual agreement. It has nothing to do with anyone else," Sheng Lingyuan said calmly. "As for that Wei Yu, I was going to kill him anyway. It's just a coincidence. You don't have to be polite."

\n\n

"Thanks still need to be given," said Xuan Ji, although he had adjusted his mental state and glanced at Sheng Lingyuan a few more times, his hand still unconsciously rubbing his pants. "Also... cough, I vaguely felt like you were the one who brought me back, that..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan raised an eyebrow, "So how do you plan to thank me? Do you want to build a temple and burn incense for me, or do you want to offer yourself as a gift?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji's hand slipped and almost rubbed a hole in his pants. Seeing the old demon's face with that smirk that resembled a human-shaped poppy, he suspected that he had heard his heartbeat and was teasing his maliciously.

\n\n

So he quickly launched a defense project to fix his leaky heart - he repeated slogans like "Cherish life, stay away from drugs" and "One person using drugs affects the whole family" in his mind several times, determined not to lose face.

\n\n

He squeezed out a smile and said, "I can't set up a shrine and burn incense, that's feudal superstition. As for offering myself to you, I have no objection, I just don't want Your Majesty to think I'm taking advantage of you."

\n\n

Fortunately, Sheng Lingyuan let him off with a joke.

\n\n

He sat up straight and said, "It's only right that I save you. Back then, Chiyuan was sealed by my order, and the Vermilion Bird's bone was carved by my own hands. Since you are the spirit of the Vermilion Bird's bone and guarding Chiyuan, you are also working for me. I won't let you die, not just for your family's achievements, but also for the peace of Chiyuan."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was stunned. "What?"

\n\n

What bone? What spirit?

\n\n

Isn't he a Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit?

\n\n

Seeing his confusion, Sheng Lingyuan asked, "What's wrong? You're always confused about everything, don't you even know your own origins?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji thought he knew about 50-60% of his "origins" and 20-30% of his "history", but he wasn't sure if that counted as "knowing", so he vaguely replied, "Probably..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan then asked, "Why do you call yourself the 'Fire-keeper'? Do you even know what that means?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

Turns out, he couldn't even answer the first question.

\n\n

The 'Fire-keeper' is the title given by the spirit weapons in Chiyuan. Dao Yi referred to him as the "36th Fire-keeper and leader of their clan." As for exactly what that title entails, with this bunch of spirit weapons with Alzheimers, there's no way they would know enough to explain that to Xuan Ji.

\n\n

Seeing his silence, Sheng Lingyuan chuckles and asks, "I saw you use your sealing magic with ease and thought your clan had its own inheritance. Could it be that it has been lost over time?"

\n\n

Upon hearing the word "inheritance," Xuan Ji suddenly remembers something and asks, "Wait, Your Majesty, which kind of inheritance are you referring to?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan responds, "It seems you understand. Yes, I am referring to your clan's 'Book Without Words.'"

\n\n

The word "inheritance" has two meanings in the world of special abilities. One is the ordinary inheritance, such as "cultural inheritance" and "belief inheritance", which are passed down to future generations through oral transmission or written works.

\n\n

But besides that, there is also a special non-verbal "inheritance". It is said that some special races in the past were able to directly pass on all their power and memories to the next generation, which is called "wordless book".

\n\n

At first glance, it seems like a real-life version of "memory transmission", which is pretty cool. However, everything cannot be judged by appearance alone. For example, this kind of memory inheritance can cause ethical problems - besides the body, a person is also made up of the "past", and if all the memories in their mind belong to someone else, then whose soul do they belong to even if they change their body?

\n\n

So generally, those who inherit this kind of thing are in situations where their entire family has died out, leaving only a single sprout...

\n\n

An entire family dead, leaving only a single sprout - that would be him!

\n\n

Xuan Ji remembered a vision that flashed before his eyes at the Dongchuan Hotel.

\n\n

He was facing the Chiyuan altar, kneeling on the ground, apologizing to his life-bound sword, saying, "It's been about 232 years, and it's probably the longest I've ever persisted. I really can't go on anymore," and then there was a burst of excruciating pain as his body was shattered into pieces.

\n\n

At that time, he even thought about how 232 years was exactly the lifespan of the oldest ancestor in his "ancestral" stone tablet. If what he saw was the memory of that long-lived ancestor, then could these frequent "memories" he's been having lately also belong to some ancestor?

\n\n

So he was never really the heavenly demon sword spirit from three thousand years ago. Those inexplicable memories were probably just a mysterious legacy left by his ancestors.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan said, "If I'm not mistaken, each generation of fire-keeper is destined to never meet the next generation. So your clan's secrets must have been passed down through such "wordless books". But I see that you're confused, perhaps the wordless books have been damaged over the years."

\n\n

It turns out...those "memories" were carried within the wordless book legacy.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's thoughts raced, this could explain a lot, it made more sense than him being the heavenly demon sword spirit from three thousand years ago.

\n\n

Regardless, knowing that he wasn't the vengeful heavenly demon sword spirit, Xuan Ji breathed a sigh of relief.

\n\n

It was like he had just lifted a thousand-pound weight off his shoulders. However, soon after, a strange feeling crept in.

\n\n

A thought flashed through his mind: "Ah, it turns out I was just being foolishly in love."

\n\n

"The wordless book is usually passed down during intergenerational transitions, but your clan's situation is a bit special," Sheng Lingyuan's words brought Xuan Ji's attention back. "What I'm about to explain not only concerns your life and death, so you must listen carefully."

\n\n

The emperor is usually impatient with explanations, Xuan Ji knew that today's lesson was so important that even punctuation marks were emphasized. He quickly suppressed his wandering thoughts and listened attentively.

\n\n

"The Fire-keeper, guards the Chiyuan. Let me first explain the origin of the Chiyuan - it is the source of demonic energy. Apart from humans, whose seven orifices are blocked, all other races can consume the power of the Chiyuan to varying degrees. Therefore, even though the humans won a tragic victory in war, the world is still unstable.

\n\n

"Let's not even talk about the remnants of the demon race. As for the human allies - the half-blooded demons, the Mountain people, the witch people, etc. - if they were to use the power of the Chiyuan to expand their influence, how could they not have conflicting interests? At that time, the human race will suffer, and it may even lead to another catastrophic war. As to how to deal with this matter, Dan Li and I had different opinions."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's voice was gentle and low, and Xuan Ji couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

\n\n

He remembered the night conversations between the young man and the sword spirit in his dreams, and his heart ached as if a thin needle had pierced into his flesh. He quickly turned his head and switched on the light in the ward, then adjusted the air conditioning to the lowest temperature.

\n\n

The "buzzing" sound of the air conditioning became clear, and the incandescent light dispelled the old atmosphere. The electrical appliances, representing the contemporary technological power, collectively showed their presence, barely keeping his sanity in the 21st century.

\n\n

Xuan Ji wiped his face: "Dan Li's intention must be to eliminate all these allies and cut off future troubles, right? I think he arranged it for the Witch Clan."

\n\n

"First the Witch Clan, then the Mountain clan." Sheng Lingyuan nodded, "Wei Yu's fate was due to his own greed, but it couldn't have happened without Dan Li's instigation and indulgence. I know all about these things."

\n\n

Xuan Ji maintained his expression, but the needle that had been stuck in his heart twisted a little deeper.

\n\n

It turned out that the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit was a tool used by Dan Li to provoke the relationship between the Emperor and King Wei Yu, a sacrifice of power.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan continued, "Back then, the demon race was greatly injured, scattered in all directions. The three major human races - the witch race, the Mountain race, and the nightmare race - the witch race was exterminated, the Mountain race was lured into an irreversible situation, and the shadow race was unable to develop. Dan Li believed that it was a good opportunity to exterminate them all. My teacher was decisive in killing throughout his life, and I am inferior to him. In comparison, I do have some unrealistic ideas."

\n\n

Xuan Ji tentatively asked, "Do you... want to preserve species diversity?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan seemed to find his wording interesting, and after pondering for a moment, he continued, "I want to suppress the earth's veins and seal the Chiyuan. Let all things find their own way without any advantages or disadvantages."

\n\n

Xuan Ji had intended to say that Dan Li was not just morally corrupt, but downright insane. However, before he could utter a word, he suddenly heard a familiar, slightly hoarse male voice in his ear, as if in a hallucination.

\n\n

The voice came and went, murmuring, "The heavens and earth have their own forces, and all things are bound by fate. Legend has it that in ancient times, there were several great calamities - the sky collapsing, the earth sinking, floods, ice, and a thousand miles of barren land. Each calamity caused countless prehistoric spiritual creatures to disappear without a trace, but also gave birth to new creatures to face the calamity..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji pressed hard on his Laogong acupoint in his palm, and the hallucination suddenly disappeared, leaving only the voice of Sheng Lingyuan in the hospital room.

\n\n

"...The 'Great Decline' before the first Pingyuan Battle was actually the beginning of the rise of the human race and the decline of other races. Thousands of years later, the human race may also have a day of decline, as fate has its own plan. Decline is not a matter of one generation, it should be a long and gradual process, but the Demon King Jiu Xun defied the heavens, slaughtered gods, forcibly seized the Chiyuan, and released the power of the earth's fire, making the demon race temporarily strong, but also burning several generations of luck. It is their fate to be destroyed in this generation."

\n\n

When Sheng Lingyuan said the word 'fate,' there seemed to be a hint of sarcasm at the corner of his mouth.

\n\n

He continued, "In this world, there is yin and yang, light and shadow, and where there are spirits, there must be demons. Dan Li warned me that forcibly suppressing the Chiyuan is like using a sand dam to block a flood. No matter how strong the dam is, it will eventually collapse. My attempt to exercise divine power in human form is following in the footsteps of Jiu Xun, and it is too stubborn and arrogant.

\n\n

"If we continue to use this method, there will be disaster in the future. He spoke with reason, and I had no way to refute it," the emperor thought to himself.

\n\n

Xuan Ji looked at him in surprise. He didn't expect Sheng Lingyuan to speak up for Dan Li, and even provided some simple explanations as if he was afraid that Xuan Ji wouldn't understand.

\n\n

Emperor Wu had done almost everything in his life, and had a complete set of "disloyalty, unfilial piety, unrighteousness, and injustice", but there are still people who admire him and call him the "Emperor of Humanity" with respect and fear. It seems that there is a reason for this.

\n\n

Just being able to objectively and fairly convey the opinions of political enemies to his descendants shows that he had ruled for twenty years with great skill and could still listen to others.

\n\n

Anyway, Xuan Ji was surprised to hear Dan Li's reasoning in his retelling. Starting from the modern perspective, "life is precious and equal" is already a politically correct statement that goes without saying. Even animals have organizations fighting for their rights, let alone non-human races with intelligence like humans.

\n\n

However, in the context of the chaotic period of the past, Dan Li's actions seem understandable - they had just ended a long and devastating war, the population had decreased to one-tenth of its original size, and the world was in a state of crisis.

\n\n

Meanwhile, the power of Chiyuan could penetrate into the body of every living creature except for humans, healing and strengthening them, preparing them to rise again.

\n\n

In the long run, this was a competition without hope or suspense, and the only chance for the human race was to eliminate the others while they had the chance.

\n\n

In the end, the downfall of the divine bird clan and the chaos in the Chiyuan were caused by the greed of the demon clan.

\n\n

What wrongdoing have the mortals committed?

\n\n

Xuan Ji asked, "Since there is no way to refute it, did you finally listen to his reasoning?"

\n\n

"I couldn't argue back, so I just didn't." Sheng Lingyuan absentmindedly brushed aside a strand of hair that had fallen in his face and smiled.

\n\n

Xuan Ji shuddered at the sight of his smile.

\n\n

"In the fourth year of my reign, I fulfilled Dan Li's wish and launched a rebellion. I then headed south to conquer the region. On the way, I switched places with a straw doll and had it take my place in the mountains, where I slaughtered the Mountain royal family. I returned to the capital in secret and conspired with Prince Ning to overthrow the imperial tutor. I killed 130 officials and their families for treason, leaving no room for dissent in the court.

\n\n

"The following year, I killed Dan Li and collected 36 phoenix bones to create a seal and set up a phoenix bone formation to cut off the earth veins. After six years, on the eve of the New Year, the fire was extinguished, and 25 years later, the remaining heat of the earth veins was depleted."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was speechless. It was midnight and Sheng Lingyuan spoke softly, but every word he uttered was stained with the ancient blood of the past, sending shivers down the spine of those who listened.

\n\n

"It turns out that the Vermilion Bird clan is truly an ancient divine bird. I never thought that even the bones of the Vermilion Bird could give birth to life. Your so-called 'fire-keepers' are the thirty-six Vermilion Bird bones that seal the spirits," Sheng Lingyuan glanced at Xuan Ji and spoke gently, "When you were young, you were rooted in the ground like a tree and couldn't move. It was because you hadn't transformed yet. The Vermilion Bird bone seal is inserted into the Chiyuan earth vein. The Vermilion Bird bone seal bears the responsibility of guarding the Chiyuan, and the fire-keepers can use the Vermilion Bird's flame. No wonder Aluojin said that you have the scent of the Vermilion Bird bird."

\n\n

Upon hearing this description, Xuan Ji felt that he might have a folk nickname, "White Bone Demon."

\n\n

"When the turbulence in Chiyuan reaches a certain level, the grand formation cannot hold it and will shatter. One of the Vermilion Bird bones will be used to seal it, and the fire-keeper attached to the bone will naturally perish. Thirty-six Vermilion Bird bones were used back then, and after three thousand years, they have all been destroyed. Only you have managed to preserve your achievements," said Sheng Lingyuan, putting away his playful smile and speaking seriously.

\n\n

"You bear a heavy responsibility, so it's better to act with caution at times."

\n\n

"I had originally thought that after a hundred generations, the mixed blood of various clans would become a part of the human race. By then, even if the Vermilion Bird Bone Seal were to be broken, no one would remember the past. The descendants of the few demon clans affected by the Chiyuan would only be considered as 'different people', at least not causing another war. I never expected the Vermilion Bird Bone Seal to be damaged so quickly, and the turmoil in the human world for the past three thousand years has far exceeded my expectations. Now, there are people lurking behind the Yin Sacrifice ritual, and for the peace of Chiyuan, I need you to live a few more years."

\n\n

Although the words were spoken in a gentle and tactful manner, if it were during the reign of the Qi Dynasty, the listener would have already knelt down in fear and begged for forgiveness.

\n\n

The Emperor was essentially holding the Fire-keeper tribe accountable for their poor performance.

\n\n

Xuan Ji, with his clever and agile mind, had not only understood the hidden meaning behind the words, but also had not been bound by the traditional concepts of "loyalty between ruler and subject" or "father and son relationships", and therefore did not take the retired emperor's accountability seriously.

\n\n

He was busy digesting the enormous amount of information he had just received - that he was not only a rare and protected animal, but also an endangered species, with only him left in the world.

\n\n

If he were to become extinct, it would have serious consequences.

\n\n

"No wonder," he thought to himself, "no wonder when the leadership of the Bureau changed, and Old Xiao made a move, I came here."

\n\n

Xuan Ji had known the Bureau for many years, serving as an "external consultant" all this time. He had always been indifferent to their strict rules and regulations.

\n\n

Xiao Zheng had tried to recruit him several times, but he had always casually brushed it off.

\n\n

Although the industry hasn't been doing well in the past two years, good salespeople never worry about finding a new job.

\n\n

After all, they have the gift of gab and a network of connections. Plus, Xuan Ji isn't too picky about future prospects or salary, so finding a job shouldn't be too difficult.

\n\n

So why did he suddenly have a change of heart this time?

\n\n

Looking back now, it seems like he had a sudden moment of inspiration and impulsively agreed to it. It's as if some kind of intuition was pushing him towards it.

\n\n

"Because my fate is connected to the Chiyuan, when the Chiyuan is in turmoil, I am at risk of facing danger such as the risk of being blown out like a candle or being crushed to pieces. Therefore, my peaceful life will be disrupted, and I will be forced to accept that... 'wordless book,' right?" Xuan Ji asked. "By intuition, I am also attracted to things related to the Chiyuan for the same reason - but why did the Vermilion Bird bone seal become a spirit?"

\n\n

"I don't know," Sheng Lingyuan said. "The Vermilion Bird is one of the few remaining innate spiritual objects. It was worshipped as a divine bird in the past and this clan controlled the earth's veins and suppressed the Chiyuan. There is something magical about it, but the human race knows very little about it. Not everyone is like Jiu Xun, who goes against the norm and dares to covet the power of gods and demons."

\n\n

Xuan Ji fell silent.

\n\n

If that's the case, then why does he have the memories of the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit before it was born?

\n\n

Could it be because the original form of the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit was also the Vermilion Bird, and the Emperor couldn't find all thirty-six bones, so he used the Sword Spirit's previous form as a waste product?

\n\n

And what exactly is the "Spirit of the Vermilion Bird Bone Seal"?

\n\n

It doesn't seem right to consider it either human or demon. Could it be that the "Fire-keeper" is the world's earliest artificial intelligence?

\n\n

If the Vermilion Bird bone was destined to be shattered, then why did it develop intelligence?

\n\n

Why did it have self-awareness?

\n\n

Was it just to experience the pain of being destroyed during sacrifice, adding a bit of irrelevant tragedy to this burial?

\n\n

What is its purpose for existing?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan glanced at him and rested his fingers on the armrest of the chair, vaguely recalling the confusion he felt years ago when he suddenly learned of his own origins.

\n\n

He couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy and longing for his own kind. For a moment, he even wanted to pat the little demon's head.

\n\n

But then he saw Xuan Ji's furrowed brow suddenly relax, and he spoke with a surprisingly open-minded attitude: "The fate of our race is not something we can blame on the heavens or others. After all, humans only live for a few decades, while cats and dogs only live for a little over ten years. Our average lifespan is at least a hundred years, so we're not at a loss. In the end, everyone who lives must die, right?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan couldn't help but think that Xuan Ji was a carefree creature, and he silently withdrew his hand.

\n\n

"That won't do. Back when we were setting up the Vermilion Bird Great Formation, I already dug up the entire Vermilion Bird tomb. If you disappear without a trace, where am I supposed to find more Vermilion Bird bones?" The Emperor issued a cold decree. "You cannot die for the time being."

\n\n

"Of course not. I'm still young and haven't had my fill of food, drink, and fun. Who wants to die? Natural disasters and wars are one thing, but being schemed against and killed is too suffocating. I declare that the members of the True Nature Sect are now public enemies," Xuan Ji's eyes darted around, his mind becoming active again.

\n\n

"Your Majesty, since that's the case, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, so..."

\n\n

He had originally wanted to suggest that they could "exchange information and cooperate in a friendly manner," and even sign a mutual assistance agreement to try and pull this unstable element into the control of the Bureau.

\n\n

"I'll take you with me for now until we catch the person behind the Yin Sacrifice ritual. We'll train you properly before anything else," the emperor said.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n","published_time":"2024-03-24T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-02-25T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-03-24T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":535,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":65,"chapter_title":"Chapter 65","content":"

Xuan Ji choked on his own saliva and struggled to catch his breath.

\n\n

Under the influence of the chaotic inheritance, his thoughts had taken a serious slide.

\n\n

When he heard the words "follow me" and "train," he immediately thought of something inappropriate.

\n\n

"I only said to follow me for a while and teach you some tricks to save your life in a pinch," Sheng Lingyuan narrowed his eyes. "Why are you so nervous?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji stuttered, "I'm not, not nervous, just...honored...cough cough...honored to be chosen."

\n\n

He tried to appear calm as he looked back at Sheng Lingyuan, but as soon as his eyes met the bottomless black ones, his liver trembled like a swing and his gaze immediately fell to his heels.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's left brain desperately tried to cool himself down and remind himself to stay calm, while his right brain was left with only the phrase "stay by my side", burning with a flame that shot straight to the top of his head. The conflicting sensations caused a whirlwind to stir up, rendering the parts on his neck almost useless.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan looked at him, feeling more and more suspicious of this little demon.

\n\n

First of all, Xuan Ji had mastered too many things that he shouldn't have known. After all, the Vermilion Bird bone was sealed at the end of the fifth year of the Qi Dynasty, when the demon race was declining, the Mountain people and the witch race no longer existed, and the mermaids had long disappeared without a trace.

\n\n

Even if there were "wordless books" in the clan, they could not inherit so many obscure techniques.

\n\n

Secondly, and the most puzzling to His Majesty to this day, his body was kept by the Fire-keeping clan using the ancient method of "nurturing the soul and feeding the corpse" on his back, which required the infusion of his "life essence" into it.

\n\n

The nurtured corpse had been around for years and often appeared in the form of a "life-bound tool". Xuan Ji's "life-bound tool" was a sword, which was a "tool" that only belonged to those whose life essence was of the metal element.

\n\n

But how could the Vermilion Bird bone seal and the Chiyuan's veins produce a "metal" type, different from "thunder and fire"?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan lowered his head and stood up, pretending not to notice Xuan Ji's unease.

\n\n

He took a step towards the door and said, "It's late, I won't disturb your rest."

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't help but turn his head and follow Sheng Lingyuan's figure.

\n\n

He was about to ask where he was staying when Sheng Lingyuan suddenly remembered something and turned around, saying, "By the way, do you know what a 'Shadow person' is?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was stunned. Sheng Lingyuan had just mentioned the term "Shadow person," which seemed to be one of the three major "humanoid races." Before this, Xuan Ji had never heard of this term, but perhaps due to the "inheritance," his brain was now like a search engine, automatically retrieving relevant memories when he inputted keywords.

\n\n

Xuan Ji blurted out, "The Shadow People...legend has it that they are a race without family, parents, surname, or rules. They are called the 'Shadow Clan' because they can pass through water and stone like shadows when they are young...am I right?"

\n\n

The witch people are skilled in spells, the Mountain people are skilled in crafting, but as for the Shadow People, they are both skilled and unskilled in everything.

\n\n

This is because they are a special race - it's even hard to say if they are a race at all. They don't live together with their own kind and hardly have the concept of "kinship" - they are without family.

\n\n

The Shadow People don't care for their young, they just leave them on the ground after birth and let them grow on their own. If they can survive, they live, and if they can't, they die.

\n\n

That's why they are called "without parents." In the early years, the Shadow people were genderless and had no human form. They would often parasitize on rocks and mountains, resembling shadows.

\n\n

They could live for about twenty to thirty years before naturally disintegrating and returning to the spiritual energy of the earth and sky. Like plants, they grew and withered silently, going through the cycle of life and death, nameless and anonymous.

\n\n

In order for a Shadow person to continue living beyond their "childhood", they must "acknowledge a master".

\n\n

Acknowledging a master is the only way for them to survive, and it is also their instinct. Once they find a suitable master, the Shadow person will grow a body and a sense of self, and their personality and appearance will strictly follow the master's preferences.

\n\n

Generally, if the master is of a certain race, the Shadow person will identify as that race and gain the powers of that race. They will grow into whatever the master desires.

\n\n

In the old days, Shadow people were also called "shadow slaves" - this is in the era of "lawlessness". The master had complete control over the Shadow people, who would usually die with their master unless commanded to live on as a family heirloom.

\n\n

These Shadow people could live for thousands of years, even until the end of the family line. After the master's death, the Shadow person would inherit all of their memories and desires, becoming a living memorial.

\n\n

The memories that came with the new Shadow person were vast and varied, but Xuan Ji managed to grasp the key point: the inheritance of the Shadow person was similar to a "wordless book".

\n\n

Why did he suddenly bring up the Shadow people?

\n\n

Although it is said that desire can cloud one's judgment, Xuan Ji's reaction was still quite fast, but it was too late.

\n\n

In just a moment of distraction, Sheng Lingyuan had already approached him. Xuan Ji didn't have time to dodge and was surrounded by black mist.

\n\n

In his panic, his clan emblem appeared on his forehead and his wings were about to spread from his shoulder blades, but Sheng Lingyuan pressed them back with one hand.

\n\n

With a "crackling" sound, Sheng Lingyuan's hand that forcibly held down Xuan Ji's wings was burned to a crisp.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was startled and hastily retracted the flames.

\n\n

Then, he was forced to face the enlarged face in front of him, his mind blank.

\n\n

Suddenly, cold lips pressed against his and a cold hand forcefully opened his jaw. Something soft swept over his tongue and even paused for a moment, savoring it carefully...

\n\n

The Shadow people are no different from ordinary people, except that their tongues are transformed from parasitic creatures in their youth.

\n\n

They are cold as dead objects and may contain the essence of sand, stones, or plants. Tasting it can reveal its nature.

\n\n

This little demon was clearly frightened, and although his tongue was stiff, it was as hot as boiling water...

\n\n

Hmm, it seems he is not a Shadow person.

\n\n

It's a relief that he's not a Shadow person.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan released the "wooden chicken" in his hand and was amused by Xuan Ji's expression, which was like a calamity from heaven.

\n\n

"What's wrong with you..."

\n\n

As soon as he spoke, Xuan Ji suddenly snapped out of it and forcefully pushed him several steps away.

\n\n

Director Xuan's face, which was usually like a big-tailed wolf, quickly turned red. The blood rushed to his ears, neck, and almost spewed out of his eyes, uncontrollably staining his entire face.

\n\n

"Ah, why so angry? The fact that the Vermilion Bird Bone Seal has gained sentience is truly beyond my expectations," the demon lord, who had just finished causing trouble, landed lightly on the ground and laughed as if nothing had happened.

\n\n

"There are rumors that the Shadow Clan originated from the Nanming Valley - also known as the Chiyuan. Later, for some unknown reason, they were expelled by the Vermilion Bird Clan and scattered throughout the human world. I don't know if it's true or not, but your clan's method of passing down the 'Wordless Book' is too similar to that of the Shadow Clan. I have to consider this possibility."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's eyes were blazing with anger, and they involuntarily fell on Sheng Lingyuan's lips. It was as if he had been burned, and he even subconsciously held his breath.

\n\n

He felt as if all the blood in his body was evaporating from his pores, and his face went from red to white, with a hint of misery.

\n\n

At first, Sheng Lingyuan thought it was amusing to tease Xuan Ji. But as he observed Xuan Ji's expressions, he felt a slight movement in his heart, realizing that his nervousness might have a different meaning.

\n\n

The emperor had been on the throne for over twenty years and had seen all kinds of debauchery and extravagance.

\n\n

Of course, he was not ignorant of the ways of the world, but he considered them trivial and not worth his attention.

\n\n

Seeing Xuan Ji's reaction, he found it both amusing and surprising that this fire-keeper not only refused to fast, but also had no self-control and was easily swayed by beauty.

\n\n

Next, Sheng Lingyuan couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy - he remembered that this little demon didn't even know the basics of meditation. It wasn't necessary to have a completely pure mind, but at least a stable heart was necessary.

\n\n

Otherwise, even if he could control the thunder and fire of the heavens, he could easily be trapped in an illusion. He didn't care if others had a stable heart, but the fate of the Chiyuan Seal rested solely in the hands of this demon.

\n\n

Out of the thirty-six fire-keepers, only this one little sprout remained, and yet this little demon was able to survive by relying on "inheritance"!

\n\n

Xuan Ji's mind was still trying to reboot when Sheng Lingyuan suddenly remembered something and flicked his finger towards him.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's paralyzed limbs couldn't keep up with the sudden movement and he couldn't dodge in time, watching helplessly as a white light entered his forehead.

\n\n

"Even if you're not doing it for the world, at least do it for your own life. Use your brain a little." With these words, Sheng Lingyuan angrily stormed out of the room.

\n\n

The special care ward of the hospital often housed peculiar and extraordinary individuals, so the walls were lined with special protective spells.

