Chapter 37
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The moonlight was bright, and the fox was particularly delighted when it heard the name “Hua Yue.” It pounced towards Pei Yunshu.
Pei Yunshu picked it up, and the small, fluffy creature felt comfortable in his arms. He suppressed the inexplicable emotions in his heart. Just as he was about to speak, he felt a warm sensation on his cheek.
He lowered his head in surprise and saw the fox bashfully burying itself in his embrace. After giving him a kiss, even the yellow-furred fox seemed to blush, turning from a yellow fox to a red one.
Pei Yunshu couldn’t help but find it amusing. It felt like the fox was acting like a spoiled child. He glanced at the sky; it was already late. He carried Hua Yue into the room and found a small bed for it. “You should rest, Hua Yue.”
He turned to leave, but Hua Yue grabbed onto his clothes, looking anxious, as if it wanted to know where Pei Yunshu was going.
Pei Yunshu was momentarily stunned, then gently brushed over Hua Yue’s ear and released its grip on his clothes. With that, he continued on his way with Qingyue Sword.
Earlier, he and Second Senior Brother had gone to the mortal realm and bought some things, regardless of whether their Grandmaster would like them. Pei Yunshu wanted to give it a try.
Even though it was getting late, he didn’t want to waste any time.
***
When Pei Yunshu reached the mountain’s peak, Venerable Wuwang was still meditating. The meditation chamber was covered with layers of white frost, resembling an icy realm.
Grandmaster was dressed sparsely, and frost clung to his body. His presence was faint, as if he were not breathing at all.
He was handsome, but his sword intent was icy. Pei Yunshu tilted his head and looked at him for a while. His black hair slipped down from his shoulders, and after some time, he couldn’t bear the cold in the room any longer. He called out, “Grandmaster.”
Grandmaster opened his eyes, and there was no reflection in them at first. However, when he looked at Pei Yunshu, a glint appeared in his eyes, and the room’s icy chill seemed to recede, as if spring had returned to the earth.
He got up and walked towards Pei Yunshu. Pei Yunshu took a step back, and the two of them exited the meditation chamber, entering the outer room.
The night on Three Days Peak was even darker, with heavy dew. Dewdrops clung to Pei Yunshu’s hair, and when the Grandmaster saw them, he raised his hand to touch them.
Pei Yunshu blinked in surprise. “Grandmaster?”
Inside his mind, there was a surge of emotions, as if thousands of fine needles were piercing his flesh. Venerable Wuwang concealed the scent of blood on his lips and gently wiped the dewdrops from Pei Yunshu’s hair, acknowledging him in a low voice.
Pei Yunshu turned his head and, after a moment, suddenly smiled gently. “Grandmaster, I found something for you in the mortal realm.”
The Grandmaster’s voice remained cold, but he stood right in front of Pei Yunshu. However, he didn’t step back. “What is it?”
The disarray of the previous day seemed to have completely receded from him. His features were intense, and his expression was as cold as ice and snow. While Pei Yunshu had pushed him to the brink of collapse yesterday, today, he seemed to have erected an impenetrable barrier, appearing unbreakable.
Pei Yunshu lowered his gaze and took out an exquisite wooden box from his sleeve.
The wooden box was carved with an image of a lady fanning herself. The lady had an elegant figure, and the Grandmaster only glanced at it briefly before his gaze froze in place.
Pei Yunshu opened the box, revealing bright red rouge inside, as if freshly extracted flower juice, with a subtle fragrance.
The Grandmaster’s feather-like long lashes quivered for a moment. “What is this?”
“This is rouge,” Pei Yunshu said softly, dipping a finger into the rouge and drawing a red streak on the back of his hand. He looked at the streak and said, “Grandmaster, do you like it?”
He asked lightly, but his words thundered in Venerable Wuwang’s ears.
The Grandmaster reached out for Pei Yunshu’s hand, and as he held it, his nails dug into his palm, causing blood to flow. He then gently wiped away the rouge.
He naturally knew what this was.
Back when he was still Yunwang, he had spotted this rouge at a stall in the mortal realm. At the time, he had thought that if Senior Brother Yunshu had a touch of red on his lips, he would look exceptionally charming.
However, Pei Yunshu didn’t like it.
