Mo Xuanli and Gu Baiqing disappeared for an entire night. When Ji Chuling and Li Xiuran arrived at the divine tree to attend the ritual, they still hadn’t seen them.
“Where are they? They still haven’t shown up, nothing could have happened, right?” Ji Chuling said worriedly.
“They were probably delayed by something,” Li Xiuran wasn’t too worried. After all, if something happened when those two were together, the entire cultivation world would probably be finished.
Ji Chuling looked around and still couldn’t help saying, “Lou Xuan and… Lou Zixiao seem to have not appeared either.”
At the scene there were only the Valley Master and Lou Zihan and the others, and they seemed to be anxiously waiting for something.
Li Xiuran glanced at Ji Chuling and said, “You’re worried about Lou Zixiao?”
Ji Chuling’s expression changed, and she couldn’t say anything.
Li Xiuran knew that Ji Chuling’s own sense of right and wrong was clashing with the values she had been taught all along.
“I’m afraid the odds are grim,” Li Xiuran said. He didn’t want to frighten Ji Chuling, but this was the only reasonable conclusion he could draw, given that they had searched all night without finding anyone.
At this moment, in the underground secret chamber beneath the alchemy room, piercing, miserable screams echoed endlessly. Strange light filled the entire room, carrying an indescribable power. Spirit crystals turned to powder, black demonic flowers from the demon realm all withered. Whether spiritual energy or demonic energy, upon encountering this power, seemed to bow their heads and hide.
Finally, with a scream that nearly tore the throat apart, the secret chamber returned to silence, and the power was sealed in an instant.
With a clack, the iron chains made a sound, the noise of a heavy object that had lost the strength supporting it falling down.
But the chains did not snap taut, because Lou Xuan quickly stepped forward and caught the falling figure.
Lou Xuan frowned deeply and reached out to brush aside the bangs on Lou Zixiao’s forehead, soaked with sweat from the pain.
At this moment, Lou Zixiao’s appearance was horrifying, blood flowed from her seven orifices, her face deathly pale, where was there any trace of her usual lively, pretty look like fresh tender bamboo? Her entire body’s muscles twitched nonstop from the pain that had exceeded her limits. Not to mention the tear-streaked face, and the hole in her back that kept bleeding.
Pain flashed through Lou Xuan’s eyes. He gently cleaned Lou Zixiao’s face, stopped the bleeding, and treated her injuries. Only after everything was stabilized did he release her.
Lou Zixiao was still bound by chains, half-sitting lifelessly on the ground, with formations around her sustaining her life.
Lou Xuan wrapped the red bone, about the size of a small finger bone, suspended in midair with a talisman. Only then did he lift his foot, preparing to leave.
Suddenly, a hoarse murmur came from behind him.
“Master…”
Lou Xuan’s steps halted. Just as he was about to speak, he spat out a mouthful of blood. He hurriedly wiped it away, tapped several points on his own body, his gaze heavy, and said, “Master will be back soon.”
Before long, Lou Xuan appeared in the divine tree area. When the Valley Master saw him arrive, he hurriedly pulled him over. Lou Xuan nodded, and the Valley Master finally let out a sigh of relief.
Lou Xuan looked around and asked, “Why are there so few people?”
“Something’s not right. We don’t know where the others went. Only half of the people are left, will that do?” the Valley Master asked anxiously.
Lou Xuan frowned slightly, clearly troubled, but in the end still nodded in agreement.
At this time, Lou Zihan, who had been sitting in a wheelchair all along, finally came before Lou Xuan. Unable to help herself, she scrutinized his expression and asked, “Is she dead?”
“Dead,” Lou Xuan replied expressionlessly.
The Valley Master frowned slightly and said, “You could say she was unlucky. But even if she hadn’t died, given the current situation in the cultivation world, we wouldn’t have been able to keep her.”
Lou Xuan said nothing more and turned to make preparations, but Lou Zihan grabbed him, questioning, “You’re not sad?”