\n\n

The soundproofing was so effective that if Xuan Ji didn't make any noise, the only sounds in the room would be the hum of the air conditioning and his own heartbeat - which was so loud that if he strapped a microphone to his chest, he could be a one-man band for a square dance troupe.

\n\n

Xuan Ji stood there for a moment, before finally regaining feeling in his limbs.

\n\n

He wandered aimlessly around the room like a donkey pulling a millstone, until he became dizzy and infuriated at the injustice of it all.

\n\n

Does being the emperor give one the right to act like a hooligan without consequences? This is indecent and obscene!

\n\n

He should have filmed it as evidence and reported it to the authorities... No, he should have just roasted that old demon until he was medium rare!

\n\n

Xuan Ji lowered his head, his eyes filled with hatred, and his hands were still trembling.

\n\n

These chicken claws, which had always been greedy and selfish, had just rebelled against their master's wishes and almost pulled Sheng Lingyuan over!

\n\n

He fell onto the hospital bed, causing it to scream in protest.

\n\n

He lay on his back, exposing his belly to the air conditioning, which blew on him with all its might.

\n\n

Soon, he was chilled to the bone, and his fiery emotions began to calm down. Xuan Ji instinctively touched his forehead.

\n\n

Before his fingertips could touch his forehead, he heard a soft command in his ear: "Focus."

\n\n

"Who the hell are you?" exclaimed Xuan Ji.

\n\n

Ignoring him, the voice continued like a voicemail message: "This is the 'Heavenly Heart Incantation,' consisting of three chapters. Look inward to your sea of consciousness and eliminate distracting thoughts..."

\n\n

Xuan Ji listened intently for a moment, but his previously calmed heart began to burn again - this time with anger.

\n\n

The old demon had left him with a beginner's meditation tutorial! Was he being underestimated?

\n\n

Frustrated, he poked his brow, but the thing wouldn't close. It continued to recite the instructions in a monotone voice, as if reading from a scripture.

\n\n

"Damn it," Xuan Ji muttered, running his fingers through his hair. "How do I pause this thing?"

\n\n

The audio tutorial seemed to anticipate his question. After reading the preface, it kindly reminded him, "This technique has already been implanted in your mind. Just enter a state of meditation and sink into your mind to remove it."

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't take it anymore and exclaimed, "Are you crazy?!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan flew past in the night sky and heard Xuan Ji's outburst from afar.

\n\n

He couldn't help but smile.

\n\n

This method was similar to the principle of "transmitting sound into a room," but it bypassed the ears and directly entered the mind. It was harmless to humans and wouldn't trigger the backlash of the Vermilion Bird power in Xuan Ji's body.

\n\n

It was the perfect way to deal with this incompetent little demon.

\n\n

He himself had used it before...

\n\n

Back then...

\n\n

As Sheng Lingyuan was lost in his memories, a sharp pain suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

\n\n

The smile on his face froze, and he furrowed his brow. He emerged from a cloud of black mist and stumbled slightly, ending up in front of the small inn where he had stayed a few days ago.

\n\n

The inn was already closed, but a faint light shone through the crack in the door. The innkeeper was probably settling accounts.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan leaned against a lamppost outside the door for a while, waiting for the sudden migraine to pass. It took with it the last bit of color in his face.

\n\n

He knocked on the door and the innkeeper, yawning, opened it without surprise.

\n\n

He didn't ask where Sheng Lingyuan had disappeared to for two days and nights, but simply said, "The talented brother is back. I'll make you a drink after I finish the accounts. The ingredients haven't been used up yet, so it's perfect timing."

\n\n

The storefront was small and cozy, with dim yellow light falling diagonally on the wooden tables and chairs. Sheng Lingyuan entered and sat on his usual wooden chair - he had been carving small objects for customers on it for the past few days.

\n\n

Although he hadn't practiced his craft in years and his skills were a bit rusty, the young people who came to the shop were all happy and didn't criticize him.

\n\n

The shop owner had a carefree and absent-minded look on his face. He called himself a "color-sexual" and would waive the bill for any good-looking customer. His accounting skills were also a bit lacking, and he had to do other odd jobs after closing the shop to make ends meet.

\n\n

He didn't even bother asking the name of the stranger he took in, and casually referred to him as "talented brother," "big brother," or "handsome guy."

\n\n

Most of the customers were tourists who left their worries and troubles at home, only bringing with them a lazy vacation vibe. It was a glimpse of humanity that Sheng Lingyuan had never thought of before.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan sat down and said, "You never asked about my background."

\n\n

"Meeting by chance, why do you need to ask so many questions? I run a shop, not a collector of stories," the shop owner replied nonchalantly, not paying attention to whom he was sending a voice message to.

\n\n

He then lowered his head to his phone and sent a voice message distractedly, "What's so good about going to or leaving from Yuyang? You two should take advantage of the long holiday and travel abroad, I'll foot the bill."

\n\n

After putting down his phone, the shop owner noticed that Sheng Lingyuan was looking at him. He chuckled, emitting an unreliable aura along with his toothy grin.

\n\n

"My parents still think I'm a programmer in the big city. I quit my job two years ago and traveled the world before settling down here to open this shop. I can't let them come visit, or else it'll be too obvious. After all, we're now a popular shop in the area. Thanks to you, talented brother."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan smiled and said, "I have to go now."

\n\n

The shopkeeper was taken aback. "Thank you for your hospitality. I came to say goodbye."

\n\n

"Ah...yes, we are all wanderers in the world, meeting and parting by fate...by fate." The shopkeeper rubbed his hands.

\n\n

"Then, should I make you a cup of Irish coffee to taste? I just learned it online-"

\n\n

"No need to trouble," Sheng Lingyuan's gaze fell on the Duobao Pavilion displayed at the door of the shop. "If possible, can I have that?"

\n\n

The shopkeeper followed his gaze and turned his head, seeing a wooden carving on the top level of the Duobao Pavilion. It was a chubby bird chasing a butterfly.

\n\n

The chubby bird was a "Q version" cartoon style, which he bought online for ten yuan. It was obviously poorly made, even to the untrained eye.

\n\n

The shopkeeper suddenly remembered that this "talented gentleman" was attracted by the small ornament when he first came in.

\n\n

He took the wooden carving down, wiped off the dust with a tissue, and handed it to Sheng Lingyuan: "Why do you like it? This thing is not an antique, I think you could carve something better yourself."

\n\n

"It must be fate," Sheng Lingyuan gently touched the head of the chubby bird, "I feel a strange connection to it."

\n\n

"Or you could take the xun with you too, since no one else knows how to play it..."

\n\n

"Are you leaving already? Why not stay for the night... Hey, can I put your photo on the display shelf over there?"

\n\n

"Next time when you come to Yuyang, if my shop hasn't closed down, I'll treat you to a free meal!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan tucked the small wooden carving into his pocket, waved goodbye to the shopkeeper, and walked towards the sea.

\n\n

At midnight, the sound of the xun rose mysteriously from the seaside, blending with the sound of the waves and lingering at the end of the coconut grove. The sea birds landed quietly on the nearby beach, standing still.

\n\n

The sea breeze swept away the thin clouds, and the stars fell, with the crescent moon hanging over the sea, casting shattered light like rolling beads.

\n\n

It was such a peaceful and beautiful night.

\n\n

Despite the serene surroundings, Director Xuan was stuck in the hospital, listening to an online course on repeat.

\n\n

No, it was more like a tutorial. He muttered to himself, trying every trick in the book to turn it off, but to no avail.

\n\n

The tutorial only covered basic knowledge for beginners, and even Xuan Jī, who was not particularly skilled, understood it.

\n\n

If he couldn't grasp it, it must be due to a physiological defect, not a technical problem.

\n\n

That old demon was just messing with him.

\n\n

As the dawn broke outside the window and the sky gradually turned white, Xuan Ji had been tormented by the demonic audio all night and was at a loss.

\n\n

Finally, he was forced to surrender and got up to adjust his posture.

\n\n

In the past, his highest record for meditation was five minutes. As soon as five minutes passed, he would definitely be interrupted by sudden heart palpitations.

\n\n

Xuan Ji closed his eyes and glanced at the electronic clock on the wall, sighed, and followed the audio to eliminate distractions.

\n\n

The pounding heartbeat in his ears gradually subsided, the surrounding noise faded away, and his mind became clear. Only the audio, like a guide, led his consciousness to sink all the way down.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was prepared to be interrupted at any time, but this time, the familiar feeling of heart palpitations did not come again.

\n\n

His consciousness sank all the way to a place he had never been before, as if the resistance that had always prevented him from exploring his sea of knowledge had disappeared.

\n\n

Xuan Ji had taken a desperate gamble, but it paid off. Xuan Ji found himself inexplicably in the deepest part of his sea of consciousness, where he saw an iron gate.

\n\n

To his surprise, it was the same iron gate he had dreamed of before, but the blood-red seal on it was gone.

\n\n

A faint mark was left on the iron gate, like loose soil that would fall off at a glance. It must be the checkpoint of the annoying "tutorial". As expected, when the mark disappeared, the incessant audio in his ear also quieted down.

\n\n

But Xuan Ji didn't have time to care. He carefully circled around the iron doors, wondering if what had previously prevented him from meditating was related to this.

\n\n

The silence around the iron gate was unsettling. Where the seal had once been, there was now a narrow slit, as if whatever was inside had already escaped.

\n\n

Upon seeing the slit, two desires arose in Xuan Ji's heart: one urging him to turn and run as far as possible, and the other pulling him closer to the gate.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was torn between the two desires when he heard a faint sigh from deep within the gate.

\n\n

Slowly, it slid open...

\n","published_time":"2024-03-31T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-03T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-03-31T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":542,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":66,"chapter_title":"Chapter 66","content":"

"Did I explain it clearly?"

\n\n

A child's voice echoed in Xuan Ji's mind, shrouded in a white mist. His surroundings were pitch black, but the voice sounded familiar.

\n\n

Despite not having reached puberty yet, the child's voice was clear and lacked any childishness.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's past profession had made him sensitive to verbal expression, and after listening for a few sentences, he realized that the child was imitating an adult's way of speaking.

\n\n

The boy enunciated his words clearly, while deliberately softening the endings, creating a sense of premature maturity.

\n\n

The child asked again, "Are you listening?"

\n\n

Suddenly, Xuan Ji's vision brightened, and a clear starry sky appeared before him.

\n\n

Afterwards, the eyes blinked and the scene in front of Xuan Ji was momentarily disrupted.

\n\n

Normally, people wouldn't think that blinking would interfere with their vision, but Xuan Ji immediately realized that he was seeing the stars through someone else's eyes.

\n\n

Then, another absent-minded voice chimed in, "I'm listening, I'm listening."

\n\n

The boy who spoke like an adult sighed heavily, "Nonsense, you were clearly thinking about eating just now. Do you really want to hear me speak, or are you waiting for Dan Li to teach you another incantation that you won't be able to stop reciting?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji remained silent.

\n\n

The case was solved - Dan Li was the culprit behind the sneaky and smoky "Heavenly Heart Incantation."

\n\n

At the mention of Dan Li, Xuan Ji immediately realized that the two familiar voices belonged to the Emperor and the Sword Spirit from his childhood.

\n\n

It seemed that the Sword Spirit was now hiding in the back of Little Sheng Lingyuan's spine, sharing a pair of eyes to see the world.

\n\n

It appeared that Xuan Ji had been dragged into the Sword Spirit's memories again.

\n\n

He couldn't help but wonder, even with the "Wordless Book" inheritance of the Fire-keeper clan, what were the other thirty-plus ancestors doing when they were alive?

\n\n

Were they sitting at the bottom of the Chiyuan Canyon picking their toes every day?

\n\n

Generation after generation of useless people, neglecting the ancestral tombs, avoiding love affairs, and not even leaving behind a single heir.

\n\n

Did they even have any life experiences worth mentioning?

\n\n

Why not pass down some ancient recipes instead?

\n\n

This so-called inheritance was nothing but a waste of time, forcing him to relive childhood memories with a three-thousand-year-old toddler every day.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was simply baffled.

\n\n

He wanted to turn around and leave. He was resistant to revisiting the memories of the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit.

\n\n

On one hand, the content was too private, and he felt a sense of shame for peeking into his ancestors' privacy.

\n\n

On the other hand, he had no resistance to the style of the Sheng Lingyuan, and the bone-deep love and hate of the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit would be transmitted to him, which would greatly affect his daily life.

\n\n

Xuan Ji closed his eyes again, closed off his divine sense, and recalled the way he "entered" here, planning to exit the same way.

\n\n

The way he "entered"?

\n\n

Suddenly, he was stunned.

\n\n

Wait a minute, isn't this the deepest part of his sea of consciousness?

\n\n

Even he himself had only successfully dived down for the first time.

\n\n

The inheritance was mysterious, but it was still an external thing.

\n\n

Why would the memories of the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit appear here?

\n\n

And what about that mysterious iron doors that had appeared in his dreams multiple times...

\n\n

A strange speculation arose - the iron doors and seal seemed to be related to these memories.

\n\n

The plot in the memory continued to unfold.

\n\n

"But I'm so hungry... no, you're so hungry, your empty stomach is making me feel uncomfortable," complained Little Sword Spirit, mixing up the subject and object in his speech.

\n\n

Xuan Ji took a moment to understand what the mischievous child was saying. As the owner of the sword and the Sword Spirit shared the same senses, the two children had not yet learned to block each other out, so the feeling of hunger was probably mutual.

\n\n

Little Sword Spirit asked with a pitiful tone, "Brother Lingyuan, has Aunt Meng Xia not finished cooking yet?"

\n\n

Little Sheng Lingyuan quickly got up and looked around. As his gaze turned, Xuan Ji realized they were in a run-down village, and the place where the little prince was lying was a pile of grass.

\n\n

There was no sound of chickens or dogs around, and several thatched houses were huddled together, trembling with burnt marks everywhere, giving off a lifeless feeling.

\n\n

Only the starry sky above was hanging low, clear as water.

\n\n

Little Sheng Lingyuan withdrew his gaze from the night sky and looked down at the world. The grass was high, and they could see the surrounding courtyards and sheds from above.

\n\n

Their group was staying in the most decent courtyard of a farmer's house, which was only considered "decent" because it had a roof. It couldn't block the wind and rain, but at least they wouldn't be stargazing in the middle of the night.

\n\n

In the courtyard, the masked Emperor's teacher, Dan Li, was giving instructions to the guards, while a heavily wrapped female attendant stood nearby.

\n\n

Her face was obscured, but she was busy lighting a fire on a farmer's stove to cook rice - perhaps the same "Aunt Meng Xia" that the Sword Spirit had mentioned, who was taking care of the children with the army.

\n\n

Suddenly, voices could be heard from behind the haystack.

\n\n

Little Sheng Lingyuan immediately became alert and took a quick peek behind the haystack.

\n\n

Upon seeing strangers approaching, the child sprang into action as if he had a voice-activated switch installed on his body, quickly abandoning his lazy posture and entering "business mode" in just one second.

\n\n

Xuan Ji saw him slip silently down from the haystack, but he slipped too quickly and ended up sitting on his butt.

\n\n

He didn't make a sound, just got up and dusted himself off, straightened his clothes, and finally pulled out his small dagger, using the blade to reflect and examine his appearance.

\n\n

He quickly wiped away the dirt on his face and removed the dry grass stuck in his hair. Then he straightened his back, lifted his chin, and in less than half a minute, he turned into a three-foot-high prince.

\n\n

The Sword Spirit sarcastically commented in a childish voice, "Brother Lingyuan is admiring himself in the mirror, how vain."

\n\n

"Go away. 'Words are trustworthy, actions are dignified, attire is proper, then the subjects will be respectful,'" said the short-legged prince as he put away his dagger and put on a serious expression.

\n\n

He then started walking with great dignity.

\n\n

At the same time, he spoke to his sword spirit in his mind, "Teacher said that the people are troubled, and I am the hope of the people. I must not disappoint them."

\n\n

"What does 'doubled' mean?" asked the prince.

\n\n

"It's not 'doubled,' it's 'troubled.' It means...," the prince hesitated for a moment, perhaps even forgetting himself, before continuing without changing his expression, "it means lacking water and fire to cook and drink."

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't help but burst out laughing.

\n\n

As a single adult man, Xuan Ji didn't necessarily hate children, but he certainly didn't have any fondness for those brats in public places who could scream like donkeys at the drop of a hat.

\n\n

Whenever he heard a child's voice, his first reaction was always to think of runny noses, slobber, and the tapping of feet on the back of his seat on buses and trains.

\n\n

But this was the first time he had ever softened at the sound of a child's voice.

\n\n

However, he quickly remembered that adult version of Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

How did this little cutie turn into that damn old demon?

\n\n

It was like a complete and twisted development.

\n\n

Did the great educator Dan Li hold an anti-social training camp?

\n\n

The visitor was a thin and pale village woman, holding a dirty swaddled baby in her arms and leading a similarly emaciated sheep by the hand.

\n\n

She was in conversation with a guard when Sheng Lingyuan strolled over at a leisurely pace, coughed lightly, and nodded in greeting to the woman before asking the guard, "What's going on, Mao San?"

\n\n

As soon as the woman saw Sheng Lingyuan, her eyes, which had been lifeless moments before, suddenly lit up as if ignited by a spark.

\n\n

She promptly dropped to her knees with a thud and prostrated herself on the ground.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan quickly said, "Madam, please get up. There's no need for such formalities."

\n\n

Mao San, the guard with a small mustache, was a young man with a charming set of white teeth.

\n\n

He lowered his head and said to Sheng Lingyuan, "Your Highness, this woman wishes to offer you a milk sheep."

\n\n

The naive Sword Spirit cheered, "We can drink sheep's milk!"

\n\n

"Quiet down," scolded Little Sheng Lingyuan to the Sword Spirit. He glanced at the mother sheep, whose eyes were like obsidian after the rain, glistening with a warm light from the stars and torches.

\n\n

Then he looked at the woman, who was barely covered in tattered clothes, with thin wrists exposed, almost skin and bones.

\n\n

It seemed that this sheep was her only possession.

\n\n

Little Sheng Lingyuan said, "Thank you, madam. Most of our generals are cultivators who have already achieved fasting cultivation. We have enough rations to eat, and it wouldn't be right to take away the food of our fellow villagers. Besides, it's not convenient to bring it with us on our long journey. You were kind enough to take care of it alone, so please take it back now."

\n\n

At this age, an ordinary child might still struggle to speak and would be considered clever if they could greet strangers.

\n\n

Although Little Sheng Lingyuan was not quite as smooth, he was still logical and reasonable. It was unclear whether he learned this from Dan Li or from growing up in troubled times.

\n\n

The woman, seeing that he refused to accept her gift, became anxious and emotional.

\n\n

Tears welled up in her eyes as she prostrated herself, displaying a fervent devotion that bordered on desperation.

\n\n

Mao San quickly stepped in to stop her, saying, "Madam, please don't do this."

\n\n

Xuan Ji thought to herself, "This person is so fanatical, it's like she's insane. Don't scare the child anymore."

\n\n

The Little Sword Spirit asked, "Brother Lingyuan, is there something wrong with her? She's a bit frightening."

\n\n

Xuan Ji could clearly feel the tension in Little Sheng Lingyuan's back, but then the child forcibly restrained his desire to shrink back.

\n\n

He bravely walked around Mao San and reached out to support the woman's shoulder, saying in a gentle voice, "How about this, madam? You take the sheep back as if I have already accepted it, and given it back to your child. How does that sound?"

\n\n

The woman trembled as she lifted her head, staring at him with intense eyes, like a starving person looking at a bowl of porridge.

\n\n

Little Sheng Lingyuan didn't back down, and even leaned forward to lightly pat the baby in the woman's arms through the swaddling cloth.

\n\n

"Madam, please get up. The soldiers are shedding blood to reclaim the world, so that your child can grow up well. How can we take away his food?"

\n\n

The woman's face was worn out, her eyes were abnormally large, and as she blinked, a stream of tears flowed down her face.

\n\n

She was supported by Mao San and another guard as she tightly clutched the corner of her swaddled baby, and asked in a trembling voice, "Your Highness... will we be able to reclaim our place in the mortal world?"

\n\n

"Definitely, please wait for me, madam," replied Little Sheng Lingyuan with a smile as he looked up at her. "Let me see, is this a baby boy or girl?"

\n\n

As he spoke, he tiptoed and gently pushed past the woman's arms holding the baby.

\n\n

Mao San suddenly felt something was wrong and his face changed, "Your Highness..."

\n\n

At the same time, Xuan Ji also noticed something was off - the baby was too quiet.

\n\n

Despite being rubbed and patted by his half-crazed mother for so long, he hadn't made a sound. Was it normal for a child to be so well-behaved?

\n\n

His heart skipped a beat as he saw the woman smiling foolishly, handing over the tightly wrapped baby in her arms.

\n\n

As she opened the swaddling cloth, a limp, purple arm fell out, and the sharp cries of the Little Sword Spirit exploded in his ears.

\n\n

Inside the cloth was the face of a dead infant, covered in bruises and already beginning to rot, with a bloodless mouth gaping open as if still crying for help.

\n\n

It was a face that even a battle-hardened general could get nightmares from.

\n\n

Xuan Ji almost wanted to escape from this memory altogether, and the smile on Little Sheng Lingyuan's face froze instantly.

\n\n

Mao San raised his hand to push the woman away, but was stopped by Sheng Lingyuan's grip on his wrist.

\n\n

The woman seemed oblivious, speaking in a soft, eerie voice, "It's a little boy. He'll be able to fight alongside His Highness in battle someday."

\n\n

She was already insane.

\n\n

At that moment, an old man rushed out and pulled the crazy woman away, quickly kneeling down to apologize.

\n\n

Xuan Ji didn't bother to listen to what he was saying, as it was probably just another tragic story of being persecuted by demons or the harshness of the world.

\n\n

There were too many of these stories in troubled times, all sounding equally miserable - those who survived were barely hanging on, while the dead couldn't even have a proper burial.

\n\n

He only noticed that Little Sheng Lingyuan's mind suddenly went silent, as if all his thoughts were frozen by the baby's corpse.

\n\n

Even the sword spirit realized this and stopped sobbing reluctantly, "Lingyuan, brother?"

\n\n

The Sword Spirit cried out three times before finally calling back the soul of Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

The young prince grabbed Mao San's hand and trembled for a moment before forcing himself to stand straight again.

\n\n

He watched as the woman, who was holding a sheep in one hand, was dragged away, still looking back at him with a longing gaze. "Your Highness, the mortal world..."

\n\n

Through the eyes of little Sheng Lingyuan, Xuan Ji looked out at the devastated land and suddenly understood the malice behind the prophecy of the Emperor's birth, as well as the burden carried by Sheng Lingyuan with his words, "When the people are troubled, he is the hope of the people."

\n\n

There were too many desperate and insane people, holding dead infants and dragging their broken bodies, who could only survive with a single hope.

\n\n

Dan Li had created a living "hope" for them, placing a child on the altar.

\n\n

But isn't an altar just a place of sacrifice?

\n\n

As Xuan Ji recalled the ritual of "Heavenly Demon" he had witnessed at sea, he couldn't help but shudder.

\n\n

So, what exactly was the "Heavenly Demon"?

\n\n

Suddenly, Little Sheng Lingyuan pushed away Mao San's hand and ran to the corner to vomit. His stomach was empty, and all he could bring up was acid water.

\n\n

In his sea of consciousness, Xuan Ji followed him and had nightmares for several days.

\n\n

One moment, he was being chased by a horde of zombies, reaching out with their decaying claws to demand his life.

\n\n

The next moment, he was being endlessly hunted and fleeing, with countless skeletal claws grabbing him and lifting him high onto the altar.

\n\n

The jaws of those skulls flapped, and the same voice echoed out - "Your Highness, you are the hope of the people..."

\n\n

What kind of old society was this, without any laws protecting minors?

\n\n

Xuan Ji was furious, but he knew he was just an outsider who couldn't change history.

\n\n

All he could do was watch as Little Sheng Lingyuan fell into one nightmare after another... until the Sword Spirit woke him up.

\n\n

At this moment, the Sword Spirit and the little prince shared the same mind.

\n\n

During the day, the Sword Spirit could understand his thoughts, and at night, they could share his dreams. While Sheng Lingyuan could endure it, little Sword Spirit couldn't bear the injustice.

\n\n

As soon as he was scared awake, he would cry and use his tears to coax Sheng Lingyuan out of his nightmares. It's strange how fragile the human spirit can be.

\n\n

Sometimes even the slightest trauma can knock a person down, but other times they can be incredibly resilient. Give them a little support and they'll grow like a blade of grass finding a crack in a rock.

\n\n

When there's someone weaker nearby, people tend to unconsciously take on the role of the stronger one.

\n\n

And so it was that, amidst the cries of the Sword Spirit, Sheng Lingyuan was forced to learn to meditate for one stick of incense every night, calming his mind and forcing himself not to think about the purple and blue corpse of the baby or the withered woman.

\n\n

He trained himself like a madman.

\n\n

Beside Sheng Lingyuan, the little bearded guard Mao San couldn't bear to watch any longer.

\n\n

He felt it was his fault that the young prince had seen the infant corpse, so he used all his ingenuity to carve a wooden tiger to amuse him. Mao San was skilled in mechanical formations, and although the tiger he carved was not very exquisite, it could move.

\n\n

Little Sheng Lingyuan was not interested in these odds and ends, but the sword spirit was delightedly coaxed.

\n\n

When the sword spirit acted coquettishly, it was unbeatable.

\n\n

It kept pestering little Sheng Lingyuan until he promised to make a little bird that could fly, and every night before class, he would learn woodcarving with Mao San.

\n\n

Perhaps because he was still young, the imperial teacher did not push him too hard as long as it did not affect his studies.

\n\n

So, he turned a blind eye to it.

\n\n

The little prince was born with a talent for carving, and in just a few days, he learned how to use a carving knife from Mao San.

\n\n

Mao San was quite eloquent and knew how to coax children. As he taught the little prince how to carve wood, he also told stories of his own adventures with his brother on a snowy mountain, fighting against the tiger demon. The story was full of ups and downs, and Mao San's storytelling skills were reminiscent of a professional performer, leaving the two children completely captivated.

\n\n

Xuan Ji could understand the thoughts of the two children through their spiritual consciousness. He watched coldly and suddenly understood what the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit meant to the young Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

The little prince was always cautious and never allowed himself to act like a child, even though he secretly wanted to play and take a break from the heavy responsibilities of being a prince.

\n\n

But he dared not, not even allowing himself to have such thoughts, otherwise those nightmares would come back to haunt him.

\n\n

Only the stubborn sword spirit longed for him, coaxing him into listening to stories and playing with wooden carvings.

\n\n

It would even cry for him when he woke up in the middle of the night. The sword spirit was his weakness, allowing him to express his vulnerabilities and enjoy his childhood innocence.

\n\n

As the wooden bird began to take shape, the story of the tiger on the snowy mountain reached its climax. Even the young prince couldn't resist staying a little longer, until the imperial teacher urged them on with his flute.

\n\n

Mao San picked up his well-crafted wooden carving and asked, "Would the young prince like to give this little bird a name?"

\n\n

The sword spirit exclaimed, "It's mine, it's mine!"

\n\n

But little Sheng Lingyuan said to Mao San, "Let's call it 'Little Chicken'."

\n\n

That was the sword spirit's nickname.

\n\n

"Haha," Mao San and Little Sheng Lingyuan had become good friends.

\n\n

It was rare to see him so playful, so Mao San picked him up and placed him on his broad shoulders, ready to deliver the bird to Dan Li.

\n\n

"With His Highness giving it a name, this bird will have spirit. Who knows, with His Highness's noble aura, it might even fly up to the nine heavens."