Venerable Wuwang had an excellent memory, and even now, he could recall how many different rouge products were on display that day. He had chosen the one with a carving of towering mountains and flowing waters, but what he truly noticed was another box that was audaciously—
The Grandmaster’s face turned slightly red, and he suddenly let go of Pei Yunshu’s hand as if it had been scalded. He took a few steps back.
Pei Yunshu placed the rouge box aside and hid his hand behind his back. He looked straight at Venerable Wuwang and pursed his lips, saying, “Grandmaster, if you like it, will you keep the promise you made to me that day?”
Venerable Wuwang’s face was now red, and he suddenly grew cold again. He closed his eyes and gave the Demon Sealing Tower to Pei Yunshu.
***
After Pei Yunshu left, Venerable Wuwang stood alone in the room for a long time. He suddenly produced a piece of white jade pendant from his hand. The jade pendant was warm to the touch, and when his ice-cold fingertips brushed over it, he felt a slight stinging sensation.
Venerable Wuwang looked at the jade pendant, holding it tightly in his hand.
A still heart keeps the demons away.
He recited the Clear Heart Mantra several more times, but his gaze fell upon the rouge on the table, and his heart quivered.
***
Pei Yunshu carried the Demon-Sealing Tower and was flown down the mountain by Qingyue Sword.
Halfway up the mountain, he leaped off the sword and entered the study alone.
As the lights came on, the black and gold Demon-Sealing Tower was placed on the table. Pei Yunshu examined the tower closely, not missing any details. He tried pushing the tower’s black door, but it didn’t budge.
The tower didn’t look appealing at all. Pei Yunshu leaned on the table and stared at the door, whispering, “Is anyone in there?”
The tower remained silent, but Pei Yunshu wasn’t discouraged. He moved closer, his robe draping over the sides of the table. “Is there anyone inside?”
Before his words even fell, the tip of the tower trembled slightly.
It was as if something inside was trying to break free.
Pei Yunshu watched closely. Inside the tower were various demons, and there might even be some extremely wicked and powerful monsters. Who knew if what was pushing against the tower was good or bad? But he wasn’t afraid; in fact, he felt a sense of excitement welling up inside him.
He remembered what the Grandmaster had said by the pool that day. He stood up, approached the tower’s tip, and inquired softly, sounding as if he were speaking in a drunken dream.
“Flood Dragon?”
The tower fell silent for a moment, then started shaking violently. There was a faint cracking sound, and Pei Yunshu was startled. He followed the sound and searched for it until, after a while, he finally found an almost invisible tiny crack at the tower’s tip.
The crack was so small that it was barely visible to the naked eye. Pei Yunshu placed his hand on the crack, and his eyes brightened. For some reason, he started laughing.
***
Early the next morning, Pei Yunshu put the Demon-Sealing Tower into his storage bag and went to the library.
He spent the whole day in the library but couldn’t find any information on how to seal or release demons with the tower. It was revealed that this was a technique known only to the Grandmaster and not documented anywhere.
After searching through all the manuals and scrolls in the library, Pei Yunshu sat among the books, feeling a tremendous sense of frustration welling up from deep within. His eyes turned red in an instant. He hid behind the books, gritting his teeth to suppress the tears.
Under the emotional turmoil, the translucent white inner core in his body suddenly stirred.
Pei Yunshu lifted his head from his knees. He wiped his eyes, suppressed the sudden breakdown, and his expression grew colder. He left the library.
One box of rouge in exchange for the Demon-sealing Tower.
What else could he exchange for the method of releasing demons?
He returned to the Three Days Peaks and went straight to the study. As soon as he entered, he saw Hua Yue lying on the table. When he saw him, Hua Yue’s two tails wagged happily, but he also called out in concern and anxiety.
Hua Yue must have been seriously injured. He couldn’t even transform anymore, and his spiritual energy was always insufficient. Today, Pei Yunshu had given him some medicine, and now it seemed that he was slightly better than before.
Pei Yunshu said softly, “I’m fine.”
He placed the Demon-Sealing Tower on the table and examined the tip of the tower. The crack he had noticed the previous night was still there. He reached out to touch it, but a sense of helplessness surged within him.
If he were stronger, if he were stronger…
Suddenly, he coughed while leaning on the tower. When the coughing fit subsided, his hair was in disarray. Hua Yue tugged at his clothes, and its amber eyes looked worried. Pei Yunshu bent over, and it took a while before he straightened up.
