Jade Essence Part 1

Volume Four: Fallen Flower Mountain Market

There were quite a few people in the carriage, but the atmosphere was not very good.

Xiao Fuxuan still didn't like to sit, leaning in his usual spot.

Fang Chu sat on one side with Yi Wusheng. From the moment he got on the carriage, he had been leaning against the carriage wall, playing dead, looking as if he was going to sleep until the world ended.

Ning Huaishan sat on one side with Wu Xingxue, a thin figure leaning in the corner. The sword scar on his neck had begun to hurt again. It felt damp and soft to the touch, as if it was about to split open again.

He was frustrated by this recurring old injury with nowhere to vent, so he shot a sidelong glance at Yi Wusheng and said bluntly, "Didn't you say you still had some regrets? What's the matter, not regretting them anymore?"

Yi Wusheng said with an abashed expression, "I'm ashamed."

His curiosity was truly immense; he always loved to get to the bottom of things, possessing a bit of a scholar's pedantry. But if it weren't for this disposition, he wouldn't have been able to figure out so many new pill formulas.

In the past, due to his status in the Hua Family, he always had to consider the bigger picture and remain as steady as Mount Tai, so he would restrain some of his natural inclinations. Now that his days were numbered, he had truly managed to do as he pleased.

Ning Huaishan had only meant to perk up and jab at him a little. Seeing that he was only embarrassed and not annoyed, he found it boring and slumped back. After a short while, he started rubbing the sword scar on his neck.

He was already thin, and leaning in the corner made him look even more pitiful.

Yi Wusheng watched for a moment and couldn't help but ask, "That scar of yours—"

Ning Huaishan immediately turned fierce. "None of your business!"

After all, Yi Wusheng had been the one to leave that scar. Although it was perfectly justifiable for disciples of the Immortal Sects to slay demons and defend the righteous path, seeing Ning Huaishan like this, he couldn't help but start worrying again.

Yi Wusheng asked, "Is it hurting again?"

Ning Huaishan: "It's not!"

Yi Wusheng: "I have some medicine here—"

Ning Huaishan: "Not taking it!"

Yi Wusheng was about to speak again.

Ning Huaishan: "Say another word and you're dead."

He had always been reckless when cursing people, his words leaving his mouth without thought. Only after he spoke did he realize that this Yi Wusheng was indeed not far from death.

He actually felt a little guilty and in the wrong.

Yi Wusheng paused for a moment, smiled without saying anything, and still took out a medicinal pill from his medicine pouch.

Ning Huaishan felt even more in the wrong.

When he looked up again, he saw the City Lord, who had been resting with his eyes closed beside him, half-open his eyes to look over. He immediately gave in, snatched the pill from Yi Wusheng's hand, and forced it down his throat.

After swallowing it, he stretched his leg out under the table, nudging Fang Chu's foot and sending a voice transmission: "Stop pretending to be asleep, hurry up and save the situation."

Fang Chu remained motionless with his eyes closed. After a long moment, he sent a voice transmission back: "No."

The reason Fang Chu had started playing dead as soon as he got on the carriage was that when the carriage curtain fell, he had suddenly realized a problem—

When they came to Great Sorrow Valley, it was the same carriage, and the same five people. They had thought three people in the carriage were Evil Demons from Zhaoye City, and one was a puppet under the Evil Demons' control. They had the upper hand.

And Yi Wusheng, the lone disciple of the Immortal Sects, caught among a pack of surrounding demons, was utterly doomed.

But now, that was not the case.

Yi Wusheng wasn't kidnapped; he had come of his own volition. The puppet was not a real puppet, but the real High Immortal Tianxiu. And their City Lord was no longer just a City Lord, but also the Spirit King of the Immortal Capital, the kind who was as famous as Tianxiu.

Out of five people, three were associated with the immortal side. He and Ning Huaishan were the ones who were doomed.

What's more, the former site of the Fallen Flower Mountain Market had now become the entrance to the Demon's Den, Zhaoye City. If the two of them brought this carriage full of immortals back, he didn't know if it would be considered colluding with the enemy or staging a rebellion.

They could have gone anywhere, why did it have to be the Fallen Flower Mountain Market...

Fang Chu mentally vomited a mouthful of blood.

Just as he finished vomiting, he heard their City Lord's lazy, drowsy voice.

"Xiao Fuxuan," Wu Xingxue said.

The person leaning by the door turned his eyes to look over.

Wu Xingxue asked, "Aren't you going to sit? There's clearly a seat."

At these words, the feigning-dead Fang Chu and the weak Ning Huaishan instantly opened their eyes.

This carriage was indeed large and spacious enough for three people to sit on one side without issue. The problem was the two of them.

Yi Wusheng and Wu Xingxue were both sitting on the inside. The two of them were sitting on the outside, one on each side. If High Immortal Tianxiu were to come and sit, one of them would have to be squeezed in the middle...

Ning Huaishan immediately kicked towards Fang Chu and sent a voice transmission: "Hurry up and move over, let Tianxiu sit with Yi Wusheng!"

Fang Chu kicked back: "If I move over, we'll be squeezing the City Lord into the corner. Are you crazy?"

But Fang Chu's kick went astray and hit Wu Xingxue instead.

Wu Xingxue was caressing a hand warmer. He said, "I don't know if I'm crazy, but you two are certainly making quite a commotion."

Fang Chu: "..."

Fang Chu had been a minor demon lord for decades, but this was the first time he blushed. He was speechless and could only glare at Ning Huaishan, the culprit who had entrapped him.

Seeing his actions exposed, Ning Huaishan no longer dared to stay by Wu Xingxue's side and immediately darted to the opposite side.

Wu Xingxue: "..."

He asked irritably, "What are you running for?"

Ning Huaishan sat down next to Fang Chu. He couldn't very well say "I'm scared of you," so he could only say sheepishly, "I'm making room for Tianxiu."

After he spoke, the carriage fell silent for a moment. The City Lord and Tianxiu both glanced at him at the same time.

Ning Huaishan: "..."

He felt there must be something wrong with what he'd said. But he didn't understand what the problem was. After a moment's consideration, he decided to clutch his neck and play pitiful to muddle through.

He whined, "City Lord, my neck hurts."

Wu Xingxue thought, 'Why isn't it your mouth that hurts?'

He lifted his chin and reminded him unhurriedly, "The side you're clutching has already started to scab over. You can move down a little."

Ning Huaishan: "..."

That pill from Yi Wusheng was truly potent; the pain had actually subsided after just one. But since he had started the act, he had to see it through, however reluctantly.

So he silently moved his fingers down a few inches.

The City Lord still didn't let him off, saying softly, "You moved too late. That spot has also scabbed over now."

Ning Huaishan dropped his hand, unable to keep up the act any longer.