\n\n

Little Sheng Lingyuan's heart stirred, and he looked down at Mao San, asking, "Are you from the Bian family in Henei? Do you have a courtesy name?"

\n\n

Mao San laughed, "I am just a lowly commoner. At home, my parents and uncles called me by my age order. After following His Highness and joining the 'Dizhi Maozi Team,' I became the third oldest, so I am called 'Mao San.' I don't have a courtesy name."

\n\n

Little Sheng Lingyuan said, "Then let me give you a good one to show..."

\n\n

"Your Highness," a slightly deep voice interrupted him.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan looked up and saw that the masked imperial teacher had approached him without him noticing.

\n\n

He quickly straightened his back and dismounted from Mao San's shoulder, standing at attention and bowing respectfully, "Teacher."

\n\n

Dan Li waved him over and whispered, "The soldiers in the Tiangan and Dizhi camps are all referred to by numbers, with no names or identities. How will he handle himself among his colleagues with this special treatment?"

\n\n

Mao San was quick-witted and immediately responded, "Dan Li is right. I have not achieved anything significant, yet I have received such a generous reward. My colleagues will surely envy me. I will only ask for a title from Your Highness once I have collected the heads of twelve demon tribes and earned the rank of a hundred households."

\n\n

Little Sheng Lingyuan solemnly accepted their advice and did not say anything more.

\n\n

Xuan Ji "heard" him start to twist his hands, calculating various beautiful characters with good meanings in his heart, wanting to prepare them for Mao San.

\n\n

For a moment, Xuan Ji forgot all the many wicked things about the old demon, and just focused on listening to the suppressed voice in this child's heart, wanting to reach out and hug him, buy him a set of flying, remote-controlled toys, wanting to let him laugh without any burden on the world.

\n\n

Unfortunately, the wooden bird called "Little Chicken", like its prototype, never really flew.

\n\n

The next day, they were ambushed by the Feather Snake Tribe, and in the chaos, the wooden carving was lost. Mao San was also bitten in half by a Feather Snake while protecting his master.

\n\n

The young guard's upper body flew out, but he wasn't completely dead yet. Using his elbows to prop himself up, he desperately crawled forward.

\n\n

"Your Highness...forgive me. The story of the snowy mountain's hidden tiger...was just a lie I made up," the guard struggled to finish his sentence. "We never...my brother was taken by that tiger demon and his heart...I was hiding in a tree at the time..."

\n\n

His body began to convulse violently, and another guard rushed forward to carry away Little Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

But the young prince's gaze remained fixed on Mao San, and he understood the unspoken words on his lips.

\n\n

"Don't...give me a name...Your Highness...don't do it again."

\n\n

Whether it was a person or a wooden carving, once it had a name, it could never be forgotten.

\n\n

And not forgetting was a painful thing.

\n\n

Then the light in his eyes scattered, and even in death, he continued to gaze at the child prophesied by the human race, hoping that he could provide a refuge for the desperate mortals and bring back the lost world.

\n\n

From then on, Sheng Lingyuan learned woodcarving and never gave any of his carvings a name again, nor did he give any of his close attendants a title.

\n\n

Some were called "Chen Seventeen," some were called "Wei Two," some were called "Zi First," and some were called "Xu Four"... They came and went - alive when they came, but scattered when they left.

\n\n

However, even though they had no names, they still left their mark on Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

Mao San taught him woodcarving, Chen Seventeen taught him how to play the flute, Wei Two taught him how to play the xun, Zi Chu taught him the Southeastern tune...

\n\n

Each of them, with their own knife, carved him into an emperor.

\n","published_time":"2024-04-07T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-10T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-07T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":543,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":67,"chapter_title":"Chapter 67","content":"

"Your Highness... Your Highness..."

\n\n

"Your Majesty!"

\n\n

"Your Majesty, you are the hope of the people..."

\n\n

"The hope of the people..."

\n\n

"Your Majesty, take us away from here..."

\n\n

The cruel scene before Xuan Ji shattered, and before he could come to his senses, he found himself in a post station.

\n\n

He still saw through the eyes of the sword spirit, but his host had grown a few centimeters taller. As soon as Xuan Ji's soul entered this small body, he felt a ruler hit his back.

\n\n

Although the force was not enough to hurt him, the child's center of gravity was unstable, and he was caught off guard.

\n\n

Little Sheng Lingyuan stumbled and almost fell.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was startled by him and blurted out, "The hell..."

\n\n

"Stand up straight!" A cold female voice sounded behind him, and Little Sheng Lingyuan straightened his back reflexively.

\n\n

There was a rustling sound of clothes behind him, and the boy, with a stiff neck from the beating, instinctively glanced sideways towards the sound.

\n\n

He hadn't seen the person yet, but the ruler had already fallen.

\n\n

"A ruler should behave with dignity and not look around aimlessly," the cold voice said, "if you want to look, then turn around boldly, don't roll your eyes around like a fool!"

\n\n

As she spoke, the owner of the voice slowly walked up to Sheng Lingyuan, and Xuan Ji finally saw the person clearly.

\n\n

This is a tall and thin woman - or maybe not very tall, but from the perspective of a little boy, she seemed to tower over him like a mountain...a barren mountain.

\n\n

"Barren" didn't mean that she was old. The woman has a slender figure and smooth skin, and even in plain clothes, she exudes an air of elegance and nobility. There's not a hint of aging on her.

\n\n

However, for some reason, there's no vitality in her body at all.

\n\n

She's like a mummy with excellent preservation.

\n\n

Looking up, you can see a severe rectangular face with heavy makeup. Her neatly trimmed eyebrows extend straight to her temples, and below them are a pair of slender, drooping eyes that make people feel inferior.

\n\n

Wherever her gaze falls, everything is garbage.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's mind had not yet recovered from the brutal escape, and negative emotions overwhelmed him.

\n\n

He thought to himself, "Where the hell did this crappy nun come from?"

\n\n

Little Sword Spirit shared his thoughts and cursed in their shared consciousness, "Old witch!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan, in a rare moment, ignored the Sword Spirit.

\n\n

The boy quickly lowered his head and respectfully said, "Yes, Mother."

\n\n

Xuan Ji thought to himself, "Wait a minute, is this... the Empress Chen, the legitimate wife of Emperor Ping? The one who was imprisoned by Emperor Wu until her death?"

\n\n

He couldn't help but take a closer look at the woman.

\n\n

Her face looked like she had never smiled in her entire life, and she was incredibly photogenic. From her facial structure and features to her bone structure and overall appearance, there was no resemblance between the mother and son.

\n\n

They didn't even look like they belonged to the same species.

\n\n

"If this is his birth mother, how strong must Emperor Ping's genes be?"

\n\n

Empress Chen held the ruler and stood in front of Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

"Crown Prince, do you know what you did wrong?"

\n\n

"Father..." Sheng Lingyuan barely spoke before the cold ruler hit his shoulder, grazing his delicate face and leaving a red mark.

\n\n

"What are you slouching for? Who are you to have such a weak attitude?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan quickly straightened his shoulders, every muscle in his body tense. He was in a state of constant readiness to be hit, like a trembling kitten.

\n\n

He spoke with a steady voice, trying to keep it from shaking.

\n\n

"Your son should not have disturbed his elder brother's rest, knowing that he was unwell."

\n\n

"Rubbish!" Sword Spirit shouted back in his mind, "It was Prince Ning himself who said he was suffocating in his room, so we brought the Six Chess Boards to visit him!"

\n\n

However, only Sheng Lingyuan and Xuan Ji, the bystanders, could hear Sword Spirit's cries.

\n\n

Little Sheng Lingyuan ignored him expressionlessly and continued, "I also neglected my studies because of my love for games. This son knows his mistake and asks his mother to punish him."

\n\n

Sword Spirit screamed angrily, "That was Prince Ning's request! Why do you have to admit fault? Stinky Lingyuan, you're driving me crazy!"

\n\n

Empress Chen shouted, "Kneel down."

\n\n

The Sword Spirit refused, "No way!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan remained silent, lifted his clothes, and knelt straight on the cold ground.

\n\n

Empress Chen stared at him and slowly asked, "Whose idea was it to play Six Chess Boards?"

\n\n

"It's Prince Ning!" The Sword Spirit shouted at the top of his lungs, as if he could shout loud enough to break through the small body of Sheng Lingyuan and make everyone hear him.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan calmly replied, "It's this son."

\n\n

"It's Prince Ning! It's Prince Ning!" Sword Spirit cried with a sob in his voice when he saw that Sheng Lingyuan was ignoring him. "It's definitely Prince Ning!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji roughly understood what was going on and felt a bit strange.

\n\n

He couldn't help but think that this kind of submissive behavior didn't seem like the old demon's personality...and certainly not the young version of him either.

\n\n

But then Empress Chen made a meaningful "oh" sound and said, "Isn't it because of your Sword Spirit's instigation?"

\n\n

The crying little Sword Spirit stuttered for a moment, and little Sheng Lingyuan suddenly looked up and stared at Empress Chen.

\n\n

As Xuan Ji met Empress Chen's gaze through the boy's eyes, he couldn't help but furrow his brow. He didn't know if Xiaosheng Lingyuan could sense it, but as an adult, Xuan Ji felt that Empress Chen's eyes were extremely eerie.

\n\n

It wasn't the stern look of a mother who wanted her child to do better, nor was it the gaze of a stepmother looking at an adopted child.

\n\n

There was hatred and indescribable malice in her eyes, especially when she mentioned the sword spirit.

\n\n

She stared at Sheng Lingyuan like a venomous snake targeting its prey.

\n\n

"Mother..."

\n\n

"Your sword spirit was already an unfinished product, and it was tamed from a monster. Its wild nature is hard to control," the venomous snake hissed, "I told Dan Li long ago that the demonic sword should be sealed. Whenever you can pull out the sword body, then you can release it."

\n\n

"Mother," Sheng Lingyuan clenched his fist tightly inside his sleeve, trying to appear nonchalant. "It was because your son found Sword Spirit dull and wanted to play Six-Board Chess with a partner that he went to find his elder brother. It had nothing to do with him. Your son is willing to take responsibility..."

\n\n

A cold hand gently rested on his hair, causing Sheng Lingyuan to freeze.

\n\n

The finger traced down his forehead and landed on his brow, the woman's sharp nails turning blue as they pressed into the tender skin, as if trying to force out the little Sword Spirit hidden in his mind.

\n\n

The Sword Spirit, spoiled by Sheng Lingyuan, was furious and shouted, "Let her try to seal me if she's capable! This old witch!"

\n\n

In his panic, young Sheng Lingyuan instinctively reached out to grab Empress Chen's hand, but was met with a sharp crack as the ruler hit his knuckles.

\n\n

"Mother!"

\n\n

Empress Chen lifted his chin with a ruler and scrutinized him from above for a moment.

\n\n

"Guards!" She ordered.

\n\n

Several black-clad guards appeared out of nowhere and wordlessly pulled Sheng Lingyuan up.

\n\n

A spiritual symbol pierced through the boy's sea of consciousness. Xuan Ji's vision went black, and then he suddenly had the sensation of having a physical body.

\n\n

That body was roughly compressed into a ball and stuffed into a small, sealed box. All of his senses were instantly stripped away, leaving him completely immobilized.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's heart tightened.

\n\n

This was even more extreme than the torture technique of "sensory deprivation" used during World War II, as it couldn't completely strip away a real person's senses like this.

\n\n

And this was a direct sealing of his divine consciousness, while his sword spirit was still a mentally deficient little brat. As expected, the Little Sword Spirit started cursing at first, but soon he couldn't curse anymore.

\n\n

The silent panic quickly swallowed him up. Xuan Ji first heard him crying and asking for help, then gradually began to speak nonsense. This memory began to become blurry, full of illusions in the darkness, and then chaotic images and sounds intermittently filled the surroundings.

\n\n

Even Xuan Ji, an outsider, began to lose the sense of time, and it was difficult to distinguish whether those images were illusions or something else.

\n\n

When the Sword Spirit regained his cognitive ability and allowed Xuan Ji to "read" his memory, it seemed to be half a year later - through the perspective of Sheng Lingyuan, Xuan Ji judged that the little prince had grown more than an inch taller.

\n\n

Xuan Ji quickly gathered scattered information from around him and soon learned that the Sword Spirit had only been imprisoned for three days before being released by Dan Li, who had returned to do so.

\n\n

Dan Li was usually an emotionless figure, but this time he was furious and had brought a group of skilled cultivators to force the palace open.

\n\n

With two groups of people facing off outside, Dan Li and Empress Chen had a secret conversation for two hours.

\n\n

No one knew what agreement they had reached, but in the end, the young prince was taken away by Dan Li, and Empress Chen and her troops went their separate ways to gather the remnants of the human race.

\n\n

As for the Sword Spirit, who had been sealed for three days, he remained silent and unresponsive for nearly half a year, as if he were already dead.

\n\n

During this time, Sheng Lingyuan barely slept through the night night, working tirelessly to refine his spiritual consciousness and nurture the Sword Spirit that no longer responded to him.

\n\n

The Sword Spirit finally "woke up" and softly called out "Lingyuan".

\n\n

However, Sheng Lingyuan was riding a horse and didn't have time to respond immediately.

\n\n

Upon hearing the faint voice, little Sheng Lingyuan was stunned for a few seconds in disbelief.

\n\n

After hearing the Sword Spirit's second call of "Lingyuan", he fell off his horse.

\n\n

He had been too tense and almost broke down.

\n\n

This lesson taught Sheng Lingyuan to not show his emotions on his face, to keep his feelings hidden.

\n\n

From then on, except for his bond with the Sword Spirit, he never showed his likes or dislikes - until he held all the power in his hands.

\n\n

That was when the prototype of the old demon that Xuan Ji knew came into being.

\n\n

Xuan Ji followed them, watching the memory from beginning to end. His chest felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and he couldn't catch his breath.

\n\n

He had nowhere to vent his emotions and didn't know who to blame for his anger and frustration. Lost in the jumbled memories, he didn't know where to look.

\n\n

He wanted to see that young emperor who was never recorded in history again, but he couldn't bear it. The emotions of the Tian Mo Sword Spirit seemed to seriously interfere with him.

\n\n

If Sheng Lingyuan appeared in front of him now, Xuan Ji felt like he could forget all the previous conflicts and defenses at the speed of light and rush to hug that person.

\n\n

He anxiously grabbed a handful of his own hair, and a random question popped into his head - what was the deal with this Empress Chen?

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan seemed like he wasn't her biological son, but rather the enemy who killed her entire family.

\n\n

"Why did she, who hates him so much, stand with Dan Li to declare him emperor?"

\n\n

As this thought crossed his mind, Xuan Ji suddenly found himself in a different scene, with the light and shadows changing around him.

\n\n

The cool air hit his face and he recognized the grand and ancient buildings of the Du Ling Palace. Then, he saw the adult Sheng Lingyuan leading a group of armored guards, striding ahead.

\n\n

Xuan Ji was taken aback by the sight of the grown-up version of the emperor and was dragged along like a ghost behind him, unable to resist.

\n\n

"What kind of rare virus strain caused her mental illness?"

\n\n

The Du Ling Palace was built after the defeat of the Demon King and the unification of the human race.

\n\n

At that time, the Heavenly Demon Sword was already broken, but the Sword Spirit didn't die for some reason.

\n\n

It seemed to be in an invisible "ghost" state, always following the Emperor. It was a bit like the state of Zhi Chun... but Zhi Chun had multiple bodies due to fortuitous circumstances.

\n\n

Could the Heavenly Demon Sword, "born" in such a special occasion, also have multiple bodies?

\n\n

Xuan Ji hadn't sorted out his thoughts yet when he was pulled into a palace by Sheng Lingyuan, his feet not touching the ground.

\n\n

The Emperor's robe sleeves fluttered, and his murderous aura was about to overflow. Wherever he went, no one dared to lift their heads to look at his face. The poor little shadow from back then was nowhere to be seen.

\n\n

Xuan Ji only had time to quickly glance at the palace plaque, which had three big characters written on it: "Chang Ming Palace."

\n\n

Chang Ming... where was that again?

\n\n

As he was still trying to piece together some rough idea from his meager knowledge of history, an old servant suddenly threw herself at the feet of Sheng Lingyuan, scrambling to her knees and stretching out her hands as if to block his way.

\n\n

"Your Majesty, please wait. The Empress Dowager is changing her clothes and cannot receive visitors at the moment."

\n\n

Without even looking up, Sheng Lingyuan flicked his sleeve and sent the old servant flying several steps away, crashing into one of the pillars in the great hall.

\n\n

A black mist rose up from under his feet, and with a single step, he shattered the stone tiles beneath him. He waved his hand behind him without turning around, signaling to his guards to search the area.

\n\n

The old servant, still lying on the ground, shouted out in protest, "This is the Empress Dowager's sleeping quarters! How dare you act so recklessly! Your Majesty, are you planning to commit regicide?"

\n\n

Suddenly, it dawned on Xuan Ji.

\n\n

"The Chang Ming Palace was where Empress Chen was confined after she fell from power!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji's eyes widened as he realized that he was about to witness the truth behind the "Emperor Wu exterminating his own kin" that historians had debated for thousands of years.

\n\n

He had no idea what Sheng Lingyuan was searching for, but it was clear that the mother and son had already reached a point of no return. Empress Chen's treatment was no better than that of a prisoner.

\n\n

With a command from Sheng Lingyuan, his guards searched the empress's chambers without hesitation.

\n\n

"Your Majesty, there's nothing in the side hall."

\n\n

"Your Majesty, there's nothing in the sleeping quarters."

\n\n

"There's nothing in the study either."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's face grew dark as he scanned the hall, his gaze finally settling on the floor tiles. He uttered two words, "Go to the Ice Palace."

\n\n

The guards were taken aback, and the voice of the old maid, who was bleeding from a head wound, suddenly changed, "Sheng Xiao, how dare you!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan glanced at her and a sinister smile crept up on his lips. "What am I afraid of?"

\n\n

The old maid screamed hoarsely, "What kind of beast are you? Are you really the demon that descended from the heavens, heartless and liverless? Sheng Xiao! The Ice Palace houses..."

\n\n

"I said search," Sheng Lingyuan was too lazy to look at her again and walked towards the Ice Palace first. "It's too noisy, make her shut up."

\n\n

Xuan Ji hadn't even realized what he meant when a guard with a knife stepped forward, covered the old maid's mouth, and swiftly slit her throat.

\n\n

The assassin's efficiency left Xuan Ji dumbfounded.

\n\n

In just a second, the boy who had made him feel heartbroken and restless had turned into a demon, casually opening the bloody prelude to the Changming Palace. The coldness in the Ice Palace was deceiving, and all the guards in the Changming Palace had gathered here, forming a human wall.

\n\n

With the words "those who block the way will die" from Prince Sheng Lingyuan, the silent Empress Dowager's bedroom became a battlefield.

\n\n

Xuan Ji shuddered violently, his worldview shattered into pieces.

\n\n

Then, he took a closer look at the furnishings in the Ice Palace and saw that it was arranged like a funeral hall, with a coffin in the middle and a spirit tablet hanging above it - Prince Ning Shengwei.

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

What the hell?

\n\n

Empress Chen put her eldest son's coffin in the ice cellar of her own bedroom!

\n\n

Before he could even piece together his shattered worldview, his hand trembled and he smashed it again.

\n\n

In the grand Du Ling Palace, is there anyone with a healthy state of mind?

\n\n

A hunched old woman in traditional Chinese clothing stood by the coffin, and upon hearing a noise, slowly turned around.

\n\n

"Sheng Xiao, what are you doing?" she asked.

\n\n

At first, Xuan Ji didn't recognize her, but then he realized that the woman with the horse face looked familiar.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan laughed and said, "Greetings, Mother."

\n\n

It was actually Empress Chen!

\n\n

At this point, Empress Chen seemed to have been drained of all life, becoming a specimen that could speak and move, devoid of any humanity.

\n\n

Only the hatred in her eyes remained youthful.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan reached out to her and said, "I heard that you brought the child to the Chang Ming Palace. The child is crying and disturbing you, so I came to take him away. Where is he?"

\n\n

Empress Chen seemed to have been in the ice cellar for too long, her face frozen stiff, revealing a cold, rigid, and bluish smile. "That bastard? Dead."

\n\n

"Your Majesty," a guard ran over and whispered, "The Ice Palace is empty."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't even lift his eyelids. "Keep looking. I put a drop of my heart's blood on the child. It's not so easy to harm him."

\n\n

"Your Majesty, the Empress..."

\n\n

Just then, Xuan Ji suddenly caught a familiar scent.

\n\n

Before he could identify it, Sheng Lingyuan's expression changed and he stepped forward to the coffin.

\n\n

"Sheng Xiao, what are you doing? This is your elder brother's body! How dare you disrespect the dead!" Empress Chen shouted.

\n\n

"Who is really disrespecting the dead? You harmed his bones and blood in front of his coffin," Sheng Lingyuan's smile did not diminish. "If he knew in the afterlife, who do you think he would want to strangle?"

\n\n

After speaking, his guards immediately took down the Empress Dowager.

\n\n

Without hesitation, Sheng Lingyuan reached out and "invited" the body of Prince Ning out.

\n\n

Under the pillow of the body, there was a small mechanism that, when twisted, opened the coffin and revealed a secret passage. Hot air rushed out, mixed with the pitiful cries of a child.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan took a step back at first, but then he boldly entered the passage.

\n\n

The black mist wrapped around him like armor, burned away by tongues of flame only to regenerate again. The flames were almost white in color, and in the midst of them was a baby being roasted.

\n\n

The child was wrapped in a protective film that was almost licked through by the flames.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan picked him up and the sound of Empress Chen's screams was amplified countless times in the secret room: "Bastard! He's just like you, a bastard! You and all those who have polluted the bloodline of our people, if you don't go extinct, the fires of Chiyuan will never be able to extinguish!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt like her brain was about to overload with the amount of information in that sentence - what did it mean to call her son a "polluter of the bloodline of our people"?

\n\n

Did she put a green hat on Emperor Ping?

\n\n

And who was this little baby being roasted over the fire?

\n\n

"Bloodline of our people," Sheng Lingyuan chuckled softly as the flames rushed towards him, dispersing the black mist around him.

\n\n

Xuan Ji watched nervously and blurted out, "Be careful!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan lifted his sleeve and used his arm to shield the baby in his arms. The intense heat left a horrifying burn on the back of his hand.

\n\n

Without even glancing at the wound, he forcefully lifted the coffin lid.

\n\n

Sparks flew out of the secret passage with him, igniting the corpse inside the coffin.

\n\n

Empress Chen let out a hoarse scream and tried to rush forward, but was held down by several guards.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan flicked off the sparks on his body and looked down at the corpse burning with the coffin.

\n\n

"May I ask, Your Majesty, where exactly is the superiority of the human race?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji was stunned and instinctively looked at the guards that Sheng Lingyuan had brought.

\n\n

He didn't know how loyal these guards were, but they all seemed indifferent to Sheng Lingyuan's blasphemous words.

\n\n

Wait a minute... something's not right.

\n\n

Xuan Ji couldn't help but take another glance and suddenly realized that these guards all had some non-human bloodline.

\n\n

"After the burning, we will tidy up the ashes of Prince Ning and bury him with respect. It's the least we can do."

\n\n

The crying of the baby echoed in the eerie hall.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan checked the little one from head to toe and found no substantial injuries.

\n\n

He held the baby with one hand and let him cry his heart out, instructing the guards, "He lived without dignity or freedom, don't let him die without peace."

\n\n

Empress Chen spoke without restraint, "He is my son! He is mine!"

\n\n

"He was born from you," Sheng Lingyuan looked down at Empress Chen, "but he is not yours."

\n\n

"Sheng Xiao! You..."

\n\n

The Ice Palace never saw the light of day, and it was extremely gloomy. The steam from the burning coffin fell on the Emperor's face, rendering it almost as pale as a dead person's.

\n\n

His smile was filled with eerie cruelty as he asked, "Mother, do you really think that the Prince Ning is just your son?"

\n\n

Empress Chen glared at him and asked, "What do you mean?"

\n\n

"I mean nothing. When he was alive, you summoned him several times a day. If you didn't see him for a day, you would become furious. Now that he's gone, you had someone steal his coffin and put it in the ice cellar of your own palace. Why? Can't bear to see him buried with my sister-in-law?"

\n\n

"Your sister-in-law is alive and well, but she was deceived by the remnants of the witch people."

\n\n

"My sister-in-law? Are you referring to the one in Prince Ning's mansion? I have forgotten, forgive me, Empress Dowager. I can never seem to remember her. Sometimes when I see her, I even think she's a wooden puppet carved in your likeness."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's gaze was fixed on her, like the cruel woman who had looked at the helpless boy many years ago.

\n\n

Suddenly, their roles were reversed.

\n\n

He lowered his voice and said each word deliberately, "I also heard that my brother and the late emperor were cut from the same mold. You keep a coffin hidden here, what does that mean? Are you not able to live together in life, so must share a tomb in death?"

\n\n

Empress Chen was slow to react, only realizing what he had said after a beat.

\n\n

She looked at him in disbelief and anger, "What did you say? You worthless pig and dog, you..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan smirked and then chuckled.

\n\n

As he walked, he couldn't stop laughing, as if he had just witnessed a delightful human comedy.

\n\n

His laughter sent shivers down Xuan Ji's spine, even though he was several steps away.

\n\n

"The human race is certainly noble," Empress Chen couldn't stand up straight, but even in this humiliating posture, her expression could still be very proud.

\n\n

"We are the only race in this world that can grow and thrive naturally without relying on anything. Those demons rely on innate bloodlines and precious treasures to cultivate, while the cowardly witch people hides under the protection of mountains and rivers. Only the human race, with mountains, rivers, sun, moon, and all things spiritual, cannot enter their seven orifices.

\n\n

"But our human race has experts who practice against the heavens, runes that adapt to the situation, and even those rural villagers who cultivate the land with their own hands! Now that the spiritual energy on the continent has dried up, those inferior species that rely on it for survival should be wiped out.

\n\n

"The human race is the chosen one of the gods of heaven and earth. It is not us who covet the demonic energy of the Chiyuan, nor is it our race that provokes the chaos of the Nine Provinces!"

\n\n

As a former female politician, Empress Chen may have seemed a bit crazy in her later years, but she never lost her ability to improvise a speech. Listening to the first half, Xuan Ji was almost convinced by her, nodding along until the last sentence when he realized she was talking nonsense.

\n\n

Everyone knows that the chaos in the Nine Provinces was instigated by Emperor Ping himself. Even the human race admits it, otherwise why would he be given such an unlucky posthumous title?

\n\n

Although it's not as famous as titles like "Yin" or "Li" for incompetent rulers, considering that his son succeeded him and the saying "a son does not criticize his father's mistakes" was prevalent at the time, having the ambiguous word "Ping" in his posthumous title basically means "you know what it means."

\n\n

"Your despicable birth mother, instead of being a demon princess, snuck into the former emperor's palace, causing chaos in the court, deceiving the emperor, inciting conflict between the two races. This way, those demons can cross the Chiyuan with justification!"

\n\n

Empress Chen's voice almost shattered the ice in the hall.

\n\n

"Let me go! You bastards! Do you know why he wants to protect you? Because he himself is also a bastard!"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan beckoned to a guard and handed him the baby in his arms, saying disdainfully, "Don't let him cry, this is not over yet."

\n\n

After that, he walked up to Empress Chen, gestured to the several guards beside him to step back, and then half-knelt down to help the woman who was lying on the ground in a sorry state, asking softly, "Isn't my birth mother the Empress Dowager?"

