novelapdf Chapter 118 Shangguan Luoxue: Let's begin.
Chapter 118 Shangguan Luoxue: Let's begin.
When Jiang Mu rushed to the dilapidated temple at the foot of the mountain, he saw that Tang Guixin and her group had already gathered there safely.
To his even greater surprise, Xu Fu and Zhang Dashao's group were also among them.
Seeing that all the familiar faces were safe and sound, Jiang Mu finally felt relieved and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Little Jiang!"
Tang Guixin, who was counting heads, looked up and saw Jiang Mu. Her previously tense face immediately lit up with surprise and joy. She took a few steps forward, looked Jiang Mu up and down, and spoke with great concern.
"Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
Zhang Dashao and the others also gathered around, their faces beaming with joy, and they all asked questions.
Jiang Mu shook her head, calming her rapid breathing:
"I'm fine. Aunt Tang, the situation is just as you guessed. There are two powerful demons on that mountain. That black-armored warrior seems to be trying to steal something, which alerted the Zombie Queen."
The two giant Buddha statues started fighting, and the mountain was in complete chaos.
Tang Guixin frowned and sighed:
"I never imagined that this seemingly ordinary White Deer Peak would become a den of dragons and tigers, hiding such a terrifying demon."
"If it weren't for Xiao Jiang risking your life to lure the zombies away, it's hard to say whether any of us would have made it down the mountain alive."
"How exactly did they gather intelligence on this patrol?!"
Xu Fu, standing to the side, was also cursing, "They said it was a fifth-tier demon at its highest level! It almost killed me! This intelligence is practically murder! I'm going to report them to the authorities when we get back!"
Jiang Mu looked at Xu Fu: "You guys are pretty good at running away."
Xu Fu chuckled, a hint of smugness on his face:
"Nonsense, I witnessed the scene of the Mist Demon with my own eyes in Huzhou City."
"I knew something was wrong as soon as I saw that blood mist rolling in. Luckily, I ran into your two men, so I quickly grabbed them and ran down the mountain." "Did you encounter any other surviving demon slayers from Yan City?"
Jiang Mu asked.
Xu Fu turned to the side and pointed to a corner inside the temple.
There was some dry grass spread out there, and a middle-aged man covered in blood and unconscious was lying on it.
You Dashan, who had been rescued by Jiang Mu earlier, was being carefully taken care of by him.
"We were lucky; we picked up a survivor halfway through. This guy is the head of the second hall of the Yancheng Demon Slayer Division, named Du Yuanfei."
This guy actually saved a hall master?
Jiang Mu was somewhat surprised and went over to take a look.
This Du Yuanfei was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a rugged face and a short, stiff mustache, exuding a fierce and courageous aura.
Seeing Jiang Mu approach, You Dashan quickly stood up and respectfully cupped his hands in greeting:
"Thank you so much, Lord Jiang, for saving my life!"
Even though he had calmed down, seeing Jiang Mu again still made You Dashan feel like he was in a dream.
This guy is really too fierce.
Jiang Mu asked, "How many people came in total this time?"
You Dashan's expression darkened, and he lowered his head, whispering:
"There were twenty-nine brothers in total. We were chasing a monster that had escaped from Yan City, and we ended up here. We never expected... there would be a monster's lair here."
Twenty-nine people...
Jiang Mu silently calculated in his mind.
Seventeen corpses of demon slayers were found at the tiger demon's lair, with only three survivors. Adding You Dashan and the unconscious Du Yuanfei, the total number is nineteen.
The remaining ten are probably in grave danger.
After all, the terrifying blood mist that later covered the entire mountain, and the subsequent zombie horde, would have been almost certain death for ordinary demon slayers.
Jiang Mu sighed inwardly.
This is the destiny of the Demon Slayer.
They enjoyed the imperial court's offerings and possessed a superior status, but their heads were always in danger.
Who knows which mission might lead to his death in the wilderness, with no one to even collect his body?
He composed himself, then suddenly a thought struck him. He turned to Tang Guixin and asked, "Aunt Tang, have you seen Yang Tianci and the others?"
Tang Guixin shook her head: "No."
Ming Cuicui, standing nearby, snorted coldly and said with a sneer:
"That spoiled brat, relying on his magical treasure for protection, ran faster than anyone else, but what happened? He still couldn't escape. He's probably already dead on the mountain. He deserved it!"