Lou Xuan prepared to pull her hand away.
Lou Zihan refused to let go. “You can’t bear it, can you? But no matter how much you can’t bear it, it’s useless. I’m more important than her. To save me, even if it costs her life, you wouldn’t hesitate, right?” Lou Zihan seemed intent on proving something, pressing him again and again, but received no response. Finally, she couldn’t help asking, “She’s dead, will you still marry me?”
Lou Xuan finally pulled his hand free and said, “I’m afraid I won’t be able to marry you. Zihan, I’ve always regarded you as a junior. Your parents died because of me, and you’ve suffered years of torment because of me. I owe you, and I’ll never be able to repay this sin, but I still hope you can be happy in the future.”
After saying this, Lou Xuan left, while Lou Zihan bit her lip unwillingly.
“Don’t force him anymore. He’s already done enough,” the Valley Master couldn’t help sighing. “Back then, you survived thanks to him risking his life. He was already gravely injured, nearly lost his life, yet still saved you. He truly is a genius, our Immortal Medicine Valley will rely on him in the future.”
“Not enough. He owes my parents, so he must take responsibility for me for his entire life. Now that Lou Zixiao is dead, there’s no one closer to him than me anymore. Once I recover, I’ll make him marry me.” Lou Zihan said willfully to the Valley Master.
The Valley Master sighed and said, “We’ll talk about it later. In a moment… be careful, don’t show yourself. There may be trouble.”
Even though they knew there would be trouble, they couldn’t stop now. This was their only chance.
At this time, the ritual began. Lou Zihan, wearing an intricate and exquisite white dress, was pushed to the front of the platform like a fairy, suspended in midair. Under her spellcasting, a beam of white light was released from her body and shot toward the divine tree. The pale red flowers on the divine tree gradually lit up.
It looked as though Lou Zihan had activated the divine tree’s blessing, and everyone else watched in amazement.
But Li Xiuran understood clearly, it was a surge of power erupting from within Lou Zihan that the divine tree was absorbing. As the power was drawn away, Lou Zihan’s body visibly improved. Just as he and Mo Xuanli had guessed, Lou Zihan’s body simply couldn’t withstand the power of the fragments. It was only by having the divine tree siphon off the excess power that she avoided exploding and dying.
So in the past, every time the divine tree’s blessing was held, it was actually to regularly help Lou Zihan release the power of the God-Slaying Sword fragments that she couldn’t suppress.
Yet in the eyes of others, it seemed as though the divine tree was giving Lou Zihan power, making her look better.
Things were progressing too quickly, and Li Xiuran couldn’t help feeling anxious. He looked around, and soon a cat ran over.
Li Xiuran and Ji Chuling immediately squatted down.
Three Bean asked in confusion, “Where’s Xuanli?”
“He went to find your master,” Li Xiuran said.
Three Bean was shocked. “Master came?”
Li Xiuran and Ji Chuling felt a bit more at ease. Even their contracted beast didn’t know Gu Baiqing had come so the two of them being kept in the dark didn’t seem like such a big deal anymore.
Hearing that the two were missing, Three Bean was very worried. But he still couldn’t sense anything, so he could only look at Ao Hang coiled around his neck.
Ao Hang raised his dragon head and said doubtfully, “I can sense that they’re still on the island, but something is blocking them. They might be trapped somewhere with formations.”
“Could they be in danger?” Three Bean asked anxiously.
Ao Hang snorted with a laugh. “If the two of them together could still be in danger, then they wouldn’t be worth being alive. Who knows… maybe they’re enjoying themselves and have forgotten the time!”
Three Bean immediately swiped a paw at him.
Li Xiuran and Ji Chuling could only smile awkwardly.
Li Xiuran still carefully asked about the situation here. Ao Hang had been observing all along and could be considered conscientious, no wonder he had so many grievances.