\n\n

"You're not worthy!" Empress Chen spat at him, causing Sheng Lingyuan to turn his head and grow cold.

\n\n

Empress Chen glared at him fiercely, as if trying to use her gaze to tear his flesh apart.

\n\n

"You're the demon spawn that demoness put in my womb! I knew from the moment you were born that you were just like that your mother!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji remained silent, shocked by this revelation.

\n\n

What kind of twisted scheme was this?

\n","published_time":"2024-04-07T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-10T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-07T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":550,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":68,"chapter_title":"Chapter 68","content":"

Who is the demon princess?

\n\n

Wait a minute!

\n\n

Did she just say that her trash husband who caused chaos in the Nine Provinces has a relationship with the demon princess?

\n\n

And the Emperor of Humanity is a half-human, half-demon hybrid?

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt like he was filled with question marks above his shoulders, and his limited knowledge of history turned to ashes.

\n\n

He looked at Sheng Lingyuan in confusion.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan's smile remained unchanged on his face, like a decoration etched onto his skin.

\n\n

Black mist swirled around him, mixed with damp water vapor.

\n\n

He lowered his eyebrows and looked like a sinister demon god from the side.

\n\n

He reached out to straighten the queen's crooked hairpin and tucked a strand of her white hair behind her ear, softly saying, "Mother, why are you talking nonsense?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji's bewildered gaze returned to the Empress Dowager as he suspected that she may have suffered from the loss of her son and political struggles, causing some cognitive impairment.

\n\n

Suddenly, Sheng Lingyuan leaned in close to her ear like a spoiled child and whispered something. He used a whispering gesture to "send a message directly," with no sound escaping and the surrounding guards unable to hear a word.

\n\n

Only Xuan Ji, who was close to him, understood the lip reading.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan spoke, "Your Majesty, it's a pity for men in this world. When a child is born, no one is willing to put the father's name on their head, and they easily make mistakes. But women are different. They know whether the child is theirs or not, and where the child comes from. If I was forced upon you, why didn't you say so? Why did you give birth to me? As an empress, even if you lose your country and your family, would you still become a tool for surrogacy?"

\n\n

Empress Chen trembled imperceptibly, and Sheng Lingyuan's hand, lightly resting on her shoulder, felt like an unbreakable shackle.

\n\n

Xuan Ji felt her struggling, but she couldn't move at all.

\n\n

"Because the child was not given to you by someone else, you stole him," Sheng Lingyuan laughed, his fingertips brushing over Empress Chen's skin like a faint black mist. "I have a story too, would you like to hear it, Your Majesty?"

\n\n

As soon as he finished speaking, a thin layer of black mist erupted from his hand, filling the entire palace like a storm and trapping the "mother and son" inside.

\n\n

The guards were all kept outside, but Xuan Ji reacted quickly and slipped inside before the black wind closed in.

\n\n

"Back when the demon capital was hit by an earthquake and the spiritual energy dried up, many demon clans fled. The demon king, Jiu Xun, had ambitions. Jiu Xun had a half-sister named 'Wan Fei'," Sheng Lingyuan continued.

\n\n

"Her mother's clan was the Vermilion Bird Clan, and she was expelled from the clan for having an affair with the outsider demon king. However, the girl she gave birth to is still regarded as a half-god by the old demon king and is loved dearly.

\n\n

"The Vermilion Bird clan could not bear to have their bloodline scattered, so they often let the imperial princess stay in the Nanming Valley. The demon clan has always been ruthless and treats their children like poison, but she is the only demon princess who has been given the title of princess for generations.

\n\n

"This spoiled princess is very arrogant and was influenced by Jiu Xun. She first supported him to ascend to the throne, and then secretly plotted to provoke a war between the two clans. In those years, she indulged in pleasure in the imperial city, playing with the noble and wealthy, and Father was infatuated with her. He ordered the expulsion of the demon clan from the territory and sent troops to Chiyuan, causing a great disaster."

\n\n

Empress Chen stared intently at Sheng Lingyuan's face, as if she could see someone's shadow in his features.

\n\n

Through gritted teeth, she spat out, "Despicable person."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan paid her no mind and instead turned his back, pacing a few steps in place before continuing, "The princess had a good idea. The divine bird clan has always refused to use the power of the Chiyuan to save the dwindling spiritual energy of the Demon Realm. They even rejected her.

\n\n

"But as long as the human and demon races are at war, Nanming Valley is conveniently located between the human world and the demon realm. If the divine bird clan wants to stop the war, they have no choice but to set Nanming Valley ablaze.

\n\n

"She succeeded and was extremely pleased with herself, thinking her strategy was unbeatable. Unfortunately, she underestimated Jiu Xun.

\n\n

"Jiu Xun was incredibly greedy. He coveted not only the land beyond the demon realm, but also the power of the gods and demons sealed within the Chiyuan. Taking advantage of a worship ceremony, he wielded his sword to slaughter the gods, ignoring the wrath of heaven and seizing control of the Chiyuan.

\n\n

"The princess realized she had become a laughingstock. So, she sacrificed herself and used half of her Vermilion Bird blood to write the Vermilion Bird clan's forbidden spell, the 'Great Light Sacrifice.' She channeled the anger and resentment of the extinct divine bird clan into the Vermilion Bird statue that had been worshipped by humans for thousands of years.

\n\n

"The statue, already imbued with spiritual energy from years of worship, responded to the Great Light Sacrifice and transformed into a demon, born from her long-standing wish... Unfortunately, the Great Light Sacrifice went awry.

\n\n

"In the Great Light Sacrifice, this most mysterious set of rituals is not like the Yin Sacrifice that require the slaughter of thousands of animals. The offerings in this sacrifice are relatively cheap, as the sacrificer only needs to offer their own life. However, since ancient times, no one has ever witnessed it because the other conditions for the Great Light Sacrifice are extremely harsh.

\n\n

"The deity statue used in the sacrifice must have been worshipped for a thousand years and fed with incense. Additionally, the sacrificer must have the bloodline of the deity's clan, and it must be the last bloodline.

\n\n

"The human and demon races do not intermarry, and mixed-blood offspring are extremely rare. So the princess never expected to have a burden in her belly... Who knew what it was thinking, maybe there was no other womb to hold onto, so this one clung to her stubbornly. This child took the power of the Vermilion Bird, causing the failure of the Great Light Sacrifice.

\n\n

"The princess only got a faceless, powerless, and invisible remnant of the god statue, while she became a living dead person - her seven orifices closed, her spiritual energy scattered, her five senses lost, her flesh rotting, but still alive because of the fetus that took the power of the Vermilion Bird in her belly."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was so horrified that his hair stood on end, and she could barely keep up with taking notes.

\n\n

"In this world, how could there be such a burden, as if it came specifically to oppress her, to go against her. All the fortunes in the world seem to harm her, causing her cultivation to be completely destroyed and her appearance to be unrecognizable. She hates that she can't just cut it out and eat it raw."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan chuckled strangely, "But the Vermilion Bird's power was swallowed by the fetus, how could she be willing to waste it like this? So, she conspired with the rubbish statue and quietly released a prophecy, a prophecy that later became the lifesaving straw for millions of people, leaving her dying self to your exiled mother."

\n\n

"Back then, when Mother was pregnant with the late Emperor's posthumous child, you accidentally caused the death of my half-brother. Perhaps due to your age and the sudden tragedy, you came up with a brilliant plan upon hearing the prophecy.

\n\n

"You used the secret technique of 'grafting' to transfer the unborn child of the female demon into your own body, as the demon's child was born with congenital defects. After the stolen child was born, you 'offered' him to the world... The eighty-one foolish cultivators were in awe of your selflessness and were willing to die for you. They used the sacred artifact of your human race, the 'Heaven and Earth Cauldron,' to refine a worthless being who was neither human nor demon into... me, the most powerful and venomous sword of your Sheng family.

\n\n

"Mother, do you remember the expression on the face of the demoness when you had her cut open to take out the child? Did she smile?"

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan looked at the woman with a pitiful and regretful gaze.

\n\n

"Because you were deceived. Also, have you ever thought about how coincidental it was that your child had died at that time?"

\n\n

"What? Done with the job, and now you want to take my life? The demon king's body is not even cold yet, and you are already eager to break my sword, lure the Mountain king into madness, and make us both suffer... Isn't this the plan you and my old teacher came up with? Tsk, you clever people who think you have everything figured out."

\n\n

Empress Chen let out a scream that sounded inhuman, and the black mist surrounding her dissipated suddenly.

\n\n

The coffin of Prince Ning burned to charcoal and collapsed with a loud bang.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan raised a finger to his lips and laughed silently.

\n\n

"The demon will always turn on its master."

\n\n

Afterwards, he briskly rolled up his sleeves and said, "Someone come! The Empress Dowager has lost her eldest son and is now in a state of madness. It pains me to see her like this. Quickly take her away and have someone look after her properly. Don't let anyone disturb her."

\n\n

The Empress Dowager Chen rushed towards him like a madwoman, but was held down tightly by the mixed-blood guards.

\n\n

The blood vessels in her eyes were like spider webs, and she looked like she was about to burst with anger.

\n\n

In this dark world, who wouldn't go insane?

\n\n

Empress Dowager Chen howled, "Stop! Stop right there! Sheng Xiao, you... mmm..."

\n\n

The mixed-blood guards, who had no respect for her, expressionlessly covered the Empress Dowager's mouth.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan turned around a few steps away, his face filled with exaggerated concern, and said, "Mother, rest assured. I will search for a famous doctor and find a good medicine to restore your peace as soon as possible."

\n\n

Empress Chen understood the hidden meaning behind his words and suddenly stiffened.

\n\n

"As the country is just beginning to stabilize, there are still many matters to attend to. It may take some time," Sheng Lingyuan smirked, "Please allow me, Your Majesty, to have a little more patience."

\n\n

The person he wanted to kill had not yet been killed, and his hand did not yet cover the sky.

\n\n

After finishing his words, Sheng Lingyuan bowed respectfully to the Empress and bid farewell, like a flawless performance of etiquette... which was something the Empress had forced him to learn since childhood, from walking to sitting to lying down, he could not afford to make any mistakes.

\n\n

Then he turned and walked towards the Ice Palace, the smile on his face disappeared, and the guard holding the baby hurriedly followed.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan didn't even look at the child pulled out of the fire, and coldly said, "Didn't I tell that little thing to stop crying? Why is he still making noise?"

\n\n

"If he doesn't stop, I'll crush him," he threatened.

\n\n

Outside the palace, the sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly.

\n\n

The world was vast and boundless, and the willow buds had already turned into fresh green leaves.

\n\n

However, the snow at Du Ling Palace was still as unmelted as ever.

\n\n

Xuan Ji, the ghostly messenger, tried to catch up to his figure that was colder than the snow, but he only caught a handful of broken light.

\n\n

Suddenly, Xuan Ji opened his eyes and was almost blinded by the sunlight.

\n\n

Unknowingly, he had spent the whole night there.

\n\n

By now, the sun was already high in the sky, and the staff at the hospital were bustling about. The nurses were used to seeing all kinds of people with special abilities, so they didn't bother him when he was performing some kind of ritual.

\n\n

Instead, they quietly cleaned the ward and opened the curtains, replacing the flowers in the vase with fresh ones.

\n\n

The new bouquet was still dewy, and the window facing the south of the ward overlooked the sea. The vast expanse of sea and sky was beyond imagination.

\n\n

Xuan Ji suddenly sat up from the sickbed, pretending to be a corpse, and was about to run out.

\n\n

Despite his legs being numb from sitting cross-legged all night, he didn't care and his mind was still stuck in the past three thousand years ago.

\n\n

He stumbled out, like a crippled tornado.

\n\n

Finally, Sheng Lingyuan's heavy mystery was lifted by him.

\n\n

As the prince of the human race, why was he pinned to the bronze cauldron like a sacrificial offering?

\n\n

Why did his "birth mother" still live, yet the young prince had to wander around with the emperor's teacher?

\n\n

Why did they make the youngest brother the protagonist of the prophecy, when the eldest brother was still alive?

\n\n

And why did the emperor, who had just defeated the demon king and reclaimed the human world, face rebellion from his court before even settling into his palace?

\n\n

Why did Dan Li use such a roundabout method to destroy the people of Mountain, deliberately luring King Wei Yu into demonic possession, as if just to make the Emperor take action...

\n\n

If it weren't for Sheng Lingyuan knowing his own identity beforehand, if it weren't for Prince Ning switching sides in battle, would the Emperor's life have been as brilliant and fleeting as a shooting star, stopping at the moment when he expelled the foreign races and entered the Mountain palace, with his brothers, nephews, and descendants inheriting the throne and burying the dirty secrets in the Vermilion Bird Temple forever in the annals of heroes?

\n\n

No wonder no one had pressured him to marry and have children after he came of age, even when the war with the demon race was so intense.

\n\n

Dan Li and the Empress Dowager never thought of having a "backup plan" to leave some blood and bones for the human race.

\n\n

It turns out that he was always just a dangerous weapon. In this world, the only thing that belonged to him was a sword that died prematurely.

\n\n

"What kind of life is this?" Xuan Ji suddenly stopped in his tracks and saw Sheng Lingyuan talking to a few Wind God special agents at the entrance of the hospital.

\n\n

The Wind Gods had been beaten up by the clones of King Wei Yu on the sea that day, and they didn't hear the part where he forced Zhi Chun to death.

\n\n

They thought the old demon was Captain Yan's benefactor, and they were all in tears, grateful beyond words. Sheng Lingyuan had a pile of gift boxes under his feet, filled with all sorts of things that could be sold at a New Year's market in the urban-rural junction.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao, the naive boy, immediately opened the back of his stopwatch and took out a turtle shell talisman, handing it over to Sheng Lingyuan with great solemnity:

\n\n

"Brother, this was left to me by my parents when they passed away. My family is a very powerful clan, and this turtle shell was left by our ancestors to protect our lives... Although I don't know how to use it, it's definitely a valuable antique that can be infused with special abilities. This is the most valuable thing I have, so I'm entrusting it to you. If you need me, just call and I'll come running from anywhere in the world."

\n\n

The old demon had neither guilt nor shame, and since Zhang Zhao dared to give it to him, he accepted it without hesitation: "Thank you."

\n\n

Xuan Ji's emotions were in turmoil, and a hole was suddenly revealed.

\n\n

Just then, Sheng Lingyuan sensed his presence and turned around to give him a smile that was anything but friendly.

\n\n

Xuan Ji's face darkened as he limped over to the wall and snatched the turtle shell talisman back from Sheng Lingyuan, tossing it to Zhang Zhao.

\n\n

"It's not necessary," he said.

\n\n

"It is necessary!" Zhang Zhao stood up straight, his eyes wide open as he solemnly handed the talisman back to Sheng Lingyuan.

\n\n

He even pressed down heavily on Sheng Lingyuan's hand, saying, "Captain Yan is the bottom line of our Wind God. Saving Captain Yan is like being the parents of all of us in the Wind God!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji's eyelids twitched as he watched this live version of recognizing the thief as one's father.

\n\n

Zhang Zhao noticed that something was off with him and thought he understood what was going on.

\n\n

He quickly let go of Sheng Lingyuan's hand and awkwardly hid his own behind his back, saying, "I just wanted to express my gratitude...just a friendly touch, Director Xuan. Don't give me that look, I won't...won't touch your sword spirit again."

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

These Wind Gods were all crazy.

\n\n

Their former leader had an inappropriate relationship with a spirit, and now they were all wearing the "inappropriate relationship" filter, making it seem like everyone with a sword spirit was guilty of something!

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan put away his turtle shell talisman and glanced at Xuan Ji.

\n\n

"Good morning. I thought you wouldn't be able to wake up so early after last night's hard work."

\n\n

The Wind Gods were shocked by his words and didn't even have time to cover up their previous tears. They quickly coughed and tried to disperse.

\n\n

Xuan Ji said, "No, let me explain..."

\n\n

Zhang Zhao chuckled, "You guys chat, haha, don't mind me - oh, Director Xuan, the aftermath department has sent people over. Right now, Old Luo and the others should be dealing with the matters on the sea. They know you haven't been discharged yet, so they'll handle it first and come see you later... I'll tell them to come later!"

\n\n

Xuan Ji: "..."

\n\n

What the hell are you asking them to come later for!

\n\n

The Wind Gods dispersed with laughter, and Sheng Lingyuan's business-like smile faded with them. He and Xuan Ji knew each other's secrets and didn't feel like putting on a show.

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan could tell at a glance that Xuan Ji had already erased the spell that led to his trance, and he seemed to be in good spirits, not like he had been through a lot of trouble.

\n\n

It was clear that this guy had excellent aptitude, coupled with a unique inheritance, so he could learn anything with half the effort.

\n\n

It was evident that he had not been seriously practicing before.

\n\n

"Your colleague is interrogating the blind man, go take a look," Sheng Lingyuan said, stepping over the scattered gift boxes without a care for others' intentions.

\n\n

Xuan Ji could only pick up the boxes and carry them for him, hanging them all over his body and moving them to the guardhouse for safekeeping.

\n\n

The gift boxes were packaged in various styles, from luxurious mountain delicacies and nutritional supplements to trendy electronic products. There was even a pair of gemstone cufflinks from some stylish and refined Wind God, worth far more than the regulated amount.

\n\n

Xuan Ji roughly scanned through them, feeling overwhelmed - this was not a thank-you gift, but rather a heavy burden of money and the deceived emotions of the Wind God.

\n\n

The person who had deceived them had already left, abandoning the gifts like old shoes.

\n\n

"Director Xuan, take a look at this..." The guard at this hospital was also a retired special ability user, and was helping him count the items when a hard paper card fell out of a gift bag.

\n\n

The guard held up the card and aimed it at the sunlight, revealing a flash of gold and a hidden symbol on the card.

\n\n

"This is a 'paper shield'."

\n\n

Xuan Ji was taken aback as he took the card and felt a subtle energy wave as soon as his fingers touched the surface.

\n\n

"This was something I was lucky enough to have when I was young," the gatekeeper said with a hint of nostalgia. "Using a special device to extract one's own special abilities, like extracting bone marrow, and then drawing protective symbols on paper cards. If someone carrying the paper shield encounters an emergency, they can tear open the shield and the owner of the shield can help share some of the burden.

\n\n

"However, the help that can be provided is limited. It can only withstand minor accidents like bumps and bruises. It's useless against mithril bullets, and if it falls into the wrong hands, it can easily cause trouble for oneself. This is a small gift with great meaning. Director Xuan, you can store the items, but please take good care of the paper shields and don't let them go to waste."

\n\n

Xuan Ji looked down and saw that almost every gift box contained a "paper shield."

\n\n

Just how popular was Yan Qiushan when he was in the Wind God team?

\n\n

He cherished the paper shields he had collected and caught up with Sheng Lingyuan, presenting them to him: "Your Majesty, wait, these are from my colleagues..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan picked up one, glanced at it, and without waiting for him to finish, flicked it away with a casual gesture.

\n\n

"Unsteady strokes, leaking spiritual energy. How can you even have the face to show me such a poorly drawn talisman?"

\n\n

Xuan Ji hurriedly caught the paper shield and angrily retorted, "You..."

\n\n

Sheng Lingyuan had already walked ahead, leaving only a tall and straight back - the same back that Empress Chen had beaten with a ruler. Xuan Ji choked up for a moment, but after a while, his expression changed several times and his anger gradually subsided as he silently followed behind.

\n\n

"I am the delusion of the people."

\n\n

That was how the person introduced himself when he first met him at Chiyuan.

\n\n

This Emperor of Humanity, without such heartlessness and ruthlessness, how could he have endured a life of loneliness and madness?

\n\n

Xuan Ji absentmindedly pulled out his phone, logged onto the internal network, and opened the full liability agreement that he had secretly read several times before...

\n\n

"The scar-faced worm took advantage of the chaos and ran away, and the puppet self-immolated as soon as it reached the shore, leaving only one... What are you doing?" the voice interrupted Xuan Ji's thoughts.

\n\n

Xuan Ji remained silent as a line of text appeared on his phone screen: "Fingerprint signature recorded, full liability agreement uploaded."

\n","published_time":"2024-04-14T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-17T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-14T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":557,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":69,"chapter_title":"Chapter 69","content":"

Xuan Ji's phone began to shake endlessly.

After signing the \"full responsibility agreement,\" his system seemed to have taken drugs and excitedly sent him twenty-eight private messages in the background.

Some congratulated him on his sword spirit obtaining legal human status and \"human rights.\"

Others urged him to promptly complete the sword spirit's information in order to apply for various identity documents.

There were also various welfare notices... and most importantly, a reminder that the signatory must be responsible for all actions of the sword spirit, including but not limited to taking the blame and serving time in prison for murder.

Therefore, the signatory of the full responsibility agreement must always pay attention to restraining the behavior of the sword spirit and has an obligation to instill civilized legal concepts into these spirits, who have several tons of feudal rubbish in their brains, and cannot just enjoy double salaries and welfare benefits without any responsibility.

Restraining... behavior...

Instilling... civilized legal concepts...

Xuan Ji was so focused that he was a bit disoriented, but his phone woke him up.

He slowly lifted his gaze from the screen and saw the Emperor standing a few steps away from him.

Sheng Lingyuan was puzzled by his silence, \"That puppet girl was just a Heart-Piercing Grass Puppet controlled by someone else. Upon being captured, it should be expected that it would be destroy itself.\"

Why did his face suddenly turn green when he heard this news?

Xuan Ji's expression was as if he had just had his wisdom teeth pulled out, \"I'm not surprised at all.\"

The memories of the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit were sealed in the deepest part of his mind.

Indeed, those memories were not just a few \"holographic movies\" for him.

Xuan Ji could clearly feel that the emotions belonging to the Sword Spirit were influencing... even controlling him.

In just a few short days, he had already experienced the agony of unrequited love and heart-wrenching pain.

His emotions were so deep and his mind so exhausted that he no longer felt like himself.

If he continued down this path, he feared he would eventually be assimilated by the heavenly demon sword spirit.

Whether it was assimilation or transformation, Xuan Ji was more open-minded. After all, people are always changing.

Ordinary people are constantly influenced by various social trends, and few have a clear idea of who they are. Xuan Ji never demanded to be an unchanging rock.

If he could be assimilated into a devilishly charming and domineering CEO, as long as his wallet could keep up, he would not only have no objections, but would also be ecstatic.

But he didn't want to become like the heavenly demon sword spirit.

Perhaps hardship can bring prosperity to a nation, but it will definitely harm people. The life of the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit is a tragic tale, forged with steel and iron.

Even in death, he was tormented by this heartless demon, adding to his misery.

The few memories of this ancestor have caused serious trauma to Xuan Ji, to the point where he trembles at the mere mention of the words \"Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit.\"

This cannot continue.

Xuan Ji calmly takes a deep breath and glances at his phone.

The lock screen displays a selfie of himself, with a ten-level beauty filter and a trendy vibe that exudes from the screen. Even his teeth are perfectly white.

Xuan Ji stares at his handsome and suave face, strengthening his resolve - he is who he is, a unique and brilliant individual who will not be tainted by the likes of the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit and his bitter grudges.

Hopefully, the full responsibility agreement can be retracted.

A few of the technical staff at the Bureau's aftermath department were busy deleting and editing posts.

The internal network was poorly maintained and was as slow as a ticket-booking software during the Spring Festival rush.

Exerting tremendous effort, Xuan Ji finally managed to log back into the full liability agreement.

He was sweating profusely and breathed a sigh of relief after carefully reading the terms and conditions - the full liability agreement could be revoked within 24 hours.

Thank Buddha for the great electronic agreement!

Without hesitation, he entered the revocation program.

A rudimentary dialogue box popped up on the system, with misaligned text that could drive a perfectionist crazy: \"Do you want to revoke the full liability agreement?\"

Xuan Ji didn't have time to nitpick the formatting and quickly clicked \"Yes.\"

The system then displayed another dialogue box, which seemed to flicker: \"To ensure public safety, after revoking the full liability agreement, the system will immediately enter a security review process. Please be prepared and cooperate with the work. Do you want to continue revoking?\"

\"Yes...no! Wait a minute!\"

Xuan Ji quickly clicked on the link for the \"safety review process\" and scanned through the program instructions.

The general idea was that once the \"safety review process\" was initiated, highly humanoid weapon spirits would be automatically classified as \"special grade dangerous objects.\"

What exactly did \"special grade\" mean?

The eight mutated trees that caused a riot in Chiyuan were only classified as \"second grade,\" and the Mirage Island that almost trapped Yan Qiushan was only classified as \"first grade.\"

Once a \"special grade dangerous object\" appeared, the Bureau would activate emergency measures, mobilize the nearest special forces at the fastest speed, forcibly arrest the object, and if necessary, even use large-scale barrier instruments to seal off the space.

In other words, as long as Xuan Ji presses this button, the Wind Gods who just \"queued up\" to present the gift boxes to the emperor will immediately receive an emergency call-up order, requiring them to \"eliminate\" the \"dangerous hidden danger\" of Sheng Lingyuan.

And in this damned system, the only way to revoke the full responsibility agreement is to enter the security review process!

The Bureau, being such a huge organization, sometimes tends to be lazy.

The strict management of the weapon spirits is largely because Zhi Chun injured innocent civilians.

The Bureau needs to come up with a charter to show outsiders, but internally it is \"the people do not report, the officials do not investigate.\"

If Xuan Ji had continued to pretend that Sheng Lingyuan didn't exist, theoretically, he could have continued to get by - just maintain good relationships with his colleagues, avoid offending anyone, and don't let anyone report him for illegally raising sword spirits...even if someone did report him, it wouldn't matter since \"sword spirits\" were just an excuse and the emperor wasn't a real sword.

However, once he himself had logged into the \"full responsibility system,\" he would be confessing to his own crimes.

The bureau had clearly stipulated that once a highly humanoid spirit was born, unless someone took full responsibility for it, it must immediately undergo a security check.

In the end, it was all because he was too impulsive...no, it was all because the memories of the heavenly demon sword spirit in his sea of consciousness were haunting him!

Xuan Ji stole a glance at Sheng Lingyuan and thought to himself that the emperor couldn't possibly just stand there and let them investigate him.

Although they were currently on the same side as the Bureau and could get along relatively well, that didn't mean the old demon wouldn't take action against them.

For the sake of the \"big picture,\" the old demon could even sacrifice his temporary teammates, let alone those who had offended him.

Sheng Lingyuan's spiritual awareness was extremely keen, and he had long since noticed Xuan Ji's sneaky glances at him.

He lazily spoke up, as if Xuan Ji hadn't held in a fart properly, \"If you have something to say, just say it. What are you looking at?\"

Xuan Ji had a thousand words he wanted to say.

He wished he could immediately rush over and hug the emperor's thigh, begging him to have mercy on him for the sake of their \"joint responsibility.\"

He wanted to be closer to the common people and further away from the yoke of the law.

Sheng Lingyuan turned his head and glanced at him, \"Hmm?\"

Xuan Ji knew rationally that he should \"stay away from drugs, stay away from gambling, stay away from Sheng Lingyuan,\" but his body couldn't help but react to the seductive gaze, causing his heart to spasm and his blood pressure to skyrocket.

He deeply understood what it meant to be a slave to one's desires.

At the same time, he silently locked his phone screen and put it back in his pocket - he decided to hold back and not say anything, otherwise he would just be giving the old demon a clear path to control him.

\"I... have something I want to ask for your advice on...\" Xuan Ji, with a blood-red face and a blank expression, forced out a few serious words from his gut, trying to show that he was not swayed by appearance.

\"I want to ask, during the fight with the Mountain king on the sea, why did I feel like we were mutually restraining each other... was it just my imagination?\"

Sheng Lingyuan raised an eyebrow lightly. \"Oh, it's impressive that you still remember that.\"

Xuan Ji: \"...\"

He always felt like he was being insulted with a needle whenever he spoke.