He gripped the tip of the tower, and his fingertips turned slightly white as he pressed down.
But suddenly, the translucent white inner core, shrouded in a layer of golden light, began to agitate. Pei Yunshu felt a wisp of milky white spiritual energy overflowing from his palm. The moment this white spiritual energy overflowed, he smelled a faint demonic aura.
Pei Yunshu looked surprised, and in the next moment, he crawled into the crack at the tip of the tower and disappeared from the study.
Hua Yue was startled and started howling loudly.
***
Venerable Wuwang, who was meditating, suddenly opened his eyes. His deep, unfathomable gaze was now filled with surging emotions. In the next moment, he had moved from the mountaintop to halfway down.
In the study, there was only a fox continuously patting the Demon-Sealing Tower with its paws. Venerable Wuwang’s expression changed, but without hesitation, he transformed into a wisp of flying smoke and entered the Demon-Sealing Tower.
Hua Yue watched in astonishment as someone disappeared into the tower. Its fur stood on end, and it bared its sharp teeth at the Demon-Sealing Tower. It roared a few times but could only pace anxiously outside.
***
The Demon-Sealing Tower was meant for sealing demons, and humans were naturally unable to enter it.
Venerable Wuwang never expected that Pei Yunshu would enter the Demon-Sealing Tower.
The Demon-Sealing Tower had a total of nine levels, and the first level was the Illusion of the Heart’s Demon. In his haste, he rushed into the first level, but once inside, there was no trace of Pei Yunshu.
Venerable Wuwang took a few steps, and the scenery in front of him suddenly changed. The sound of flowing water echoed, and warm mist slowly rose, condensing on his hair.
For hundreds of years, Venerable Wuwang had entered the Demon-Sealing Tower countless times, but this was the first time he encountered an illusion.
His long eyelashes quivered, and he raised his gaze, looking towards the sound of water.
A figure appeared in the mist. He was dressed in a thin veil, washing his long hair that flowed like a waterfall in the hot water. The black hair was being rinsed gently by the flowing water, and steam rose, as if there was also a hint of soapberry fragrance coming from that direction.
It seemed that the person had noticed Venerable Wuwang. He turned around, smiled, and his voice was filled with laughter. His eyebrows were like ink paintings, and his lips seemed to be painted with rouge. “Grandmaster.”
This was an illusion, a heart demon.
Venerable Wuwang found that he couldn’t move his feet. He closed his eyes and recited the Clear Heart Mantra repeatedly.
The figure slowly walked towards Venerable Wuwang, who was determined that if this illusion took one step further, he would kill it.
But the figure stopped in its tracks.
The warm mist dissipated suddenly, and the fragrance changed. A scent of sandalwood mixed with the fragrance of flowers came from the side.
Venerable Wuwang opened his eyes and saw the figure sitting at a stone table in Pei Yunshu’s courtyard. The wind rustled softly, and the leaves fluttered. He turned his head and saw Yunman, the third disciple of Ling Qing, frivolously untying Pei Yunshu’s belt and throwing his pure white Daoist robe over Yunwang.
The fragrance wafted over, and Wuwang’s breath caught. He silently collected the robe and was about to stand up to dispel the illusion, but Pei Yunshu, dressed only in his undergarments, stopped him. “Little Junior Brother.”
Venerable Wuwang couldn’t help but turn his head.
Pei Yunshu’s eyes were red from being teased. He looked at Venerable Wuwang, as if hiding endless grievances and expectations. “Little Junior Brother.”
Venerable Wuwang fell silent for a long time, clenched his robe tightly in his hand, and then said in a hoarse voice, “Fourth Senior Brother.”
***
Pei Yunshu was sucked into the tower through the crack. He fell heavily downward and tried to control his sword, but he found that even though he had sufficient spiritual energy in his body, he couldn’t fly.
The feeling of falling from a great height was terrifying. Could it be that only demons could fly within this Demon-Sealing Tower?
Pei Yunshu took out a talisman, but before he could use it, something flew towards him. In an instant, it tightly embraced him.
He felt a sudden tightness around his legs, and when he looked down, he saw that a snake tail had coiled around his legs!
The scales were jet black and extremely tough. Pei Yunshu didn’t have time to react before a hand lifted his chin, and a face of extraordinary beauty, which kept getting closer, appeared before him. The next moment, cold lips pressed against his own.
Where…. where did this ruffian come from!
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