According to Ao Hang’s perception, the spirit-gathering formation should have been repaired, and there was a risk it could be activated at any time. As for the divine tree, it was very strange, it felt as though it was gradually withering. He didn’t know what they meant by the divine tree’s blessing.
And now the divine tree seemed a bit better again. Perhaps occasionally absorbing the power of the God-Slaying Sword fragments could help the divine tree delay its deterioration.
Hearing this, Li Xiuran couldn’t help frowning and said, “Could it be that after replacing the fragments, they plan to incorporate them into the divine tree to continue sustaining it? Then how did the divine tree survive before? By occasionally absorbing power?”
“So they’re not planning to hand them over? Then are we still going to seize them?” Ji Chuling asked.
As for the demonic energy they had mentioned earlier, Ao Hang had sensed it too just now, but this place was too heavily influenced by the divine tree. Many judgments would be interfered with, so Ao Hang couldn’t say anything specific.
“Looks like we can only adapt as things happen,” Li Xiuran said, secretly hoping that the two missing people would arrive soon.
Meanwhile, underground, Mo Xuanli suddenly jolted awake from the white fur blanket and sat up. He looked around, there wasn’t a single figure in sight, as if everything had been a dream.
“Master… Master!” Mo Xuanli went from murmuring softly to shouting aloud.
Immediately, a voice came from a tunnel. “What’s wrong? I’m here.”
Soon, the familiar figure appeared at the tunnel entrance, walking toward him with a bewildered expression.
But Mo Xuanli was already so panicked and anxious that he directly flung out God Nine Transformations, instantly wrapping it around Gu Baiqing’s waist. Before Gu Baiqing could react, he was yanked back through the air and slammed straight into Mo Xuanli’s embrace.
Gu Baiqing was utterly stunned and was just about to question what this kid was doing.
Instead, he was flipped over and pinned onto the blanket, as if someone in utter panic was desperately trying to prove something. What followed was a kiss about to press down but Gu Baiqing reacted quickly, thrusting his hand between them so that Mo Xuanli could only kiss the back of his hand. Taking advantage of Mo Xuanli’s momentary daze, Gu Baiqing pushed him away with the back of his hand.
In just a short while, his clothes were almost messed up again. Gu Baiqing was furious. “Are you still half-asleep? What are you doing?!”
Mo Xuanli truly was muddled. He anxiously grabbed Gu Baiqing’s hand and said, “Master… do you know what I am now? You’re still by my side, did I tell you… tell you that I like you?”
Gu Baiqing first flushed with embarrassment, then froze. Seeing the panic on Mo Xuanli’s face, which didn’t seem fake, he reached out and pinched Mo Xuanli’s cheek. “You’re not dreaming. Everything you said earlier really happened.”
“Really?” Mo Xuanli asked again.
Gu Baiqing nodded. It seemed that the revelations from earlier had dealt him a fatal blow, so with the slightest trigger, he would feel that everything was unreal.
There was still uncertainty in Mo Xuanli’s eyes, and then he suddenly leaned toward Gu Baiqing again.
Gu Baiqing stiffened slightly, but in the end endured it. Their lips touched lightly, seemingly not enough to prove anything, nor enough to put Mo Xuanli’s heart at ease. Immediately after, an urgent, deep kiss followed, not giving Gu Baiqing any chance to catch his breath, as he was pulled into a tight embrace. In an instant, his lips and teeth were filled with the other’s presence, making his face burn. Only when Gu Baiqing felt his whole body heating up, unable to take it anymore, did he push away the insatiable person with force.
“That’s enough!”
“Master…”
Gu Baiqing wiped the corner of his mouth, his face flushed red, his eyes not knowing where to look. “I… I understand that you were frightened earlier, your state of mind is still unstable, and you’re overly exhausted. But just this once. After this… you can’t… you can’t do this so casually anymore.”