\"Indeed, we do clash with each other.\"

As they walked, Sheng Lingyuan briefly explained the principle of their mutual restraint, then felt that Xuan Ji might not understand.

So he simply and rudely instructed, \"In any case, everything is balanced and mysterious. It's okay if you don't understand. Just remember, whether it's the power of Chiyuan or the seal of Vermilion Bird, both will break the balance and go against the will of heaven. Unless the Chiyuan fire reignites in the future, don't use your Vermilion Bird seal power recklessly.\"

Xuan Ji thought for a moment, \"But what if the situation is critical? What if I encounter a formidable enemy that I can't defeat?\"

\"For three thousand years, Chiyuan has been sealed. The powerful beings and spirits of the past have long since died, leaving no formidable opponents. Apart from the sealing of the Vermilion Bird, there are no additional restrictions from the heavens on your clan. With the inheritance of three thousand years, you have a unique advantage...\"

Sheng Lingyuan's usual gentle tone remained unchanged, but for some reason, Xuan Ji could sense a hint of impatience.

He quickly interjected, \"If I can die despite having such an advantage, then I must be a useless waste who deserves it!\"

Sheng Lingyuan gave him a fake smile that said \"you're a teachable child.\"

Xuan Ji fell silent for a moment before speaking again, \"Your Majesty, correct me if I'm wrong, but the stronger one's power and the closer they are to breaking the rules, the more they will be restricted, right?\"

Sheng Lingyuan paused slightly before responding, \"Hmm?\"

\"I've been thinking about these Yin Sacrifice rituals,\" Xuan Ji pondered, \"and the first choice for the sacrifice is you...the Heart-Piercing Grass Puppet buried under the Chiyuan. The Chiyuan is the place you, Your Majesty, have sealed off. Although I only found out about this recently, I don't think the brother who controls the Yin Sacrifice ritual could be as ignorant as I am. It's absurd that he summoned a formidable enemy in the first round to increase the challenge for himself.\"

For ancient people who have lived long enough, the usual tradition is to hang themselves or take poison. Those who are rich can swallow gold, and those who are brave can even cut their own necks.

Only this Majesty sought death in a unique way - jumping barefoot into a volcano, achieving death and cremation in one step. A wild creature like this, it's obvious that he wouldn't be controlled by the Yin Sacrifice ritual.

No amount of thunder or knives could stop him from breaking the contract, and he might even take a few who disturbed his eternal rest with him.

If it weren't for Sheng Lingyuan being awakened, Aluojin and his mysterious group of witch people would have created big trouble for the Bureau.

Let alone the Mountain king.

So why did the manipulators behind the Yin Sacrifice ritual, or rather, those from the True Nature Sect, want to wake up this big shot?

Were they just looking for trouble because they had nothing better to do?

\"So I guess it's possible that the so-called rules of heaven, like a ball, have limited capacity. Once something too powerful enters, it will be struck back by the ball, like being struck by lightning.

\"Captain Yan always believed that the 'heavenly demons' had already left their flesh and become a part of the rules of heaven and earth. If his inference is correct, then the young clan leader and King Wei Yu, those heavenly demons, should all be existence that the rules of heaven cannot tolerate.

\"But I found that as long as you are present, the heavenly thunder doesn't strike others as much. You are like a...\" Xuan Ji almost blurted out the words 'lightning rod', but quickly hit the brakes and skillfully changed course, \"the high point overlooking the forest under the blue sky, the one who expands the space of the ball. Because of you, the subsequent human demons are not very noticeable and become the ones that slip through the cracks instead of getting struck by heavenly thunder.\"

\"The fish,\" he pondered. \"What was that saying again? 'The carp swims with the current, but the shrimp is crushed by the waves'...\"

His mind wandered as he tried to recall the exact words.

Suddenly, he remembered, \"No, no, that's not it. It's 'The orbit of Saturn is steady, while the smoke rises endlessly'...\"

He smiled to himself, pleased with his recollection.

As Xuan Ji spoke, he suddenly paused, feeling as though he heard an echo in his heart... It was like someone had lamented like this in his ear a long time ago.

Who was it?

Sheng Lingyuan paid no attention. The emperor had heard too many words in his lifetime, and someone like Xuan Ji, at best, could only be considered \"not unpleasant to listen to.\"

He couldn't even make it into the ranks of third-rate flatterers.

\"Not only that,\" seeing that the little demon was still somewhat clever, he had the mood to give a few more pointers, \"besides being able to block the Heavenly Way for those demon people, I also have the same origin as Chiyuan. Chiyuan and I influence each other - it has been three thousand years. The reason why I can respond to the Yin Sacrifice ritual at this time is also related to the loosening of the bone seal of Chiyuan. The thirty-six bone seals are left with only you... \"

Look at this incapable last seal.

Sheng Lingyuan glanced at Xuan Ji and clicked his tongue, \"If I didn't exercise restraint and used my power recklessly to deal with those old friends, there would be no need for others to provoke me to unleash the power of the Chiyuan.\"

In other words, as long as this True Nature Sect can continuously create enemies to force Sheng Lingyuan to take action, it is like constantly throwing firewood into the Chiyuan.

\"Your Majesty, I have another question,\" Xuan Ji said in a deep voice, \"What does 'you and the Chiyuan share the same origin' mean?\"

Why did you choose the fires of Chiyuan as your lifelong destination back then?

Why does a jade carving of a Heart-Piercing Grass Puppet have the same level of power as a heavenly demon?

What exactly is this Heavenly Demon that once carried the fate of the human race?

The winter day in Yuyang was unbelievably bright. As soon as he finished speaking, a warm wind wrapped up a large cloud that happened to pass by the sun.

The shadow fell on the ground, and the colors of the surrounding plants suddenly became gloomy.

Sheng Lingyuan's golden edges disappeared quietly under the sunlight, and he tied his long black hair behind his head.

His long-sleeved shirt was so white that it looked cold.

The hospital was located in a remote area, and the small road surrounded by coconut trees at the entrance was rarely visited.

At this moment, there were only the two of them, and it was rare to have a peaceful conversation.

Xuan Ji felt that the temperature around them dropped by three degrees as soon as he asked his question, realizing that he had crossed a line.

He skillfully paved the way: \"I just asked casually. If it's too complicated, you don't have to say it. I don't understand anything about Taoism or mysticism...\"

Sheng Lingyuan waved his hand: \"It's just the literal meaning.\"

Xuan Ji held his breath and watched Sheng Lingyuan carefully.

Seeing that he hadn't spoken for a while and had a slightly furrowed brow, he couldn't bear to see the Emperor suffer thanks to his \"Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit Disease\" any longer and immediately spoke up, \"Your Majesty, you don't have to...\"

\"It's not that I can't say anything, it's just that I don't know where to start,\" Sheng Lingyuan put his hands behind his back and gave him a frown, \"I don't know where to start so you can understand.\"

Xuan Ji: \"...\"

Well, it's okay. The \"Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit Disease\" healed itself under the blatant discrimination.

\"Do you understand the beginning and end of the first Pingyuan War that Shen Jun started?\" Sheng Lingyuan asked.

Xuan Ji took a moment to react before realizing that \"Shen Jun\" was the Emperor Ping's name.

\"The Demon King Jiu Xun destroyed the Vermilion Bird Clan, seized control of the Chiyuan, and as long as he holds it, the human race is powerless - even if all the human tribes unite as one, and millions of ants sacrifice their lives, they cannot stop a heavy rain.\"

Sheng Lingyuan strolled leisurely under the trees, the sunlight shining through the leaves like scattered gold, covering him from head to toe. His voice was also lazy, as if he was telling a history story that had nothing to do with him on a lazy afternoon.

\"Therefore, the human race must not let Jiu Xun succeed. Fortunately, although Jiu Xun swallowed the leader of the Divine Bird Clan, he could not completely control the Chiyuan.\"

Xuan Ji asked cautiously, \"Does 'swallowed' mean...\"

\"It's means eating,\" Sheng Lingyuan said helplessly. \"Tigers and wolves eat sheep, jackals and foxes hunt pheasants as a normal occurrence. Even the demon race eats their own kind, so what's so special about it? I mean, you're a spirit born from a demon bone, how come you're living like a human?\"

Xuan Ji: \"...\"

He now felt that being called a \"little demon\" was an insult.

\"The Demon King Jiu Xun was born from the drunken union of a the old demon king and a Jiao maiden. The Jiao clan was considered lowly and treated like livestock among the demon clan.

\"Jiu Xun's mother was killed by the other concubines of the old demon king shortly after giving birth. Jiu Xun hated his own origins and tried every means possible to cleanse himself of his Jiao blood.

\"He swallowed 999 preeminent demons to purify himself, but ended up becoming a shape-shifting monster with a thousand heads and a thousand bodies.

\"Although he had consumed the leader of the divine bird clan, he still suffered from... what was that word from a TV commercial? Oh yes, 'indigestion'. Until he fully assimilates the power of the Vermilion Bird, Chiyuan will not recognize him as his master.\"

\"What happened then?\" Xuan Ji felt his stomach churning and thought, 'What about giving the demon king some laxatives? It's never ended well for those who eat wild animals as sashimi.'

Sheng Lingyuan said, \"The Chiyuan was divided in half.\"

Xuan Ji asked, \"What?\"

\"According to legend, since the true god created the world, there have been three great demonic weapons in the mortal world that can connect heaven and earth, draw ghost fire into them, and become a great demon body. You don't need me to say what the three great demonic weapons are.\"

\"You mean...the 'Divine Corpse,' 'Ghost Pill,' and 'Heaven and Earth Cauldron'?\" Xuan Ji hesitated, \"I thought that was similar to the myth of Nuwa mending the sky, all just folklore.\"

\"The 'Divine Corpse' refers to the non-decaying corpse of ancient gods. Legend has it that when the true god dies, their body will naturally return to the earth and sky. If the body is imprisoned in a special way before it dissolves, the imprisoned god will become a demonic weapon due to resentment and anger.\"

As for the \"Ghost Pill,\" it was a concept used in a mobile game that Xuan Ji had recently played. It was said that once every ten thousand years, a \"Supreme Yin Ghost\" would be born in response to a calamity.

Born from the dead, their eyes would hold the flames of karma, and they could single-handedly stir up a storm of blood and violence. They were the sole survivor of a million lives, and upon achieving enlightenment, they would become a great demon of the heavens.

If their heart was ever cut out, it would transform into a multi-faceted stone, with each facet showing the agonized screams and cries of countless evil spirits.

\"The Heaven and Earth Cauldron\" is even more mysterious.

It is said that billions of years ago, there was a great natural disaster where divine fire rained down from the sky, burning the ancient ancestors to death overnight. Countless prehistoric spiritual creatures also disappeared in the heavenly fire, except for the Nanming Vermilion Bird, which belongs to the fire element, and only a few eggs were left in a cauldron.

The living creatures who fled in all directions in the heavenly fire collided with the cauldron and begged desperately to enter for refuge, but they were unable to do so and left 8,800 scars on the cauldron.

Therefore, although the Vermilion Bird is a divine race, it was born from a demonic artifact and has a natural ability to communicate with demons.

Sheng Lingyuan laughed and said, \"The 'Divine Corpse' is illusory, the 'Ghost Pill' may yet exist, but I have personally seen the 'Heaven and Earth Cauldron', which is the sacred object of the human royal family.\"

Xuan Ji was initially taken aback, but then remembered the chaotic Vermilion Bird Temple where demons danced, the boy and young bird nailed to the large bronze cauldron when eighty-one thunderbolts struck, and the hysterical Empress Chen from the memories of the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit.

There were also the chilling secrets of the Du ling Palace...

It seemed that an answer that connected everything was about to be revealed.

Sheng Lingyuan said, \"This is a long story. My birth mother was not from the Chen family, but a demoness. I have some Vermilion Bird bloodline as well. When she was pregnant with me, she unknowingly underwent a 'sacrifice ritual'. You understand what the heavenly rules mean, right?\"

Xuan Ji had a vague understanding of the heavenly rules, which referred to the rules of power and law - power of the same level could either enhance or counteract each other, such as water and fire being counteractive while earth and wood were complementary. Higher-level powers could also overpower lower-level ones, such as how water could extinguish fire in general, but not a forest fire.

Regardless of which clan or series of power and sacrifice, they must follow this level rule.

The first level was about the natural laws of life and death, the laws of nature, the situation of heaven and earth, and the passage of time.

The second level was \"similar to life and death,\" which meant equivalent exchange.

Only after that came the five elements, the interaction of mountains and rivers, and so on.

Weapon crafting and the Yin Sacrifice rituals belonged to the second level, and in the event of conflicting rules, they needed to obey the first level.

In other words, Sheng Lingyuan's birth mother was going to sacrifice herself, but her unborn child was going to be born.

Without killing the fetus beforehand, the act of sacrifice and birth conflicted with each other, so her sacrifice failed.

\"She became a living dead because her sacrifice failed due to her pregnancy. By a stroke of luck, I became a Yin ghost born from the living dead, carrying the blood of the Vermilion Bird, making me a perfect material for refining into a Heavenly Demon. The top 81 elite cultivators of the human race used the entire human race's fortune as a sacrifice, throwing me into the Heaven and Earth Cauldron, killing my physical body, and drawing the Chiyuan Fire inside to refine into the Heavenly Demon's body,\" said Sheng Lingyuan nonchalantly.

\"Although I look like a human, I am not one. This body is half of the Chiyuan. As long as I am alive, Jiu Xun cannot steal the power of the Chiyuan. I am the true secret that allowed the human race to survive and thrive.

\"Otherwise, why do you think the human race chose me as their banner?

\"With Dan Li's ability, even a dog could be made to obey, what woud they still want me for?\"

","published_time":"2024-04-21T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-24T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-21T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":564,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":70,"chapter_title":"Chapter 70","content":"

Xuan Ji's tongue could produce enough reeds to form an entire orchestra, and he had the unique ability to rap while munching on melon seeds.

But suddenly, he was at a loss for words, his mind racing.

After a while, he finally regained control of his tongue and said with difficulty, \"This is too much... Aren't they afraid of being bitten back?\"

\"Of course they're afraid,\" Sheng Lingyuan replied calmly. \"After the Demon King's death, for the sake of long-term stability in the mortal world, I naturally had to hide my strength as a heavenly demon. If it weren't for Dan Li trying to kill me first, I wouldn't have had the chance to uproot his power.\"

\"These things probably won't be recorded in your history books,\" he continued. \"But I can tell you a few things.

\"You younger generations are too used to peace, you haven't seen the world. A few demons can already stir up trouble. But it was different back then, even the Heavenly Demon was nothing.

\"During the Battle of Pingyuan, when the Chiyuan fire burned the earth, which human cultivator who survived wasn't a powerful being who could fly and escape? If they can create a Heavenly Demon, they can easily nail me back into the abyss.\"

\"After Aluojin's death, Dan Li and I knew that our paths were different. As time went on, our differences grew due to various trivial matters. It was just that the war was intense, and everyone was pretending to be peaceful. He was my teacher, and everything I know was taught by him.

\"Whenever I made a move, he could see my entire strategy with just a blink of an eye. Moreover, he had no desires, no weaknesses, and I couldn't defeat him. It would be too easy for him to take my life. I am not as strong as you think.\"

This was true, Xuan Ji thought, otherwise he wouldn't have been unable to keep even his own sword.

During the war, the various clans under his command worked together, but after the war, they all had their own hidden agendas.

The power of the previous dynasty's Dan Li was great, and there was even the Empress Dowager Chen, who wished for his immediate death. He had an older brother above him, and he himself came from such a background.

Dan Li was able to knock him out with just one cup of wine, not because the medicine was so powerful, but because it reflected the difficult situation of the young emperor who was constrained everywhere.

He probably didn't have many trustworthy people around him, and his ears and eyes were heavily shielded, making it impossible for him to resist Dan Li.

Xuan Ji couldn't help but ask, \"Dan Li has no weaknesses, how did you defeat him?\"

Sheng Lingyuan replied, \"Isn't there the Empress Dowager Chen?\"

Xuan Ji was stunned, \"The Empress Dowager Chen?\"

Isn't she on the same side as Dan Li?

Sheng Lingyuan smiled and said cryptically, \"Empress Chen is the only one who knows my true identity. This 'knife' of mine can only be wielded until the day of the country's restoration, and the throne will be left for her son, Sheng Wei. She knows this well.

\"However, when I was put in power years ago, the excuse used was that the Crown Prince was weak. Many members of the royal family didn't take the Crown Prince seriously, but now that the tides have turned, they are all scheming. Even if she hasn't thought of these things, as her adopted son, how could I not help her think ahead?\"

As a modern person, Xuan Ji may not have experienced the life-and-death struggles of power struggles, but he was still a shrewd individual with a surplus of insight.

As soon as Sheng Lingyuan finished speaking, he immediately understood.

The power struggle among the royal family was a domestic affair for the imperial relatives, and it was Chen Empress Dowager's arena. As an outsider, Dan Li's control was inevitably weaker.

In addition, Sheng Lingyuan was secretly stirring up trouble and fueling the fire, so the Empress Dowager was definitely singing triumphantly in the palace struggle. In no time, she eliminated all the stumbling blocks to the future ascension of the Prince Ning.

While she was triumphant, she also gave Prince Ning a shining moment.

No matter what kind of tomb Dan Li ultimately dug for the Heavenly Demon, the key figure in \"this plot\" was definitely none other than Prince Ning. Sheng Lingyuan kept a close eye on his half-brother, and that was enough.

\"When I personally led the expedition to Gaoling, they took advantage of my absence and set up a demon-sealing formation in the capital city. They even prepared sacrificial offerings and had eighty-one voluntary experts ready...I must say, the 'informed individuals' of the human race are truly willing to sacrifice everything for the greater good. They spared no expense in sealing me away, shifting the blame onto the Mountain assassins, and putting the Prince Ning on the throne.

\"Everything was in place, just waiting for the right moment. But they never expected that Prince Ning had secretly pledged himself to a witch, and they had a child together. Despite this arrow already being on the bowstring, they were sold out. This was a case of losing both the wife and the army.\"

Prince Ning was the most crucial piece in the game, knowing that even if he ascended to the throne, he would be powerless against the overwhelming force of the extermination of all races.

For the sake of his wife and children, he betrayed his own side on the battlefield, tearing apart the seamless net.

This allowed the demons to break free and launch a counterattack, resulting in rivers of blood flowing through the royal court.

When the Heavenly Demon was summoned using the Heaven and Earth Cauldron, the human race lost a large number of elite soldiers.

Coupled with the twenty-year war, how many outstanding individuals could withstand such losses if the demon was to be sealed again?

No wonder the Qingping Division took over and Sheng Lingyuan covered the sky with one hand.

However...

Xuan Ji asked softly, \"Did the Crown Prince's deep affection for the Princess happen naturally, or was it arranged without him realizing it?\"

\"You have a bad habit. Children who are too clever for their own good usually don't live long.\" Sheng Lingyuan looked at him with a smile that wasn't really a smile, then waved his hand. \"These trivial matters are like sesame seeds and grains of rice. Just listen to them as stories and you'll understand the ins and outs.\"

But Xuan Ji didn't take his joke. He remained silent for a full minute before speaking up.

\"Your Majesty, if the Demon King had died a few years later, your situation wouldn't have been so passive.\"

When Sheng Lingyuan defeated the Demon King, he was only in his early twenties. If he were living in the present day, he would be a young adult struggling with job hunting and graduate school exams.

Although he was forced to mature quickly in a chaotic era, even with exceptional talent, it would be impossible to establish a solid foundation in just a few years.

If the war continued for another thirty years, he would have had the opportunity to develop and eliminate dissidents. Even if he couldn't rule the world alone, at least he wouldn't be forced to give up his sword right after ascending to the throne.

Sheng Lingyuan casually smiled and said, \"I was young and reckless back then.\"

Xuan Ji looked at him deeply.

All of this was planned since the massacre of the Witch Clan.

Sheng Lingyuan was so sharp that even if he didn't know he was a demon, he probably already knew something was fishy about his identity.

\"If he had anticipated the outcome between him and Dan Li back then, would he not have known that the longer the chaotic times lasted, the more advantageous it would be for him? Even someone with no political knowledge in the future could understand this logic.

Suddenly, Xuan Ji remembered the profile of a person standing by the window in Dongchuan Hotel, gazing at the city's night scene.

When the Emperor's gaze fell upon the bustling city lights, his eyes were calm, rare without any hostility or gloom.

As a mixed-blood child born into a life of conspiracy, carrying a demonic body that could never be reincarnated, what supported him and opened up the prosperous era of three thousand years in the mortal world, leaving a way out for the orphans of all races?

Was it the countless insane women holding back their tears, dead infants, nameless guards like a revolving lantern... and the black-eyed milk goat?

He knew he was just a worn-out puppet, but he refused to let go of the faint hope that kept the desperate people going.

Did he really want to add another thirty years of chaos to the world?

As the mist of history cleared, Xuan Ji finally saw the true emperor shrouded in the shadow of a thousand feet of demons.

\"So...what effect does the Vermilion Bird Bone Seal have on you?\" Xuan Ji asked.

\"Chiyuan and I connected. If Chiyuan is sealed, then of course the Heavenly Demon will also be buried with it,\" Sheng Lingyuan said nonchalantly. \"Didn't I bring you along to seal two heavenly demons already?\"

\"But Chiyuan will cool down year by year,\" Xuan Ji said.

\"Ah, yes, my five senses have also dulled with age,\" said Sheng Lingyuan. \"It's not a big deal, but dealing with court officials every day had made it difficult for me to hear and see clearly. That's why I've relied on the power of the Heart-Penetrating Grass to move around in later years. I never thought it would become a curse.\"

\"Luckily, the Crown Prince is diligent,\" he continued. \"If I had to wait a few more years, I might not be able to keep my mind clear. The boy has shown filial piety by helping me withdraw from my duties in time.\"

As Sheng Lingyuan spoke, Xuan Ji's hand trembled in his pocket.

The loss of the five senses...that means not being able to see, hear, smell, taste, or touch, cutting off all connections with the outside world, and turning the body into a plant or a stone.

Chiyuan was his source of power and the foundation of his life.

As the Vermilion Bird Bone Seal took shape, Chiyuan gradually declined...for Sheng Lingyuan, it was like injecting a slow-acting poison into his heart, counting the days until he cooled off.

No wonder he said that only when the Vermilion Bird Bone Seal was loosened could he be awakened by the Yin Sacrifice.

What is this?

Digging your own grave and lying in it?

Are you a demon or a saint?

Are you here to fulfill your destiny or to save all beings?

In a daze, Xuan Ji felt as though he could hear the furious voice of the heavenly demon sword spirit in his sea of consciousness. It was as if the soul of the sword spirit was still alive, residing within his body, and not just a faded memory.

Xuan Ji felt his spine involuntarily shiver and quickly took a deep breath, clenching his fingers around the coin in his pocket.

The coin transformed into a thin needle in his palm and pricked his fingertip.

The pain reminded Xuan Ji of who he was and he forcefully shook off the emotions of the heavenly demon sword spirit, focusing on the important question, \"What is your current state?\"

\"Fortunately,\" Sheng Lingyuan curled his fingers and felt his body, \"thanks to your clan's warmth, my body and senses have recovered somewhat. Plus, with the loosening of the Chiyuan seal, I can hold on for a year or two without any problem. If this matter cannot be resolved within a year or two, it won't be just my problem anymore, but rather Chiyuan will be in big trouble.\"

Xuan Ji walked half a meter away from him and followed him towards the Yuyang branch bureau.

He remained silent for a while until they could see the small building of the Yuyang branch bureau from afar, then he couldn't help but speak up, \"Since you have defeated all your political enemies, weren't you free already? Why were you in such a hurry to seal yourself?\"

\"Once I restored the country, the people will return home and live in peace for fifty years. I will establish the Qingping Division to serve all beings, and all my promises will be fulfilled. Dan Li and Empress Dowager Chen will be killed, and Wei Yu will be cut into 108 pieces. Those who once opposed me will have their entire families executed. The troublesome orphan left by the Prince Ning will also be raised by me, and all debts and grudges will be settled. Is there anything else?\"

All my promises have been fulfilled, and all debts and grudges have been settled...

Xuan Ji trembled as these two sentences seemed to transform into a tidal wave of sorrow that crashed into his chest, almost knocking the breath out of him.

Sheng Lingyuan looked at the dumbfounded little demon inexplicably, \"Why are you thinking about me for no reason? You are the only one left of the Vermilion Bird bone seal. If you don't want to be crushed to pieces, you better focus on your cultivation.\"

The emperor would get angry every time this matter was brought up.

If the Vermilion Bird bone seal was just an inanimate object, then it would be his own fault for not making it sturdy enough.

If it comes back to haunt him, he has no right to complain.

However, since the seal has come to life and gained sentience, it should be a good thing. After all, living creatures can cultivate and grow stronger and repair themselves.

In theory, they should be more stable than a lifeless seal.

But these useless bird creatures only care about indulging in worldly pleasures and cannot withstand any disturbance.

They all die after only two hundred years, and they have almost completely destroyed the thirty-six bird bones that were painstakingly collected from the Vermilion Bird tomb!

\"Languages of mermaids and tomb-robbing techniques are all considered unorthodox and useless to you. Don't waste your energy on them,\" said Sheng Lingyuan with a slightly admonishing tone.

\"Your family's heritage...well, forget it. Your ancestors and relatives were all useless and couldn't pass down anything valuable. Don't listen to them. From now on, I will teach you a set of techniques every day. If you don't understand, just ask me.\"

Xuan Ji's chest was filled with intense emotions from the heavenly demon sword spirit, but he could only maintain his composure by pinching his fingers.

He forced a bitter smile and said, \"Can you take this heritage away then? I'll light three incense sticks for you on holidays and bow to you morning and night.\"

Sheng Lingyuan stood there talking without any hesitation: \"Your foundation in divine consciousness is unstable, that's why you were influenced by external inheritances. During the War, even a little cub would have been stronger than you, who only had physical strength. Don't sleep anymore in the future, even in your dreams, your spiritual platform can easily be breached. Practice more at night, you're not an ordinary mortal who needs sleep.\"

Xuan Ji: \"...\"

Although his body was intact at this moment, his spirit had already split in half.

One half was accompanied by the sorrowful and resentful Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit, and he felt heartache when he saw Sheng Lingyuan. The other half just wanted to smash the old demon's head with a hammer...

He arrived at the Yuyang Branch Bureau with a resentful heart.

The detention center of the Yuyang Branch Bureau was located underground, and no one knew what kind of aesthetic taste Manager Du had, perhaps it was for sun protection. Everywhere was gloomy, like a dungeon.

At the moment, Wang Ze was focused on the interrogation, while Manager Du was focused on Wang Ze.

Manager Du was in charge of the search and rescue operation at sea, and had been working tirelessly for a day and night, coordinating with others and taking care of the injured.

Despite this, she showed no signs of fatigue. Her makeup was neat, and she followed her idol with a radiant glow.

Earlier, she had even gone into the bathroom to wrap a heating pad from her takeout box around her baton, giving herself a trendy look and always ready to take a photo with her idol.

The interrogation of Silver Shadow was not going smoothly, as the old blind man was also a spiritual-type ability user. The interrogators from the Bureau took turns trying to break his mental barrier, but after a day and night, they still couldn't shatter it.

\"Thirteen years as a wanted criminal, the file on him is half an inch thicker than anyone else's...\" Wang Ze casually held a cigarette in his mouth and waved the folder at Xuan Ji.

But when he saw Sheng Lingyuan following behind, he immediately straightened up and even put out his cigarette, greeting him almost formally, \"Hey, you're here?\"

Sheng Lingyuan could disguise himself as a human and blend into the crowd for a short time, but the deeply ingrained things on him couldn't be hidden.

Veterans like Wang Ze and Luo Cuicui... regardless of whether their experience was genuine or not, they had seen enough to instinctively pay attention to him.

Even especially sensitive-types like Gu Yuexi and Yang Chao would try to avoid being alone with Sheng Lingyuan as much as possible.

Unlike Captain Yan's foolish little brothers who were willing to risk their lives for him, Xuan Ji suspected that Wang Ze never believed in the existence of \"the sword spirit\" from the beginning.

Believe it or not, he had already signed the entire liability agreement.

Feeling bitter, Xuan Ji reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone, asking Wang Ze, \"Who is this blind man? He only goes by the code name 'Silver Shadow', what's his real name on his ID?\"

Wang Ze waved his hand dismissively, \"What ID? You're thinking too much. Many of our wanted criminals are like this, especially those from the True Nature Sect. They don't even acknowledge themselves as human, why would they need an ID?\"

\"Maybe not necessarily. Even those who don't consider themselves as part of the people, I haven't seen anyone refuse the RMB,\" Xuan Ji said as he took the file from his hand and flipped through it.

With a click of his tongue, he saw the impressive achievements of this Mr. Silver Shadow.

Mr. Silver Shadow, despite his physical disability, was determined and became a cross-border fraudster. He had used his exceptional spiritual abilities to shuttle back and forth across the southwestern border, committing seven or eight major crimes.

He came into the view of the Wind Gods because he switched from being a fraudster to a murderer.

A few years ago, the blind man used his abilities to manipulate a car driver, causing the driver to suddenly turn towards the mountain while driving on a winding road. The car collided with a tourist bus next to it, resulting in the deaths of sixteen people, including the car driver.

The surveillance footage was like something out of a horror movie, causing a huge uproar at the time.

Xuan Ji asked, \"What was the relationship between the car owner who died and him?\"

\"We've investigated, but I think it's unlikely to be related,\" said Wang Ze. \"The true nature of the True Nature Sect emphasizes mutual assistance. They probably took care of the matter themselves to avoid suspicion from us and the police through social connections. That blind man could have taken the job from anyone and needs to be interrogated. The problem now is that the young comrades in the spiritual department have not been able to break through his mental barriers.\"

Manager Du immediately lowered her head in reflection, \"The equipment at the sub-bureau is not good enough.\"

\"It's not a problem with the equipment, it's that the current spiritual-types have been too reliant on the devices,\" Wang Ze glanced at Sheng Lingyuan from the corner of his eye, \"I've always said that the power of the spiritual-types cannot be ignored and should be emphasized in training. They didn't listen to me, and now these young comrades can't even wash their own socks, let alone brainwash others...\"

Xuan Ji suddenly felt that the dark, suspicious gaze on Sheng Lingyuan was bothering him.

Without thinking, he turned to block him. Immediately, Sheng Lingyuan understood and slightly bent his eyes, taking a step back.

Wang Ze's expression also changed slightly, as if lost in thought.

It was only then that Xuan Ji realized that his action just now seemed to express a lack of trust.

The realm of the spiritual-types was very deep and difficult to explain.

Xuan Ji was speechless for a moment and could only roll up his sleeves and say, \"Do you trust me? I can try it.\"

Wang Ze asked, \"What did you say?\"

Du Ruo asked, \"Director Xuan, are you a spiritual-type?\"

She remembered seeing it on his work ID on the ship...

Xuan Ji honestly replied, \"Oh no, I registered for Thunder-fire.\"

Du Ruo was speechless.

\"No, brother,\" Wang Ze quickly grabbed Xuan Ji, \"this won't work. Listen to me, we're not a gang, we have discipline! Torture to extract a confession is absolutely not allowed. The bureau has clearly stipulated that except for 'reasonable and necessary' spiritual-type abilities, no other forms of special abilities can be used during interrogation. Steaming, braising, stir-frying, deep-frying, all of it is illegal!\"

\"I know what to do, don't worry.\" Xuan Ji patted the interrogator's shoulder, \"Bro, can I borrow some paper and a pen?\"

Wang Ze became even more desperate.

They had prepared flammable materials, were they going to set up a barbecue stand?

\"Wait...\"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xuan Ji quickly drew a series of circles on the paper after a moment of thought.

He used a black ballpoint pen that was meant for office use, but the ink turned into a dazzling flame color as soon as it touched the paper.

It was a clever trick of the spiritual types, and he was quite skilled at it.

Feeling the gaze of Sheng Lingyuan on him, Xuan Ji couldn't help but show off his skills.

He grabbed the note as if he had rehearsed it, and with a flick of his wrist, the spell immediately took shape. His movements were incredibly graceful.

Du Ruo said, \"This is a pretty cool move.\"

But Wang Ze didn't dare to act like a fanboy.

After all, he was a senior Wind God.

When Xuan Ji drew the \"big and small circles,\" although he didn't understand what kind of mosquito coil the director was drawing, he inexplicably felt his hair stand on end.

He arched his back and took a half step back, holding onto the mithril at his waist.

Sheng Lingyuan was not in the mood to appreciate his actions.

He frowned.

This was the witch's curse - the evil curse of \"Retracing\"!

When he was in Dongchuan, Xuan Ji was once swept up in the curse as an innocent bystander.

Just because you've eaten pork doesn't mean you know how to run like a pig.

The curse is not easy to control, otherwise it wouldn't have been sealed in the altar.

This little demon really dares to try it!

At that moment, Wang Ze felt a cold wind blowing past him.

He turned around and saw Sheng Lingyuan, who had just been standing at the door, suddenly appear behind Xuan Ji.

And then, the paper covered in circles and lines began to float in the air without any wind.

Suddenly, the fiery lines on the paper jumped off and twisted and tangled in the air...

The witch's curse had taken effect!

Sheng Lingyuan was taken aback.

He grew up in Dongchuan and knew just how complex the language of the witch people was.

It was a completely different system from Chinese, and even ordinary people couldn't accurately transcribe it onto a crystal board.

But Xuan Ji, who had never learned the language, was able to write it with just one stroke.

Could this kid be a genius?

\"Um...\" Xuan Ji showed off for a bit with his tail held high, but then he stared at the curse with big eyes and realized he didn't know what to do next.

He had no choice but to send a message through telepathy, \"Can you give me some pointers and maybe a cheat sheet so I don't embarrass myself in front of my colleagues?\"

Sheng Lingyuan: \"...\"

Even someone as experienced as the emperor was shocked and couldn't help but shudder at the thought that the fire-keepers were short-lived and were basically digging their own graves.

As soon as Xuan Ji's attention wavered, the thin thread floating in mid-air darted towards him like a needle threading through fabric.

A chilling aura seeped into him through his extended spiritual awareness, causing Sheng Lingyuan to snap, \"Don't lose focus! The curse preys on the weak and fears the strong, it will backfire...hiss!\"

Perhaps the curse written by the fire-type demon was too bright, as Sheng Lingyuan was irritated by the flames.

Coincidentally, his chronic headache flared up, this time more intense than ever before, causing him to nearly black out from the pain.

Xuan Ji heard the change in his voice and turned to look at him, \"What's wrong?\"

\"What are you looking at? I told you not to lose focus!\" Sheng Lingyuan broke out in a cold sweat, panting heavily.

It felt like there was a twisted nerve in his brain as he transformed into a wolf-toothed club and began pounding his own temples, determined to make a grand spectacle of himself.

The golden thread of the witch's curse wrapped around Silver Shadow, and the blind man seemed to sense it.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, which were covered in white film, and stared at them like a hanged ghost.

The atmosphere in the underground interrogation room of the Yuyang sub-bureau was just right, with the lighting angle creating a dramatic effect.

It was as if Xuan Ji had been caught off guard and someone had interrupted a terrifying little animation. His hand trembled, and the fiery golden thread of the Retracing curse was directly bounced back by the blind man.

When Xuan Ji was in college, he was naive and accidentally joined a horror movie club. Since then, he has developed a habit of being scared but unable to stop watching, and the more he watches, the more scared he becomes.

Even when he was surrounded by dozens of corpses at sea, he didn't feel much, but he was terrified of these movie-like scenes, and his face turned pale at the sight of Silver Shadow.

Sheng Lingyuan, on the other hand, thought that Xuan Ji's tremble was due to his inability to control the curse, so he reached out and grabbed his wrist.

Xuan Ji: \"...\"

It felt like his wrist was on fire.

Sheng Lingyuan's head was pounding, and the witch's curse was too complicated for him to guide on the spot.

He had no energy left, so he could only hold his hand and draw a string of witch's words in mid-air. The flames and black mist intertwined and were difficult to separate.

However, Xuan Ji didn't know why, but when he looked at those witch's words, his nose suddenly felt sour.

The person holding his hand to write seemed to be the unattainable wish that had been pressing on his heart for thousands of years, and his long-standing wish suddenly became a reality, causing his vision to immediately blur.

\"Go!\" Sheng Lingyuan just finished writing a stroke and pushed the witch's curse out with Xuan Ji's hand.

The retracing curse, who had been slouching on the side due to its master's inability, received a reinforcement and immediately straightened up. The dazzling flames suddenly burst out, almost exposing the underground interrogation room, and pierced into Silver Shadow's eyes.

Silver Shadow fell backwards, all the probes connected to his brain screaming in unison. The interrogation equipment's screen flickered and then suddenly a picture appeared!

Du Ruo was stunned, reflexively pressing the shutter button on her phone.

Wang Ze almost spoke at the same time, \"Don't post it on your social media!\"

\"I won't, I promise not to! Leader, please trust me,\" Du Ruo held up her phone and looked towards Sheng Lingyuan, \"I mean, boss...\"

The Emperor slapped Xuan Ji's hand with a crisp sound, a sharp slap.

Du Ruo lowered her voice and said, \"Please ease your anger.\"

Sheng Lingyuan's headache was getting worse.

He vaguely heard Xuan Ji say something, but he didn't really catch it.

However, he wasn't in the mood to pursue it, and the veins on his forehead were throbbing.

Sheng Lingyuan vaguely remembered the last few years of his life, when he had to hit his head on a pillar every night to relieve his headaches.

Later, the headaches became more and more severe, but his sense of touch became more and more numb... It was really a torment that only death could stop.

Thinking of those days, Sheng Lingyuan had an unprecedented desire to leave this world.

For a moment, he wished he could throw the True Nature masterminds behind the Yin Sacrifice ritual, as well as the useless \"Qingping Division,\" into a pot and feed them to the dogs.

Xuan Ji held his hand that had been hit, and was stunned by the slap.

At this moment, an interrogator who had leaned in front of the screen exclaimed, \"Mirage! Look, this seems to be the mirage that Captain Yan's team encountered back then!\"

","published_time":"2024-04-28T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-31T19:28:48.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-28T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":571,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":71,"chapter_title":"Chapter 71","content":"

Everyone was too busy marveling at Director Xuan's miracle and quickly crowded around the screen.

It turned out that the wanted criminal Silver Shadow could \"see\" some things, but only living things.

In his \"field of vision,\" there were no tables, chairs, or benches.

The people and animals that passed by him were all different shapes of shadows, with blurry edges and mostly composed of black, white, and gray. Some were darker in color, some brighter, but their facial features were indistinguishable.

The images in his mind were a bit blurry, and he could hear the sound of water. He should be on a tourist boat, with visitors passing by from time to time.

The noisy chatter and shutter sounds were endless - people were all discussing the strange phenomenon on the sea not far away.

At the end of Silver Shadow's \"vision,\" there was a massive mountain-shaped shadow.

Unlike humans, in Silver Shadow's \"eyes,\" the edge of the \"mountain\" was sharp as if carved by a knife, completely black, with a dark red object at the center, like a heart, maintaining the shape of the \"mountain.\"

\"This guy is actually related to the Mirage Island incident!\"

\"He actually dares to pretend that nothing happened and use Zhi Chun to trap Captain Yan!\"

Wang Ze's face suddenly tightened, he fiercely bit his cheek, and forcefully turned to Xuan Ji, \"Director, human memory is always a mess, even with psychic interrogation, we still need 'word guidance.' We just broke through his mental barrier and coincidentally saw what we wanted to know the most - is there any deception?\"

\"No, there isn't. He's been fighting with our spiritual-types for a long time, feeling highly nervous and knowing that you want to ask something. He must have been suppressing memories related to Captain Yan.\"

Xuan Ji snapped out of his thoughts and quietly put the hand that Sheng Lingyuan had hit into his pocket.

With this half-assed knowledge, he acted like a seasoned expert, confident and composed.

He continued, \"This is a kind of witchcraft called 'Retracing'. It not only breaks through mental barriers, but also blurs the line between reality and memory. The more one tries to suppress memories, the more they will be the first to surface.\"

\"Hey, look at this guy,\" one of the interrogators in front of the screen said. \"He's different from the others!\"

In the memory, Silver Shadow withdrew his gaze and turned to the person next to him. The other shadows were all varying shades of darkness, but the figure next to him was like a human flashlight, shining so brightly it was almost blinding.

Like the mirage island, the outline of this flashlight was clear and distinct. It was probably not very tall, bald, and shockingly thin, with proportions that seemed abnormal.

No matter how you looked at it, something about it seemed off.

Silver Shadow asked, \"Is this enough?\"

The human flashlight replied, \"Let's take another look. I've heard that the mirages are timid and easily dispersed by human energy. We have no precedent to follow, so we can only try and see. Let's wait until it can reach the shore before we worry about completing the task.\"

The human flashlight had a voice like a duck, and it was impossible to tell if it was male or female. As soon as it spoke, several interrogators simultaneously realized what was wrong with this clearly outlined figure - it had no sexual characteristics.

Silver Shadow turned his gaze back to Mirage Island, staring at the dark red mass in the center for a moment before whispering, \"What exactly is that thing? It seems to have sucked up all the filth within tens of thousands of miles. If those who salvage ocean garbage knew about this treasure, they would surely come begging on their knees.\"

\"Don't be too excited, it's not some treasure. It is said that some foreign scientific expedition team discovered a type of shell on a small island in the Atlantic Ocean many years ago. They thought they had found a new species and wanted to bring it back for research.

\"However, ever since they picked up that thing, they have been plagued with bad luck. Soon, everyone who had contact with the shell died, and their deaths were gruesome. They gave this thing a mysterious name, 'Dragon Crystal Shell', thinking that there might be unknown biological toxins inside.\"

The human flashlight said, \"In fact, we have records of this thing from ancient times. Our ancestors called it 'Zhu Xin'.\"

Silver Shadow asked, \"What do you mean?\"

\"Don't be fooled by its appearance as a shell, it's not. That thing is a mermaid fetus.\"

\"What? Mermaids really exist?\"

\"It is said that there is no smoke without fire,\" the human flashlight nodded stiffly. \"Merfolk are a type of creature that is neither born from eggs nor from the womb. These big fish do not differentiate between male and female, and each one is hermaphroditic. They also do not have any reproductive organs such as a uterus. According to legend, young merfolk grow on their parents' chests.\"

Silver Shadow and the people listening in the interrogation room all held their chests at the same time, feeling their heartbeats becoming irregular just from listening.

Du Ruo muttered, \"How big would their chests have to be to hold them?\"

On the screen, Silver Shadow had a similar thought to her hero and asked the question for her.

\"The pregnancy of a mermaid doesn't take up much space,\" said the human flashlight. \"After conception, a shell begins to form in her chest. The shell will grow for three years, and as it grows, the mermaid's heart will shrink. Eventually, the shell will be the size of a palm and half encircle the mermaid's heart. At this point, the mermaid's blood flow slows down, and her blood supply decreases, entering a state similar to hibernation. Newly born mermaid fetuses are usually only an inch or so in size.\"

\"How do they give birth?\"

The human flashlight chuckled, its laughter sounding eerie and fitting for a horror movie soundtrack. It made people want to fast forward through it.

\"How are they born? If they can't vomit outwards, then they have to be cut out. The mermaid's claws are as sharp as a knife, with tough skin and thick flesh. They can tear open their own chest and take out the baby. If the little mermaid is born smoothly, then the shell stays inside the mother's body and supposedly helps heal the wound... It's a nourishing thing, you can think of it as something similar to the Purple Palace Chariot.\"

\"But what if it's not a smooth birth? Do mermaids also have difficult deliveries? And if the shell is absorbed, where did this expedition team get them in the first place?\"

\"The newly born mermaid still only an inch big, so it's not difficult for her to give birth. Do you think she's just an ordinary human? It's precisely because these big fish are naive and stubborn that they can't handle betrayal. If it were just a pair of mermaids getting married, it would be fine. They could live their own lives with their own stubbornness.

\"But because mermaids have human faces and are said to be quite beautiful, there are often some people by the seaside who are curious and want to have a go. Curiosity may kill the cat, but no one can marry a fish. After the deed is done, it naturally ends there.

\"If a mermaid is betrayed, the little mermaid in her heart will turn into liquid and flow out of her eyes, forming pearls when it meets water. This is the origin of the mermaid's 'tears into pearls'.

\"The shell left in the heart will turn from pearl white to gray-black, from a great remedy to a deadly poison. Therefore, mermaids who have shed pearl tears will 'die of a broken heart'. After a mermaid dies, the shell...

\"The shell doesn't rot. When the body decomposes, it continues to pollute the environment in the ocean. It's so toxic that our ancestors gave it a name - 'Zhu Xin' - which means 'heartbreak'.\"

Silver Shadow remained silent for a while, his view swaying with the ship's movements. The people outside the monitor also fell into silence.

\"Is this true or false? Why are all the scumbags throughout history of this caliber?\" Wang Ze, perhaps with some royal carp lineage, was particularly indignant after hearing this story.

\"Treating mermaids as humans is to start chaos and end in abandonment! Not treating mermaids as humans is...isn't that like Japanese dogs messing with fish? How twisted!\"

\"Let's not discuss ethics for now,\" Du Ruo calmly rolled up her headscarf with a pen in hand, raising it to ask, \"I think what he said is a bit contradictory. If 'Zhuxin' has such a strong toxicity that it can suck a mirage island out of thin air in the sea, ordinary people simply cannot get close, let alone salvage it. What about that previous scientific expedition team? I think his description is inconsistent.\"

Sheng Lingyuan pressed his temple with one hand and began to speak with half-closed eyes: \"The Zhu Xin Pearl and the Mermaid Pearl come in pairs. When the mermaid loses its young, it would be constantly attracted by the Mermaid Pearl that flowed out, so there were rumors that the Mermaid Pearl would bring disaster.

\"However, people also coveted the beauty of the Mermaid Pearl, so the Mountain people created the 'Pearl Refining Technique' to refine the Mermaid Pearl. Once the Mermaid Pearl is refined, the corresponding Zhu Xin Pearl will 'die' and its resentment will dissipate, leaving only residual mermaid poison.

\"As long as you don't directly touch it, there won't be much trouble. The refined Mermaid Pearl is as bright as the moon and is also called the 'Blue Sea Pearl', which is priceless. In the Wei Yu's palace in the past, there were exactly 100,000 Blue Sea Pearls used for illumination.\"

As a seasoned beauty enthusiast, Du Ruo was always impressed by the enchantress-like appearance of the man in front of her.

She blushed at the sound of his voice, nodding her head repeatedly while holding her face.

However, halfway through his words, she suddenly realized something and her face darkened.

\"Wait a minute,\" Du Ruo put her infatuation aside for a moment, \"If that's the case, won't these people do anything for the priceless 'Blue Sea Pearl'?\"

\"They deliberately lure the merfolk ashore, deceiving and trapping them with emotions. If they acts skillfully enough, they can even take their poisonous blood as material for refining tools before the merfolk die from the poison. In addition, merfolk oil is the best fuel for lamps, windproof and waterproof, and can burn for thousands of years.\"

Suddenly, Sheng Lingyuan's headache became so severe that he could barely endure it. He refused to show any weakness in front of others and wished he could just dismantle the blind man's brain to understand what was causing his pain.

He became impatient and spoke faster.

With a wave of his hand, a cluster of black mist shot out and quickly formed a circle, casting a rough spell that hit Silver Shadow's temple.

Silver Shadow's body twitched and the screen flickered.

Sheng Lingyuan suddenly opened his eyes and stared directly at Silver Shadow's forehead, coldly questioning, \"Unrefined mermaid pearls are called 'living pearls', dull and useless with poison. No one keeps them. Where did you and get this pair of mermaid pearl and Zhu Xin pearl?\"

The screen flickered for a moment before changing scenes - it seemed that Silver Shadow and the human flashlight had returned to shore with the tourist boat.

The background noise of a news broadcast could be heard, \"Due to tidal reasons, pollutants have accumulated in some areas of the South China Sea, urgently requiring removal of large amounts of toxic substances. On March 22nd, related ports were urgently closed, and relevant departments are currently evacuating the crowd...\"

Wang Ze's pupils contracted, \"That's the date we discovered the mirage island. I remember we received an emergency call on the night of the 21st.\"

\"On the screen, the news ended and the spotlight turned off.

\"It's done,\" said the voice to Silver Shadow.

\"Recently, a foreign special forces team visited and all the experts from the Thunder-fire type of the Bureau were assigned to guard them in Yong'an. A super-powered tomb was unearthed in Biquan Mountain after an earthquake, with energy radiation spreading over hundreds of kilometers.

The main force of the Storm team has already gone there, leaving only Wind God available. Yan Qiushan's hometown is less than two hours away from here, and reliable sources say he is currently visiting his family there. He will definitely come to see you in person. The rest is up to you, my friend. I have accomplished my mission and will now report back.\"

\"Okay. Give my regards to your 'old lady',\" Silver Shadow nodded happily and asked, 'How long can I stay on Mirage Island?'\"

\"Look at you,\" said the human flashlight. \"You've got the living pearl, haven't you? As soon as the job is done, you just soak it in concentrated sulfuric acid. Be efficient and don't be greedy - the poison of the Zhu Xin Pearl is too strong. If you drag it out, those agents of the Wind God will easily spot the flaw.\"

Silver Shadow sighed, \"There's only one pair of Living Pearl and Zhu Xin Pearl left in the world. To just be able to throw them away, the old lady's wealth is truly immense.\"

","published_time":"2024-05-05T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-04-07T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-05-05T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":578,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":72,"chapter_title":"Chapter 72","content":"

\"I'm afraid we're done for,\" said the human flashlight with a laugh.

From the context, it seemed like a bitter laugh, but his laughter sounded like a duck, with a strange mix of bitterness and humor.

\"You know, the Bureau was originally formed by a group of people, thinking that unity is strength and that we needed a place to reason with each other. But now, I'm afraid the Bureau is becoming a tool for ordinary folks to persecute us. If this continues, will there still be a place for us special individuals to stand a hundred years from now? Even the old lady worries about the future of our younger generations.\"

\"Old lady\" and \"wealthy background\"...

Sheng Lingyuan narrowed his eyes, remembering the puppet made of Heart-Piercing Grass that had accompanied Silver Shadow and the others. That puppet was also knowledgeable about the history of the merfolk...

The agents of the Wind God exchanged a glance, clearly thinking the same thing as the Emperor.

The Penglai Conference had five permanent seats, with one belonging to the chief from the Bureau of Paranormal Control. The others were held by the Northeast's Old Lady Yu, the Southeast's Master Yue De, the Southwest's Minority Supernatural Alliance (abbreviated as the \"Minority Alliance\"), and the Northwest's Taoist Research Society.

The Minority Alliance and the Research Society were both relatively loose civilian organizations made up of many small supernatural families. There were no particularly powerful figures within them. And Master Yue De was an old man.

The only one in the country who dared to call herself an \"Old Lady\" and was the only one in the country who could do so, was only that person from the old 'Qingping Division'.

\"I was just thinking,\" Du Ruo said, \"that this companion of Silver Shadow, this particularly bright one, doesn't look like a real person.\"

The figure was oddly thin, with a rigid body and subtle inconsistencies, lacking any signs of femininity - the human flashlight seemed like a puppet.

\"Call Director Xiao at the General Bureau and tell him about this. Keep it quiet and keep an eye on Old Lady Yu,\" Wang Ze turned his head to give instructions before turning to Sheng Lingyuan.

\"Big shot, can you find a way to ask them how they got in touch? This evidence isn't strong enough...meaning we really can't afford to offend this Old Lady Yu. The old lady has lived for over 700 years, with a face that's so well-known that we can't even imagine. She can talk to anyone in any field. If we confront her head-on, we need something that can convince the public.\"

Upon hearing this, Sheng Lingyuan's face lit up with a smile as refreshing as a spring breeze.

Xuan Ji had a hunch that the old demon was about to make a dangerous statement, so he quickly interrupted, \"You can try asking directly in the spiritual realm. The memories may not be very accurate, but if you ask multiple times, you'll eventually get something... Your Majesty... Sheng... that... ancestor! Please don't keep implanting curses in his mind. We finally caught him, and if you make him go insane, who will we interrogate? Mortals are fragile, so save your powers for dealing with demons!\"

The \"ancestor\" withdrew his smile and leaned against the wall with a cold expression, remaining silent.

Several spiritual-type elites took turns using various interrogation techniques.

The blind man, trapped in his own memories, was like a ping-pong ball bouncing around.

Scenes appeared on the screen of him making phone calls and sending voice messages to different people, using a special phone for the blind to access the internet, and engaging in underground black market transactions. Xuan Ji was sweating profusely, fearing that Sheng Lingyuan would lose patience and curse the blind man's brain open.

Just as he was starting to feel uneasy, the screen changed again.

This time, it showed Silver Shadow kneeling alone in a small room with no living creatures around. His \"vision\" was pitch black, and he was chanting something towards an object.

Wang Ze leaned in closer, listening intently but unable to make sense of the blind man's mumbling. It sounded like he was cursing under his breath.

\"Who is he cursing?\" Wang Ze wondered.

Sheng Lingyuan endured the worsening ringing in his ears as he forced himself to listen. He realized that the old man was speaking in the ancient language of the demon clan.

Perhaps Wang Ze thought of him as a search engine, because every time he didn't understand something, he would ask him for help.

\"Master, can you understand what he's saying?\" he asked.

Sheng Lingyuan furrowed his brow slightly, stumped for the first time.

After the demon clan's defeat, no one dared to speak their language in front of him.

Over time, he had become unfamiliar with it, and the blind man's pronunciation was far from standard.

It was like trying to understand someone with poor spoken language skills while suffering from hearing loss.

In a sentence, the emperor could only guess at one or two words.

Suddenly, Xuan Ji interjected, \"He's saying 'Nine nines return to one, our lord is the true god'.\"

Wang Ze and Du Ruo were surprised to find such a talented linguist in their team, and they all looked up at him.

\"This sentence is similar to 'long live the king',\" Xuan Ji explained as he walked through the crowd, his gaze suddenly filled with doubt as he looked at Sheng Lingyuan.

\"As for 'my lord', I'm not sure who it refers to. Oh, this is just something passed down in my family. I know a few phrases related to ordering food and performing rituals, but I'm not good at everyday conversation. My family has a deep background in learning.\"

Sheng Lingyuan's vision was a bit blurry, and he didn't notice Xuan Ji's gaze or find it strange.

The language of the demon race is different from human language and is not learned after birth. It is innate to the demon race.

Xuan Ji, as the spirit of the Vermilion Bird bone seal, was born with the ability to understand ancient demon language, so it was normal.

The emperor pressed hard on his temple and said, \"'My lord' refers to the demon king.\"

\"The demon king Jiu Xun?\" Xuan Ji whispered, asking how he knew.