Previously, after losing track of Yuxin, they could only find a way out on their own, and only then did they realize that this place was essentially the underground labyrinth of the entire island. There were caves and tunnels everywhere, and from time to time formations and barriers blocked their way.
Gu Baiqing wanted to force their way out, but since he didn’t know what was above, he didn’t dare use any large-scale moves rashly.
So they could only rely on Mo Xuanli’s Void Spirit Space. However, after one use, they didn’t get out, they had merely switched to another cave.
After several attempts, they finally realized that the reason Mo Xuanli had been able to locate this place smoothly before was entirely because Gu Baiqing had been wearing the ring. Now, with the formations here in chaos yet extremely powerful, Mo Xuanli’s Void Spirit Space was directly confused. Even relying on the sensing from the spirit beast contract, he was unable to accurately bring Gu Baiqing out.
The last time brought them back to this starting point. After consecutively using large-scale spells, Mo Xuanli had finally overexerted his spiritual energy and fallen unconscious. Gu Baiqing could only wait for him to wake up while surveying the surrounding situation.
He hadn’t expected that as soon as Mo Xuanli woke up, he’d be sleep-dazed.
Mo Xuanli looked at Gu Baiqing somewhat aggrieved. Although his eyes were already clear and he understood the current situation, he still couldn’t help saying, “But Master just promised me that you wouldn’t leave me behind.”
Gu Baiqing hadn’t expected Mo Xuanli to come up with such an excuse and directly knocked him on the head. “That counts too? That’s sophistry.”
Mo Xuanli rubbed his head and muttered sulkily, “It counts!”
Gu Baiqing couldn’t be bothered with him and stood up, saying, “Are you done? If you’re done, get up. We’ve already delayed too much time. I don’t know what the situation is like up there.”
Just as Mo Xuanli was about to get up, the entire underground cave suddenly began to tremble, as if it had sensed a powerful fluctuation of spiritual energy.
Mo Xuanli immediately shielded Gu Baiqing behind him, holding God Nine Transformations on guard. At that moment, God Nine Transformations itself also began to tremble.
Mo Xuanli’s gaze sharpened as he sensed a summons from a certain direction.
“Master! Look.”
Gu Baiqing also saw that the small red cord on God Nine Transformations was pointing straight in one direction, and he said, “Follow it.”
The two of them quickly followed the directional sensation given by God Nine Transformations.
After winding and turning through countless paths, Mo Xuanli suddenly stopped, clutching his head and nearly losing his balance.
Gu Baiqing quickly supported him and asked in surprise, “What’s wrong?”
“This… should be beneath the divine tree. I felt uncomfortable whenever I got close to the divine tree before. Now it’s even worse,” Mo Xuanli explained.
Gu Baiqing was somewhat surprised. Wasn’t the divine tree’s blessing supposed to be the task? Shouldn’t it be something that benefited Mo Xuanli? Why would he feel uncomfortable?
And ahead in the tunnel, there was indeed a faint glow, it should be a place where a great deal of power had gathered, and there was also the aura of a spirit-gathering formation.
Gu Baiqing frowned and said, “Wait here. I’ll go take a look.”
Just as Gu Baiqing was about to leave, Mo Xuanli grabbed him.
When Gu Baiqing turned back, he saw that Mo Xuanli’s expression was the same as before.
“Don’t leave me.”
Gu Baiqing was truly at a loss. But before he could speak, Mo Xuanli directly used God Nine Transformations to link their wrists together, then propped himself against the wall with one hand and walked forward.
What could Gu Baiqing do? Fine then, underground was unsafe anyway, and Mo Xuanli doing this was understandable. He could only follow and support Mo Xuanli.
Soon, the two of them reached the end of the tunnel. Mo Xuanli’s head hurt more and more, as if countless voices were screaming and echoing in his mind.
Until a massive cavern appeared before them. The scene that met their eyes gave Mo Xuanli his answer and left Gu Baiqing frozen in shock.
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