Sheng Lingyuan remained silent, nodding his chin towards the screen.

After Silver Shadow recited the spell several times, a strange creature gradually took shape in his once pitch-black vision - a dragon head, bird wings, snake body, and tiger tail, the very \"four-type beast\" worshipped by the True Nature Sect.

This thing was vivid and brightly colored, standing out in the blind man's \"sight\" and appearing suddenly like a miracle, as if it had descended upon the faithful's prayers.

Kneeling down, trembling with fear, Silver Shadow knocked his head on the ground without any hesitation. He might have knocked his head a little too hard, as his memories of the past became blurry for a moment.

Then, he was given a string of numbers.

The members of the Bureau were all stunned - what was this?

Did the Demon King reveal himself and give his follower a string of numbers?

Was he telling him to buy a lottery ticket?

The blind man remained devoutly on his knees until the Demon King and the numbers disappeared completely.

Then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

His fingers moved quickly and lightly as he scrolled through the apps on his screen.

Finally, he stopped at one with a name that sounded like \"Nirvana\" and clicked on it.

The sound effects of the app were reminiscent of some poorly made gambling games, with a chaotic and noisy jumble that seemed to lag a bit before prompting for login.

To log in, a \"captcha\" was required, and Silver Shadow quickly entered the string of numbers from before.

Du Ruo was shocked and stuttered, \"T-t-this is... bowing to get a captcha? No, this cult is actually connected to the internet? They have an app?\"

Wang Ze's sense of collective pride burst forth, \"We have one too.\"

\"I don't see anything worth being proud of,\" Du Ruo dryly remarked, \"And besides, our intranet, that app...ugh!\"

Xuan Ji immediately remembered his frustrating full liability agreement, \"Don't even mention it.\"

\"Shh...\" Wang Ze made a gesture, signaling everyone to listen carefully while quickly pulling out a piece of paper.

Unable to see the screen, Silver Shadow had to use the blind interaction mode on his smartphone.

Wang Ze, like he was taking a Chinese listening test, was lying on the table, following the voice from the phone and writing down the functions on the app.

This thing sounded a bit like an old forum where users could leave messages. There were sections for trading items, bounties for killing people, as well as some idle chatter and gossip.

Silver Shadow was following the recent news and rising stars in the special ability world.

It seemed that Silver Shadow had just completed a transaction with someone and was confirming the receipt on the app when his phone rang.

He casually picked it up and heard a voice reading out a private message from the \"Heavenly Administrator.\"

Silver Shadow was stunned for a moment, then his breathing became rapid as he brought his phone to his ear and opened the private message: \"Brother Silver Shadow, the master has ordered me to select members above level ten to do a great task that is crucial to our lives. Are you willing?\"

In the interrogation room, everyone took a deep breath.

If they weren't still nervous, they would have cheered - they had found a way to contact the True Nature Sect!

\"The blind man's communication device was washed away in the sea... Oh, and there's also Captain Yan! He's been undercover for three years, he must know. Has Captain Yan not woken up yet?\"

Wang Ze threw down his pen and paper, jumped up as if his butt was on fire, \"You guys continue the interrogation, I'm going to the hospital. Thank you, brothers, for your hard work. Whether we can avenge Zhi Chun depends on how much you can dig out of the blind man's brain!\"

After finishing his sentence, Wang Ze grabbed his coat and ran out to the hospital to check on Yan Qiushan.

Xuan Ji was a second too slow to stop him and when he turned around, he realized that Sheng Lingyuan had disappeared without a trace.

Yan Qiushan was still unconscious and the hospital had issued three critical condition notices. Gu Yuexi and Zhang Zhao had played rock-paper-scissors to take turns signing in to visit him.

At the moment, his condition had stabilized slightly and he had been transferred to the intensive care unit.

When Wang Ze arrived, the visiting hours for the day had already ended and he was at a loss.

He could only cause a scene and chase away the little brothers who were gathered outside the ward. He sat there, anxiously waiting for any news.

The architecture of the hospital for special ability-users boasted top-notch soundproofing, and even in the intensive care unit, there was little movement from medical staff, driving away any lingering visitors.

For a moment, the surroundings were so quiet that time and space seemed to stand still. Wang Ze could even hear the faint ticking of his mechanical watch, and his breathing and heartbeat gradually slowed down.

His mind raced like a movie, recalling many things.

He thought of memories with Silver Shadow, of Yan Qiushan, and of his own early days after graduating, when he first joined Captain Yan's team to attend the Penglai Conference.

Old Lady Yu was also a water-type ability user.

She had heard that the Wind God had recently recruited a particularly talented water-type user, so she went out of her way to talk to him.

He remembered that the old lady had a warm scent about her, a mixture of scented candles, soap, old-fashioned snow cream, and pastries.

She didn't seem like a big shot who dominated the scene, but rather reminded him of his grandmother back home.

At the time, Old Lady Yu even gave him a small water-based technique as a gift... it was the bubble shield he used in the sea, very practical.

The old lady said that water-type abilities were divided into sea-based and land-based types. Varieties like him, who leaned towards the land, would be at a disadvantage in the sea and needed to prepare a few life-saving cards.

She was deliberately trying to pass on something to her descendants, considering all aspects, not just casually selling useless tricks based on her seniority.

She had been in the mortal world for seven hundred years, witnessing the changes of the world as time passed. She had experienced the rise and fall of Qingping Division, and watched as the towering building of Bureau of Paranormal Control was built in the distance...

Was she always waiting for the so-called \"seal\" of Chiyuan to loosen, so she could \"rise up\" again?

If that was the case, then in the eyes of this elderly woman, the younger generation were nothing but \"lapdogs\" of ordinary people, and rebels of the talented, right?

If only everything in the world could be black or white, with clear boundaries for everyone.

Friends and family would be pure and righteous, towering and magnificent, and we could love them without any worries or doubts. Enemies would be purely evil, with festering sores on their heads and oozing wounds on their feet, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever, fitting the mold of a villain with shifty eyes and a sneaky demeanor.

One could hate them with all their hearts and minds, without any second thoughts.

Wang Ze looked blankly at the tightly closed door of the intensive care unit once again. He had shouted at Yan Qiushan with all his might when they were in the sea, mainly because the situation was urgent and he was trying to stop him.

But deep down, he knew that if he were in Captain Yan's shoes, his own courage would probably not have been enough to survive.

Once again, it's only natural for people to follow the crowd, change their minds easily, or even become cynical and join the ranks of anti-social behavior.

Wang Ze couldn't imagine how Yan Qiushan could remain steadfast year after year, like a rock.

After saying goodbye to Zhi Chun, experiencing the same disappointment again...will that stone break?

Wang Ze couldn't figure it out.

He had been the acting head of Wind God for three years, and before that, he had been a team leader for five years, with countless battles under his belt. He was even considered a big shot by others, as Du Ruo, the director of Yuyang, had even wanted to take a photo with him and get his autograph.

However, in front of Yan Qiushan, he always felt weak, like a young boy just starting out.

He was filled with doubts and uncertainties.

Wang Ze had driven away Gu Yuexi and was now squatting at the door, lost in thought.

Little did he know that just a wall away, in the intensive care unit, a black mist suddenly appeared on one of the walls.

The mist grew thicker and thicker until a figure emerged from it.

Sheng Lingyuan walked through the wall, surrounded by a veil of black mist that made his face look as pale as a snow sculpture. The protective talismans on the wall and the surveillance cameras in the room were all as useless on him as deaf and blind men.

Sheng Lingyuan took a step towards Yan Qiushan's bed.

The pain from a normal wound can eventually become numb and tolerable, but his migraines came in waves, layer upon layer, making it impossible for him to sit still.

In the interrogation room, everyone was making a fuss and creating noise.

Sheng Lingyuan couldn't take it anymore and left in frustration. As he emerged from the basement, he was hit by the scorching summer sun. His migraines were already sensitive to light, and it felt like he was thrown into a blazing inferno.

The pain pierced through his temples, and he couldn't see clearly.

He was so angry that he wanted to kill someone.

In a daze, he found himself in Yan Qiushan's hospital room, driven by some unknown force.

Yan Qiushan had no grudges or grievances with anyone, and his actions were beyond reproach.

However, it was His Majesty who had personally \"frozen\" his life.

Despite this, Sheng Lingyuan had taken a dislike to him for no reason and had been thinking of killing him. As a true ancient tyrant, he did not care about morals or principles.

Anyone who rubbed him the wrong way would end up with a luxurious package at the mass grave...

Fortunately, he rarely looked at people directly, so those who bothered him were few and far between.

At this moment, Sheng Lingyuan's pupils were as black as a bottomless dungeon, but his eyes were bloodshot.

Black mist rose and fell around him as he walked to the bedside, staring expressionlessly at Yan Qiushan before slowly reaching out his hand.

Just as the black mist at his fingertips touched Yan Qiushan's throat, a layer of golden light suddenly flew up from Yan Qiushan's body.

A thin protective film nervously enveloped the owner from head to toe, breaking through that strand of evil black mist.

Sheng Lingyuan sneered: \"A mere trick.\"

That was a trick of the weapon spirit, forging a layer of protection from a part of its own essence and applying it to the owner, called the \"weapon spirit armor\".

In this way, even if the weapon spirit was not by the owner's side due to some reason, if the owner encountered any danger, a part of the damage could be transferred to the weapon body.

Given that Yan Qiushan's weapon spirit had already died, this protection had long become an empty shell.

Even if the weapon spirit was still alive, it was just a half-hearted attempt, not as good as his naive sword spirit was when he was young...

Something flew by quickly, and Sheng Lingyuan's hand trembled slightly.

Was it... his sword spirit?

Sheng Lingyuan was a walking corpse, his memories like a broken coffin.

Inside the coffin was only a bare skeleton, engraved with the major events of his life. The bloodstains on the bones were the names of his enemies.

As for the details, they had all rotted away and were afraid to see the light, so no one mentioned them and he couldn't remember them on his own.

He only had a tiny bit of vitality borrowed from a little demon, and his memories had stopped working.

However, at this moment, Sheng Lingyuan stood in front of Yan Qiushan's sickbed, staring blankly through the protective film left behind by Zhi Chun.

A trivial matter that seemed like a small matter suddenly surfaced in his mind.

It seemed to be something that happened before the big battle.

The Sword Spirit had just gained the ability to move around outside of his sword body, and he couldn't get enough of the human scenery. He spent all day wandering around outside, and somehow came across a secret technique that said a spirit could sacrifice a portion of its essence to forge a layer of \"armor\" for its master.

He secretly practiced it without his master's knowledge.

But he was eventually caught, and after understanding the principle behind it, his master placed a seal on him to prevent him from using forbidden techniques and causing trouble.

That little rascal couldn't even break the seal his master casually placed, and yet he still wanted to protect others?

He had so many ideas, but he should have focused on his cultivation instead.

This might seem like a funny story, but Sheng Lingyuan couldn't laugh.

He thought for just one more second, and the cover on his memories seemed like it was about to crack, quickly blowing away those memories like smoke from his mind.

However, Sheng Lingyuan's murderous intent dissipated suddenly, just like when he arrived.

He curled his fingers and stared at the fragile spirit armor with an inscrutable gaze.

A wisp of black mist turned into a thin line and flowed out of his sleeve, entering Yan Qiushan's ear.

This Yan Qiushan... for some reason, had a familiar aura that always reminded him of his past.

It was strange for someone so young to have such cultivation, unless they were born with a pile of elixirs and had been in seclusion for a long time, or had received some kind of inheritance.

Yan Qiushan was being kept alive by modern medical methods, relying on a ventilator to breathe, but his consciousness was still active.

His mind was filled with countless fragments of the past...

The Sword Spirit Zhi Chun had just awakened and was fumbling around in the mortal world. It accidentally sat on the remote control and was startled by the sudden appearance of people on the TV, jumping onto the back of the sofa in fright.

During Zhi Chun's first photo with Yan Qiushan, it saw others linking arms and wanted to join in.

But halfway through reaching out, it hesitated and felt it was inappropriate. Just as it was hovering in mid-air, the impatient photographer snapped the picture.

Zhi Chun was old-fashioned in its ways and couldn't keep up with the trendy humor of the younger team members.

They didn't know much about its background and would occasionally try to get closer by cracking a joke. But they would always retreat in defeat when faced with its refined and dignified face.

Zhi Chun would have to go back and ponder for a while before finally understanding the punchline, then laughing to itself for the rest of the day.

Zhi Chun was sensitive to the seven emotions and could truly feel the essence of any story.

When Yan Qiushan had time off, he would accompany him to the movies. He always pretended to casually choose a film, but in reality, he had secretly searched online for reviews for a long time.

He would specifically take Zhi Chun to see the one that would make her cry the most. Zhi Chun firmly believed that \"real men don't shed tears easily\" and refused to cry in public.

Even in the dimly lit theater, he would hold back her tears. But once they got home, he would become very clingy.

On Yan Qiushan's thirtieth birthday, Zhi Chun believed that reaching the age of \"standing on one's own feet\" was a big day. He learned some foreign customs and put candles on a cake for him to blow out, forcing him to close his eyes and make a wish.

Yan Qiushan thought he was not young nor old, and it was ridiculous to act like a child and believe in superstitions. He refused to do it and blew out all the candles in one breath, causing a big chunk of cream to fly off and stuffing it into his mouth before running away.

Hearing Zhi Chun chasing after him, he closed his eyes and laughed, silently wishing, \"Let's be together for one second longer than forever.\"

Amidst all the trivial matters... There was a moment when Sheng Lingyuan's bloodless lips lifted slightly, but then he saw the delusion of \"forever and ever\" and his smile froze again.

\"Useless,\" he thought, \"utterly foolish.\"

He was too lazy to check again, as if he never wanted to look at Yan Qiushan again, and disappeared into the ward.

In the sub-bureau, as soon as Sheng Lingyuan left, Xuan Ji's soul seemed to float away too, but the interrogation couldn't proceed without him.

He cooperated with the interrogator to turn the blind man's mind upside down until the wanted criminal began to show signs of foaming at the mouth under the curse, and the interrogation came to an end.

Xuan Ji dismantled Retracing and didn't have time to bid farewell to his colleagues before he ran off like he was being chased by urgent matters.

No, that's not right——Xuan Ji knew a lot from the memories of the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit. The language of the demon race was not learned, but rather innate in their bloodline.

In the present day, people with special abilities have bloodlines that are so diluted that they might as well not have any. It's understandable if they can't understand the language of the demon race, but Sheng Lingyuan's mother is a demon race princess, so she has at least half demon blood in her.

In the memories of the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit, Dan Li only taught the little prince the language of the merfolk, and definitely did not teach him how to speak the language of the demon race, because Sheng Lingyuan must have been born with it!

Since it's not a learned foreign language, how could he be unfamiliar with it?

How could he be stumped by Wang Ze's question?

For some reason, Xuan Ji had a strong intuition that this doubt was very important, and he almost immediately wanted to ask Sheng Lingyuan to clarify.

After returning to the hospital, Xuan Ji found that his belongings were still there.

He scanned the entire hospital with his divine sense, but there was no sign of Sheng Lingyuan.

So he went to the hotel where his uninjured colleagues were staying and learned that Sheng Lingyuan had never stayed there. He even went to the internet-famous shop where Sheng Lingyuan became popular, but found nothing.

Xuan Ji, relying on his wings, searched the entire Yuyang city from afternoon until midnight, turning everything upside down.

Sheng Lingyuan seemed to be like the wind and dew, appearing everywhere when he needed to be seen, but disappearing at will when he didn't want to be found.

Xuan Ji searched high and low, but still couldn't find him.

Xuan Ji found the tallest building and perched on the rooftop. As he sat on the railing, he thought of Sheng Lingyuan's face in the interrogation room, hiding something behind his stoic expression.

Xuan Ji guessed that he might be suffering from a migraine.

The Emperor's incredible patience, never once wrinkling his brow, made Xuan Ji wonder how much pain he could endure.

It was enough to make Xuan Ji lose his usual composure.

Putting himself in Sheng Lingyuan's shoes, Xuan Ji wondered where he would go if he were in unbearable pain.

For minor injuries, he would go home to his rented room in Yong'an and wrap himself in a blanket that smelled like him.

But for major injuries, he would return to his birthplace, the bottom of Chiyuan Valley. It was his hometown and final resting place, where he felt safe.

\"So... where will His Majesty go to avoid the public eye?\"

In a state of desperation, Xuan Ji opened his phone and hastily purchased an account for a research paper database.

He scrolled through various documents about Emperor Wu, reading at lightning speed. However, he soon realized that he had been reading in vain.

According to the literature, after unifying the country, Emperor Wu never left the Du Ling Palace except for a few hurried inspections.

The ancient palace had been destroyed by war over two thousand years ago, and the current site was merely a tourist attraction built by later generations based on their imagination.

Dongchuan was his second hometown, but it had undergone drastic changes over the years. The graves of the witch people had disappeared, swallowed up by the silver mines and floods. He had no descendants, and all his relatives had passed away.

Xuan Ji suddenly realized that in this world, besides the restless Chiyuan, there was no place that had any connection to him. Sheng Lingyuan like a drifting passerby with no purpose.

An indescribable sadness suddenly overwhelmed Xuan Ji, causing his heart to skip a beat.

Suddenly, the distant sound of thunder echoed through the air.

Xuan Ji looked up and saw a thundercloud gathering over the sea, with faint lightning flashing within. It seemed to be hesitating whether or not to strike... and it was in the direction of the destroyed tomb of the Mountain prince.

Xuan Ji quickly pulled out his phone and checked the weather forecast - it predicted sunny weather for the next three days in Yuyang.

Strange weather could only mean one thing...

Xuan Ji spread his wings and swiftly soared into the clouds, flying towards the sea.

As it was near the sea, fishing boats and cargo ships came and went frequently. The local police station handled the situation efficiently, sealing off the body and evidence, and cleaning up the area.

Now, the sea was \"clean\" and the majority of the troops had withdrawn. The sea water lazily rose and fell with the gentle breeze, and it seemed as if nothing had ever happened, except for the intimidating thunderclouds above.

This time, Xuan Ji didn't bring any water-type ability users with him, so he had to resort to using a few broken phrases of mermaid language that he knew, while calling out the emperor's name, in an attempt to locate him.

\"Sheng Xiao.\"

The sea remained unresponsive, as the sound of the waves easily drowned out his voice.

How strange.

Xuan Ji furrowed his brow and spoke in the language of the merfolk.

He had successfully used it to find someone before, proving that his pronunciation was not the issue.

However, when searching for someone, the target must be addressed by their formal name as recognized by themselves.

Did the emperor's name require a title because of his status?

\"Sheng Xiao... Your Majesty? Emperor Wu??\"

Still no response.

The merfolk language fell into the sea, seemingly echoing and spreading with the ripples before disappearing.

It was as if the ghost of a giant fish that had disappeared into the depths of the ocean thousands of years ago still lingered, having been deceived a thousand times but still believing in the existence of true love in the world and responding to people's prayers.

After waiting for a while, Xuan Ji heard no response from the mermaid language that fell into the sea. He frowned and took out his phone, trying all sorts of titles and names for the Emperor Wu, but the sea remained silent.

The mermaid language seemed to be accompanied by a sigh of frustration.

It was said that the mermaid language could only be heard if the other party acknowledged their name.

Xuan Ji hesitated on the surface of the sea for a moment, then suddenly had a stroke of luck and tentatively muttered, \"Sheng...Lingyuan.\"

As soon as his voice fell, there was a faint buzzing sound from the depths of the sea, and a vortex slowly formed.

Xuan Ji suddenly understood something and simply omitted the \"Sheng\" and called out, \"Lingyuan!\"

The sea surface rippled with a sound, and a school of silver fish slowly swam by, forming a huge fish tail shape that stretched straight towards the bottom of the sea.

Xuan Ji quickly took a deep breath and followed the fishes, diving into the sea. Although he didn't have any water-type abilities, he was still a powerful demon with exceptional lung capacity.

As long as he didn't engage in a fierce battle with anyone in the sea, he could hold his breath for a couple of hours.

Surprisingly, the school of fish remained intact, as if they had rehearsed their movements beforehand. Their position changes were smooth and natural, and in the starless and moonless night, the leader looked like the phantom of a deep-sea mermaid from afar.

It is said that divers who dive into the deep sea may experience hallucinations due to changes in the gas they breathe.

Xuan Ji didn't take a breath, nor was he human, so he shouldn't be affected.

However, perhaps the seawater blurred his vision, or perhaps the mermaid language echoing around him through the water was too elusive.

Suddenly, he felt a little dazed.

It was as if someone whispered in his ear, \"Your sword spirit has finally emerged, and you are a little freer now. But don't get too proud and lose yourself in worldly pleasures. If you practice diligently, you may be able to achieve your true form within fifty years. Then you can go wherever you want and do whatever you want. The fun days are yet to come. When you feel lazy, why not plan for the future - what are your wishes for the future?\"

\"I want to become a mermaid,\" he heard himself say.

\"Become what?\" The other person was momentarily stunned, then laughed and said, \"You'd probably have to be reincarnated. Do you think you're a Kunpeng, turning from a bird into a fish? If you just want to go out to sea, why become a mermaid?\"

But it wasn't just about going out to sea, it was because of the deep feelings that mermaids had. He hesitated and trembled, too afraid to confess to his beloved who knew nothing about it.

So he casually changed the subject, \"I just want to go out to sea. I heard there's a crab over a foot long in the ocean... Hey, why do you have to nitpick and make me look foolish? Can't you just understand what I mean?\"

The man suddenly stopped and, as if sensing something, didn't engage in their usual banter.

With calloused hands, he gently stroked the sword's blade and fell silent for a moment before saying, \"You were originally the offspring of the Vermilion Bird, king of all birds. When you cultivate your true form, you will have two wings on your back and soar freely without hindrance. Forget about being a mermaid, it's not auspicious. Don't speak so recklessly in the future and learn a thing or two, little chicken.\"

The words \"little chicken\" exploded in Xuan Ji's ears, causing his mind to tremble.

He accidentally exhaled and almost choked on water.

Xuan Ji used all four limbs to steady himself and regain his breath.

When he came to his senses, he realized that the school of fish had led him to the ruins of Prince Wei Yun's tomb.

The tomb mechanism had been broken, and the main structure had been blown to pieces, but due to its massive size, there were still some remaining structures in the distance.

Suddenly, the school of fish scattered, and the mermaid's illusion disappeared. Xuan Ji saw that there was black mist lingering in the tomb.

He swam forward for a while, and his face suddenly felt cold as the temperature of the seawater dropped rapidly.

Xuan Ji shivered and brushed aside the seaweed blocking his vision, finally seeing that the tomb had been completely frozen.

Someone familiar was lying inside.

With nowhere to go in the familiar yet unfamiliar world, he had frozen himself a coffin in the deepest, darkest part of the ancient tomb.

It seemed that only in the coffin could he sleep soundly.

","published_time":"2024-05-12T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-04-14T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-05-12T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":585,"novel_id":1,"chapter_no":73,"chapter_title":"Chapter 73","content":"

Xuan Ji carefully rubbed his fingers together, creating a cluster of almost pure white flames.

The fire could actually burn in the seawater, its light refracting back and forth, softly spreading out and illuminating the \"coffin\" on the seabed.

Sheng Lingyuan's body was surrounded by a black mist that seemed to never dissipate, maintaining a low temperature.

The seawater continuously washed over the outer layer of ice, with the melted parts quickly being replenished by the black mist.

The remaining section of the tomb passage just happened to wedge the ice block in place, preventing it from floating to the surface.

He left an air bubble in the middle of the ice block, about the same size as the coffin, sleeping soundlessly... or rather, unconscious.

Xuan Ji felt like something had been smeared on the inside walls of the coffin and leaned in closer. He was horrified to discover a large patch of bloodstains.

Sheng Lingyuan's long hair was unusually messy, and his powerful demon body had already healed the wounds. Only the dry bloodstains on his forehead hinted at where the blood in the coffin came from.

For a moment, Xuan Ji felt like his airway was being choked, perhaps from holding his breath for too long underwater.

Without thinking, white flames rose from his hands and began to slowly melt the outer layer of ice on the block. He had to remove this block of ice from the tomb.

As soon as the flames were released, Xuan Ji snapped back to reality and realized he had made a mistake.

He had acted impulsively.

A master like Sheng Lingyuan must have some self-protection mechanism when he faints.

As for Chiyuan and the Fire-keeper, they are completely incompatible.

Using his fire to melt the ice layer Sheng Lingyuan created from melting the black mist was like shouting a high-decibel fire alarm in someone's ear when they were completely unconscious, screaming \"the natural enemy is here\" several times - it would be strange if he didn't cause a stress response.

Xuan Ji quickly retracted his hand at the fastest speed, arched his back, and prepared for the backlash of the demonic energy.

At the same time, he quickly calculated in his mind, planning to endure a beating and find a chance to escape, trying to preserve the precious breath he was holding.

If there was even a hint of thunder-fire type in his brain, he wouldn't fight alone underwater.

However, just as he was nervously anticipating a beating, it never came.

Xuan Ji was filled with suspicion and waited anxiously. After a while, he timidly created a tiny flame.

He cautiously peered at the surrounding darkness and was surprised to find that the menacing demonic energy not only did not attack, but instead obediently retreated back into its master's body, ceasing its chilling effect.

The tropical seawater around them flowed over the surface of the ice, causing it to rapidly melt. The ice block that were once stuck in the tomb passage soon became loose and began to float upwards, carrying the person inside with it.

Xuan Ji was not a good swimmer, but he quickly used his unique dog-paddle technique to chase after the floating ice.

He almost lost it several times, but finally managed to grab onto the huge coffin-shaped ice that had melted enough to be carried by his hands.

However, Xuan Ji couldn't control his strength and with a loud \"crack,\" he shattered the thin layer of ice.

Oh no!

This damn demon really was a handful, such a simple problem that could have been solved with a brick, he had to go and act out his own version of \"Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea!

In a flash, Xuan Ji didn't even have time to worry about the blood that had splattered onto him. He searched his mind and finally remembered a very obscure mermaid language.

Taking advantage of his racial advantage, he quickly stuck his head into the bubbles in the ice and spoke as quick as a rocket.

Then, he pinched Sheng Lingyuan's nose and blocked his mouth.

The sea water beneath their feet surged like a fountain, and in the next moment, a tremendous acceleration lifted them upwards.

Xuan Ji spread his wings and held Sheng Lingyuan in his arms.

He felt as if he had turned into an arrow, with his head as the tip, piercing through the water without hesitation. If his skull were made of flesh and bone, it would have shattered into pieces long ago.

Despite his Vermilion Bird bones, he still couldn't open his eyes for a moment. The sound of the rushing water filled his ears, and the exposed skin on his body was numb from the impact of the water.

All his senses were temporarily lost, except for his lips...

Xuan Ji knew that this was just a temporary measure, and he shouldn't think too much about it. However, the more he tried to suppress his thoughts, the more he couldn't help but think about it.

Who knew how long Sheng Lingyuan had been frozen at the bottom of the sea. His lips were as cold as a piece of icy stone, but there was still a hint of warmth deep inside him.

It was so faint that it seemed precious, and it made Xuan Ji involuntarily explore it.

Xuan Ji tightened his hands, feeling as if a thousand years of longing had been fulfilled.

Even if he died now, he would have no regrets.

That one breath seemed to last forever, yet it also seemed to only last a second.

In the next moment, the fierce roaring sea water suddenly sprayed the two of them into the sky.

Xuan Ji's wet wings quickly spread out and he flapped them a few times to stabilize himself.

The thunderclouds at sea had dissipated at some point, and the long-awaited starlight and moonlight extravagantly sprinkled down.

The splashing droplets and sparkling waves made Xuan Ji unable to open his eyes for a moment, and he involuntarily leaned back... as if possessed by the crazed sword spirit.

He was momentarily deaf, only able to hear the rapid beating of his own heart like a marching drum in his chest.

Xuan Ji pursed his lips, feeling his heart slowly give up resistance and sink to the bottomless sea. He still hadn't figured out his own origins and history, but in that moment, he felt his own heart stirring.

Sheng Lingyuan was like a potent poison, and Xuan Ji knew all too well and had cautiously guarded against it, but in the end, he still took a bite.

\"Damn it,\" Xuan Ji exclaimed in frustration as he carried this toxic and harmful object towards the shore.

\"What a messed up situation!\"

Xuan Ji had been hospitalized a few days ago, but since the hospital didn't find any major health issues, his colleagues at the sub-bureau had left him a standard room at a hotel.

As he flew over, the seawater on his body had already dried up from the night wind. Although he had helped the emperor wash his hair before, given his inappropriate thoughts now, helping him wash up would be taking advantage of him.

Since the demon king had no worries of catching a cold, Xuan Ji casually found a blanket and rolled up the body of Sheng Lingyuan like a corpse, placing it on the bed.

He covered up that face, which he didn't want to see, and let out a sigh of relief. He paced around the room like a donkey pulling a millstone, then dragged his luggage out of the cabinet and rummaged through it, hoping to occupy himself and calm his restless mind.

\"At least I brought enough clothes to change,\" Xuan Ji thought to himself as he wiped his face with his white T-shirt, planning to wash up later.

Suddenly, he noticed blood stains on his clothes. Xuan Ji was taken aback, remembering how he had crushed Sheng Lingyuan's \"coffin\" in a hurry, causing the blood to splatter all over him.

In other words, he was now connected to Sheng Lingyuan via \"Bluetooth.\"

Xuan Ji held a shirt he was planning to change into, half-squatting on the ground with an open suitcase at his feet.

He froze in place for a while, then cautiously lifted his head to steal a glance at the person whose long hair was the only thing visible from the bundle he had rolled up.

He breathed a sigh of relief that he had discovered the person early, or else the consequences would have been unimaginable once the old demon woke up later.

Xuan Ji was drenched in cold sweat and didn't care about personal hygiene anymore.

He quickly pushed aside the clutter and made room for himself, sitting cross-legged on the ground and using his newly learned meditation technique to examine his own sea of consciousness.

After clearing his mind of external distractions and stray thoughts, he forced himself to calm down and discovered an unexpected guest in his sea of consciousness.

Xuan Ji observed nervously for a while, but then he relaxed a bit.

The seawater was flowing fast, and he didn't get much blood on him. The little bit of blood he had on him was fading visibly at a rapid speed, and it should break off soon.

The old demon thought he wasn't working hard enough, so Xuan Ji could consider this as an extra meditation lesson.

In case Sheng Lingyuan woke up during this time, he could block his consciousness since he had learned how to meditate.

He stretched his muscles in his own consciousness and waited for the \"Bluetooth\" to expire.

He often sneaked a peek at the \"uninvited guest,\" but as he did so, Xuan Ji felt that something was wrong.

The \"uninvited guest\" didn't make a sound.

From the time they were in the sea until now, Sheng Lingyuan had no consciousness, no perception, and no dreams... as if he were already dead.

Xuan Ji cautiously gathered his thoughts and approached Sheng Lingyuan's consciousness.

With a gentle dip, he only grazed the surface, but even that was enough to make him feel like he had fallen into an endless abyss.

It was as if he had entered a primordial world of chaos, with no light... just a vast emptiness.

The boundless darkness was a huge test of one's willpower, and Xuan Ji was startled, quickly retreating.

Even severely injured patients like Yan Qiushan still had some activity in their consciousness.

Who falls asleep without even dreaming?

After hesitating for a moment, Xuan Ji leaned in again, trying to imagine a spring garden with the shared empathy between them, attempting to weave a dream for Sheng Lingyuan.

It wasn't for any particular reason, but his heart was easily moved. He thought of the large patches of blood on the ice and wanted to help the person sleep better.

But it seemed that the person was not appreciative.

Before Xuan Ji could even prop up the rose trellis, he turned around to find that the artificial mountain and pond he had just set up had disappeared.

The flowers in his hand, still wet with dew, had been impatiently devoured by the darkness in Sheng Lingyuan's mind.

What was going on? Did he not like it?

Perhaps the design was too Westernized, and the old-fashioned person couldn't accept it.

Then... what about Du Ling Palace?

Xuan Ji recalled the appearance of Du Ling Palace.

As soon as he thought of it, the lonely snow under the palace lamp on New Year's Eve appeared in his mind.

However, this time, the dream was devoured even faster.

The carved beams and jade pillars of the Du Ling Palace flashed for a moment and immediately disappeared into nothingness, as if the person didn't even want to take a second glance.

Xuan Ji furrowed his brows and pondered for a moment. He tried to conjure up Dongchuan - the ancient one.

Xuan Ji had seen the ruins of the Dongchuan Witch Clan in his dreams under the Retracing curse and the Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit. They were all seen through the eyes of Sheng Lingyuan, and he didn't know if they were real or not.

Sheng Lingyuan had many layers of filters.

Gradually, the round and rolling forests and wooden houses of Dongchuan appeared, taking shape through the filter.

This time, the swamp-like darkness in Sheng Lingyuan paused for a moment.

He still liked Dongchuan... Xuan Ji let out a sigh, but before he could finish his thought, the exquisite pastoral landscape suddenly collapsed into countless pieces like shattered glass.

At the same time, a violent storm surged from the depths of Sheng Lingyuan's consciousness, sweeping Xuan Ji away like a knife and even crashing into his own mind.

The connection between the two was instantly severed, and Xuan Ji suddenly opened his eyes, only to see Sheng Lingyuan's hand twitching beside him.

Sheng Lingyuan raised his hand and felt the unfamiliar bedding, coming face to face with the snow-white ceiling of the hotel.

His forehead was heavy with anger, and he sat up, throwing off the blanket and catching sight of the little demon on the carpet doing who knows what kind of meditation.

As soon as their eyes met, the little demon recoiled in fear and embarrassment, but then something seemed to click and he forced himself to meet the gaze, his feathers ruffled in defiance.

Sheng Lingyuan wasn't in the mood for a staring contest, though.

With a quick glance around, he could tell that the little demon was just being nosy and disrupting his rare moment of peace.

Luckily, his headache had subsided and his mind was clear again, so he didn't bother getting worked up over such trivial matters.

He simply rubbed his temples wearily and asked, \"Are you finished with your interrogation?\"

\"Um...no,\" Xuan Ji awkwardly cleared his throat. \"Silver Shadow has been with this organization for a long time, and being interrogated for too long can cause mental harm him. But since his mental defenses have already been breached, we'll be taking him back to headquarters tomorrow morning on a special plane. The entire Wind God team will be there, and we've thoroughly scanned him from head to toe, adding over ten layers of protection. There's no way the situation in Dongchuan black market, where people were silenced, will happen again.\"

Sheng Lingyuan used his fingers as a comb to tidy up his messy hair and ignored him.

He knew that the current situation with the Bureau was far less capable than the Qingping Division in the past, and Sheng Lingyuan didn't expect anything from them.

As soon as Silver Shadow appeared, he sent a strand of demonic energy into the blind man's heart, allowing him to know immediately if anyone tried to kidnap or silence him.

Even if someone tried to behead Silver Shadow, he wouldn't allow it.

\"Your Majesty,\" at this moment, Xuan Ji asked with some indescribable nervousness, \"Are you... Are you coming back to Yong'an with us?\"

A cluster of black mist solidified into a tangible form, binding his hair.

Sheng Lingyuan lifted his head and gave him a glance, asking with a smile that was not a smile, \"What's wrong, not welcoming me?\"

Xuan Ji almost felt like he was being teased, his mouth dry and his words incoherent as he explained, \"No... I didn't mean anything else...\"

Step by step, Sheng Lingyuan approached him and slowly lowered his head, asking in a deliberate tone, \"What does 'no other meaning' mean?\"

Xuan Ji's throat moved, but he was speechless.

Suddenly, he realized that the old demon seemed to be an expert in the affairs of the heart, having seen through all the true and false emotions.

With just one glance, he could easily see through Xuan Ji's hidden thoughts and play with them in the palm of his hand.

Meanwhile, Xuan Ji had wasted ten years in the mortal world, indulging in food, drink, and pleasure, without gaining any useful knowledge.

He was completely defenseless.

In the next moment, Sheng Lingyuan pinched Xuan Ji's chin with two fingers, forcing him to lift his head.

\"Since you are so anxious and couldn't wait to dig me out of the sea overnight, I cannot disappoint your ambition.\"

Xuan Ji: \"...\"

Wait a minute, where is this situation heading?

\"Still two or three hours before dawn. I can teach you a bit of the 'Concentrating Technique' so you won't be clueless all day,\" said Sheng Lingyuan with a smile that quickly faded.

Without hesitation, he took a pair of pants from Xuan Ji's luggage and snatched the shirt from his hand.

\"I'll go freshen up and take these two pieces of clothing from you.\" Sheng Lingyuan held Xuan Ji's clothes in his hand and noticed that this guy's clothes were mostly light-colored, well-maintained, and soft to the touch.

He lived his life like a womanizing pretty boy, wasting countless effort on it.

It's no wonder his character is so fragile. His embarrassing appearance of searching the ground with his eyes was due to being swayed by his superficial appearance, and is clearly evidence of his incompetence.

He deserves a good slap.

Xuan Ji: \"...\"

What nonsense! How dare he slander him like that!

If he was really a womanizer, wouldn't he just admire himself in the mirror?

Wasn't that more convenient and energy-saving?

This was ridiculous!

No wonder the old demon lord ruled over thousands of miles of territory, with empty palaces and harem, not even a wife and child to his name.

He was a master of being alone, a true champion of loneliness!

And so, Xuan Ji didn't even have time to fully process the fact that Sheng Lingyuan had worn his clothes before he was angrily dragged into a luxurious one-on-one tutoring class.

This so-called \"Concentrating Technique\" was used in the past to train young men who lacked mental fortitude. It trained the heart to \"see through the six desires and remain unmoved.\"

Xuan Ji was pressed into a hallucination, forced to use his spiritual consciousness to thread a needle with a single thought.

The hallucination was filled with seductive sights and sounds, with each woman more beautiful than the last, shamelessly vying for his attention and trying to distract him from threading the needle.

It wasn't until Xuan Ji's phone alarm went off in the early morning that he was finally released from his \"temporary tutoring\" ordeal.

He was exhausted and had become a shell of his former self with sunken eyes.

However, there was a silver lining - his restless heart from the previous night had been worn out to the point of paralysis, and he couldn't even muster the energy to face Sheng Lingyuan, let alone feel any anxiety.

The Emperor was quite pleased with this outcome, believing that without discipline, one cannot achieve success.

This careless younger generation needed to be dealt with harshly, and it seemed to have worked like a charm.

After enduring the inhumane tutoring, the two of them had achieved their desired results and maintained this mindset as they boarded the plane back to Yong'an.

Before leaving, Xuan Ji didn't forget to retrieve the things he had stored at the hospital.

Sheng Lingyuan watched coldly, feeling that this little demon was probably someone who lacked love and care since childhood, like a hungry sparrow that would peck at anything, reluctant to waste any kindness shown to him.

Yan Qiushan was temporarily unable to move and had to stay at Yuyang for treatment and recuperation. Wang Ze left Gu Yuexi and Zhang Zhao to take care of him, while he took the other Wind God operatives and Xuan Ji from the aftermath department, along with his doubtful sword spirit, to escort Silver Shadow back to headquarters.

This special plane was sent by the headquarters, and the bottom cargo hold was renovated to the standards of a Class A prison, specifically for transporting important and dangerous suspects.

Having learned from the lesson of the black market in Dongchuan last time, no one was alerted except for the head of the sub-bureau, Manager Du, and Wang Ze. Even the staff of the aftermath department who were currently carrying out their tasks in Yuyang were not notified.

In their last flight, the emperor was still in his sword body, and Xuan Ji had carried him up as a sword. This time, it was the first time he personally boarded the plane, and he looked out the window with great interest the whole way, not worried at all about falling out - after all, he was sitting next to a big bird.

He even curiously asked Xuan Ji, \"Since you have wings, why don't you fly back yourself instead of taking another bird?\"

Xuan Ji was speechless, feeling that the emperor's words were off and sounded like he was scolding him. He couldn't pinpoint the problem for a while.

Wang Ze happened to pass by and burst into laughter, then went on to explain to Sheng Lingyuan what \"air traffic control\" meant. The emperor heard that ordinary people who were neither powerful nor wealthy nor cultivators were flying in the sky all day long and didn't quite believe it.

But he couldn't tell if it was the carp's nonsense or his own lack of knowledge, so he remained calm and skillfully began to question Wang Ze.

Wang Ze, a crazy people-person, was thrilled to be asked by a big shot. He talked non-stop, from the sky to the ground, and quickly revealed his family background. He even wanted to share a rare video from his phone, but Xuan Ji interrupted him because some of the content was too vulgar.

\"What is this?\" Sheng Lingyuan's gaze fell on the online shopping page on Xuan Ji's phone.

The emperor from ancient times had no idea that \"mobile phones\" were like modern people's underwear, and thought he could casually look at them without any taboos.

Xuan Ji didn't hide it in time, and with a trembling hand, he accidentally clicked the \"place order\" button...

...For the more than thirty pieces of men's clothing he had just put in his shopping cart, as well as a bunch of miscellaneous household items he had picked out.

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Perhaps it was due to Captain Wang's efficient work and careful consideration, or perhaps it was because the people behind the scenes felt the presence of Sheng Lingyuan on the plane and didn't dare to make any unnecessary moves.

In any case, their journey back to the Yong'an headquarters was exceptionally smooth, and they even arrived fifteen minutes early.

When the plane arrived at the West Mountain, it was almost noon. It seemed that the north had just experienced a snowfall, and the usually deserted the West Mountain was covered in white overnight.

Apart from a few scattered crows and sparrows, there were no birds in sight. Compared to the hot and humid Yuyang with its coconut trees, this was a completely different scenery.

Sheng Lingyuan had fought in different regions during his lifetime, so he naturally knew about the differences in climate between the north and south.

However, he had never traveled directly from the south to the north during the time he played two games of chess.

Although the emperor's face remained unchanged, he was secretly surprised in his heart.

He realised that his comment to Xuan Ji before leaving, \"Why don't you fly yourself?\" was narrow-minded, to say the least.

Xuan Ji aside, could even the ancient Kunpeng, those legendary gods who could travel thousands of miles in a day, possess such lightning-fast abilities?

\"Hmph, although it's a special mission aircraft, it's actually just a small civilian plane that's been modified. There's not much technical expertise involved,\" Comrade Wang Ze was truly the conscience of the tour guide industry, never stopping his storytelling.

He went through all the famous stories from ancient and modern times, both domestic and foreign, and said, \"The real technical expertise is in military and aerospace.\"

Xuan Ji twisted open the second bottle of mineral water and lost the battle for the emperor's attention.

On one hand, he had just started his job and couldn't recite everything like the experienced Wang Ze. On the other hand, although he could speak, he would still get dry mouth if he talked too much.

He wasn't as blessed as the water element, which could produce endless saliva.

Sheng Lingyuan was completely confused.

When Wang Ze talked about things like \"manned spaceflight technology,\" \"space station,\" and \"lunar spacecraft\" with saliva flying everywhere, he only politely praised him and didn't believe it in his heart.

Mortals going to heaven, gods coming to earth, time flowing backwards, and life and death reversing... wouldn't that be chaotic?

It was all nonsense.

The plane came to a stop on the dedicated runway of the Bureau. Wang Ze and Xuan Ji had already told of the functions of the hundreds of floors of the bureau building.

Outside, the wind howled and the snow fell heavily. As they entered the thirty-sixth floor lobby, the temperature-controlled indoor heating kicked in without hesitation.

Sheng Lingyuan's divine sense swept over the area and he immediately knew that the heating came from the hot water pipes buried beneath the walls and floors.

He couldn't help but marvel at how much more advanced this was compared to the firewalls used for heating in the imperial palace back in the day. Looking around at the lighting, elevators, and other amenities in the building, even King Wei Yu's luxurious white jade palace paled in comparison.

Suddenly, Sheng Lingyuan understood why many of the \"special abilities\" in modern times seemed so \"ignorant\" and couldn't even perform simple tricks that were readily available in daily life - they simply had no need to.

However, the two guides quickly fell silent, seeing Director Xiao waiting on the 36th floor.

\"Oh my god...\" Wang Ze swallowed hard and squeezed out a \"hmm\" from his throat, asking Xuan Ji, \"Do you think Director Xiao's face is powdered with lead? I see his forehead is black.\"

\"Son,\" Xuan Ji dryly replied, \"not just that, I think even his scalp is black.\"

Just then, Director Xiao projected a cold laugh from afar, \"Captain Wang, Director Xuan, you've returned triumphantly quite quickly. The big red flowers we prepared for you two aren't even ready yet.\"

Xuan Ji and Wang Ze exchanged a glance, feeling that these \"big red flowers\" were probably ordered from a funeral home.

These troublemakers shrank into the shape of quails and hid behind Sheng Lingyuan. Sheng Lingyuan, this 'Sword Spirit' who had just attacked Director Xiao's overnight, didn't even bother to look at the mischievous little thunder-fire beast, and continued to calmly admire the building.

Xiao Zheng was furious, his lungs were like bellows, and he was fanning the flames with every breath.

He couldn't hold back any longer and erupted like a volcano: \"Bribing the administrator of the danger zone, causing a security breach, and resulting in the loss of high-risk sealed items. It almost caused a 'Yin Sacrifice Sea Riot' and almost flooded Yuzhou Island! Wang Ze! This is not just neglect of duty, do you know that? This is intentional dereliction of duty! Bribery and corruption! To put it bluntly, you are anti-human! The minimum sentence is fifteen years in prison, and there is no upper limit!\"

Chief Huang rushed over upon hearing the news.

After listening to the lengthy verdict, he was afraid that Xiao would drag this Wind God Boss out and execute him. He quickly advised, \"It won't come to that. There are reasons for everything, reasons for everything.\"

\"And you!\" Xiao Zheng aimed his gun at Xuan Ji and said, \"Why didn't you report the problem when you discovered it? You acted without informing anyone! How can we, ordinary people, be so lucky to have you as a colleague? You even let dangerous weapons wander around freely without going through security checks or signing liability agreements...\"

Xuan Ji weakly uttered, \"I signed it.\"

Xiao Zheng didn't even think before responding, \"Isn't it because you maxed out your credit card and couldn't make ends meet with just one salary?\"

Xuan Ji could have argued back with confidence, but he was left speechless when he remembered his action of clearing his shopping cart with just one click.

He met Sheng Lingyuan's surprised gaze and felt even more embarrassed, wishing he could find a hole to hide in.

Sheng Lingyuan had heard from the chubby girl in the aftermath department about the \"full liability agreement.\"

At first, he thought the little demon was crazy, but then he realized that Xuan Ji had a point. With this agreement, they were on the same side, and it would make his activities in the human world much easier.

The fact that the other party expressed such sincerity meant that he would also reciprocate, as long as he wasn't intentionally causing trouble. Besides, he didn't want to stay in the human world for long.

He just wanted to resolve the matter quickly and rest in peace. This \"full liability agreement\" couldn't bind him for a lifetime anyway.

After some thought, Sheng Lingyuan couldn't help but give Xuan Ji a praising look. Although they didn't have any deep hatred, they had quite a few conflicts since they met.

This little demon may seem unreliable and playful, but after spending time in the human world, he had become shrewd and capable of handling things with ease.

He had a clear sense of what was important and what was not.

The emperor was used to seeing people in a complex way, but he never thought that Xuan Ji was simply foolishly in love and made such a mistake.

Chief Huang smiled kindly and advised, \"It's not an issue, we understand. In times of urgency, we have to do things differently.\"

Xiao Zheng was furious and shouted, \"No organization, no discipline! You people have no sense of morality. You should...\"

\"Great job, everyone,\" Chief Huang put his arm around Xiao Zheng's shoulder and cut him off mid-sentence. \"Thanks to our comrades' quick response, this second Yin Sacrifice ritual could have been a disaster. One hundred and eight clones, I was sweating just listening to it.\"

Xiao Zheng remained silent.

Then, Chief Huang praised each person one by one, even mentioning Sheng Lingyuan, the \"miraculous sword spirit.\"

Finally, he specifically inquired about Yan Qiushan's health, prognosis, and various family situations. This was not just a polite exchange, Chief Huang genuinely cared about Yan Qiushan's well-being and even adopted a serious attitude towards the treatment of the former Wind God Captain.

\"Captain Yan is a true hero. Back then, the decision to dismiss and punish Zhi Chun was too harsh and lacked empathy. Zhi Chun was injured while on the job, and later when something went wrong, the bureau failed to protect him, causing losses to the outside world. The bureau should take responsibility and not handle it this way.

\"Xiao Zheng, remember to notify the logistics, internal audit, and inspection departments to come over. We will re-examine the incident where Zhi Chun was poisoned and injured, and recognize and compensate him accordingly. The honors he deserves must be in place! We cannot let our hero bleed and shed tears on the front line.\"

After finishing his speech, Chief Huang's tone suddenly changed and he said seriously, \"I have selected the most elite members from the three major special forces to form an expert investigation team for this case. We will now hand over the suspect. The bureau attaches great importance to this matter and we will pursue it to the end as long as there are clues. I don't care who may be implicated, whether it's a big shot, an ancestor, or even a god, we will give everyone an explanation.\"

As Chief Huang spoke, he calmly pressed his hand on Xiao Zheng's shoulder. Xiao Zheng, who had been barking incessantly, immediately quieted down.

He awkwardly pushed up his glasses, trying to maintain a cool and detached demeanor, but his failed attempt at managing his expression gave him away.

Wang Ze was taken aback and suddenly remembered that Xiao Zheng's first internship was at Wind God... It was strange that all sorts of difficult-to-get-along-with and unpopular people loved to come to Wind God, for some unknown reason.

Later, because Xiao Zheng had a good image, high education, and a privileged family background, he was scheduled to be transferred to 'Thunder'.

Unlike the wild and unruly gang at Wind God, Leiting mostly carried out large-scale security tasks for events and foreign exchanges. They were the \"face\" of the headquarters and followed the upper-level route. The head of the security department was often promoted from people from the Thunder team.

It was a great opportunity, but this guy refused to go no matter what. Captain Yan considered his future and begged and pleaded for him to sign the transfer order.

At the time, Xiao Zheng, a lifelong sufferer of stage two cancer of the mind, even had a big argument with Captain Yan. Wang Ze remembered the string of messages that Director Xiao had sent to Captain Yan on his phone.

He realized a beat too late that Director Xiao was not furious because they had not reported their private actions to their \"superiors,\" but because he had not told his brother.

Wang Ze's eyes turned red, and all the resentment he had felt from his suspicion over the lost fragment of Zhi Chun disappeared. He strode over to Director Xiao and roughly patted him on the back.

Director Xiao looked like an angry cat, his tail puffed up like a feather duster, and he pushed Wang Ze away with a black face, but he didn't lash out and say anything unpleasant.

Sheng Lingyuan listened absentmindedly as Xuan Ji roughly introduced who was who and what they did. He watched with a cold eye, thinking that this \"Chief Huang\" was just an ordinary person mixed in with a group of highly capable individuals.

At first glance, he seemed like a weak and indecisive person, but in reality, he was not simple at all.

Shortly after taking office, he appeared to have done nothing, but quietly and effortlessly dismantled the previously invincible security department, and promoted his own proxy, Xiao Zheng. He then quickly resolved the tension between the Director and his former peers, openly and honestly bringing the Wind Gods to his side.

Compared to the Old Lady Yu, who had lived for hundreds of years and only played in the shadows, he was much more clever.

'It seems that the fate of the human race is not yet over,' he thought with a bit of relief and sarcasm, 'It's true that heroes come from all walks of life.'

Chief Huang seemed to have sensed something and turned his head towards Sheng Lingyuan.

Their eyes met and both were momentarily stunned before breaking into harmless smiles.

One was honest and straightforward, while the other was gentle and affectionate, giving off a sense of mutual understanding.

Chief Huang politely suggested, \"You haven't visited our bureau yet, have you? It was supposed to be Little Xuan's job to show you around, but unfortunately, we're currently undergoing maintenance...\"

The building of the Bureau was supported by numerous intricate formations. A few months ago, Bi Chunsheng's dark ritual had attracted lightning, which struck the ancient trees outside the main hall and caused significant damage to the formations on other floors.

After a thorough internal cleaning, they were now working overtime to repair the building, starting from the main hall and sealing off more than ten floors.

Sheng Lingyuan remained noncommittal, but Xuan Ji quickly spoke up: \"Don't worry, we'll come back often once the paperwork is done. Let's head back for now.\"

There were designated personnel in charge of transferring the prisoner and interrogating Silver Shadow, so the two of them could leave.

Xuan Ji borrowed a car with his work ID, feeling both nervous and excited, and invited Sheng Lingyuan back to his home.

As soon as they entered the city, the cold and desolate atmosphere of winter disappeared without a trace.

With the end of the year approaching, various foreign and local festivals followed one after another, and the major shopping malls became bustling with activity. The streets were noticeably more crowded, with red promotions and events everywhere.

The mall windows were filled with New Year's gift boxes, and a long line of young people wearing down jackets stood outside the trendy stores, shivering and exhaling white steam from their mouths and noses. The colder it got, the more vibrant the fireworks seemed, as if they were eager to challenge the harsh cold.

\"On the left, that 'big ball' is the sports stadium. They hold various competitions there, but when there's no one competing, it's free for citizens to use with a reservation. Next door is the library, where you can read any book you want... it's kind of like the ancient sects' scripture halls,\" Xuan Ji said as he multitasked as both driver and tour guide.

\"That's a park, a place for walking and activities. During the day, it's filled with old men and women practicing Tai Chi. Once they reach retirement age, they don't have to work anymore and are supported by their pension, which comes from...\"

Since he got on the plane, Sheng Lingyuan's ears had not been at peace. It had been years since anyone dared to be so noisy around him, and he wasn't used to it.

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and said, \"Can you take a break? You've been talking the whole way, aren't you tired?\"

Why are the winged clan always so talkative?

As Xuan Ji glanced at him through the rearview mirror, he met the Emperor's cold gaze and decided to keep quiet.

\"But I thought you would want to hear it,\" he thought to himself.

The Emperor had returned to the mortal world for several months now, yet he had never inquired about the longevity of the Great Qi or the success of his descendants.

He had never even asked about how history had judged him.

He was truly the embodiment of \"when I am gone, let the floodwaters rage.\"

He was beyond life and death, beyond the material world.

But Xuan Ji couldn't help but feel that if there was anything in this world that could bring him even a little comfort, it was the gentle breeze and moonlight of the peaceful world.

As the car entered the city where his home was located, Xuan Ji's palms began to sweat as he gripped the steering wheel.

As they drove into the neighborhood, his heart rate became irregular. By the time they reached the entrance of his complex, he was so nervous that he could barely distinguish between the brake and the accelerator.

Xuan Ji racked his brain, trying to remember if she had put away all his underwear and socks before leaving, if he had washed the dishes, and even if he had messed up parking and had to go back to sneakily push his car into the spot using his special abilities.

After leaving him for a short while, Xuan Ji turned around and saw the Emperor scrutinizing the resid

Lie Huo Jiao Chou

Lie Huo Jiao Chou

Chapter 108 - Chapter 108

Skye