Upon hearing this, the other people in the temple reacted with varying expressions, but none of them responded.
Deep down, they were naturally hoping that the arrogant and domineering spoiled brat would be devoured by the demon.
But rationally, he also knew that if Yang Tianci really died here, his father, who was the deputy commander of the inner guard, would probably not let it go.
At that point, they will inevitably take their anger out on the investigation.
Those present will likely face their own set of troubles.
But in this life-or-death situation, who cares about anything else? Saving one's own life comes first.
Jiang Mu stopped dwelling on the matter and addressed the crowd:
"We shouldn't linger here. Let's rest for a bit and then set off immediately. Before dark, try to get as far away from White Deer Peak as possible."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
If it weren't for waiting for Jiang Mu, they would have left this awful place long ago; they felt uneasy staying even a moment longer.
After a short rest, the team regrouped and prepared to depart.
Jiang Mu watched as Xu Fu and the others led the horses out from behind the temple, and suddenly remembered something. He said to Zhang Dashao:
"Oh, by the way, I found your horse too. You must not have tied it up properly, and it ran up the mountain by itself, and someone found it."
However, Zhang Dachi looked completely bewildered: "Master, my horse has always been tied up here, it hasn't run away." "What?" Jiang Mu was taken aback, "Always?"
"yes."
Zhang Dachi pointed to the back of the temple.
Jiang Mu quickly walked over to take a look.
Sure enough, the horses that the three of them had tied up behind the temple were there eating hay just fine.
He examined it closely and found that although the horse he had snatched from Yang Tianci was similar in color to Zhang Dazhao's mount, there were subtle differences in the style and wear of the saddle.
Jiang Mu was somewhat bewildered.
If Zhang Dachi's horse wasn't lost, then whose horse was Yang Tianci riding?
Did I make a mistake?
He then walked over to Tang Guixin and asked, "Aunt Tang, where's the horse I brought back from the mountain?"
Tang Guixin was arranging for the transport of the wounded by Ming Cuicui when she heard Jiang Mu's question. She was taken aback and turned to ask Zhu Chang behind her, "Xiao Zhu, where's the horse?"
Zhu Chang looked around, also with a puzzled expression:
"Huh? That's strange, it was definitely here before. After I moved the wounded horseman into the temple, I had someone tie it to that tree by the entrance. How did it disappear?"
Tang Guixin immediately had everyone search the surrounding area, even turning over the bushes behind the temple, but they couldn't find a single horsehair. It was as if the horse had vanished into thin air.
Seeing Jiang Mu's furrowed brows and solemn expression, Zhang Dashao comforted him from the side:
"Master, the horse might not have been properly tied up and got startled, so it ran away on its own. Anything could have happened."
Jiang Mu didn't speak, but a strange unease welled up in her heart.
The horse's appearance was suspicious, and its disappearance was even more so.
But the situation was critical at the moment, leaving him no time to think. Jiang Mu suppressed his doubts:
"Never mind that, let's go."
As darkness fell, the sky gradually darkened and twilight descended.
As the last rays of sunlight were swallowed by the distant mountains, the group finally left Bailu Peak and arrived at a small village called Lijia Village. The village was small, with only a few dozen households.
The lights are twinkling now, exuding the peaceful tranquility of everyday life.
"Xiao Jiang, let's rest here for the night. It's too dangerous to travel in the dark, and the wounded can't hold on any longer."
Tang Guixin looked at the exhausted crowd and the wounded, and said, "I have already contacted the Water Master via Flying Eagle and informed him in detail of the changes that have occurred at White Deer Peak."
"it is good."
Jiang Mu was also feeling a bit tired.
The day was filled with too many battles, and even with the support of the magic gauge, the mental strain was immense.
He asked, "Should we wait here for the Water Master?"
Tang Guixin shook her head:
"No. I said in the letter that we would go directly to Yancheng. Once the Water Master learns that a powerful demon has appeared on White Deer Peak, he will definitely go to investigate and seal off the area. We will meet up in Yancheng then."
Jiang Mu nodded and said nothing more.
Tang Guixin intervened and borrowed several vacant houses from the village chief to house the wounded, and also bought a lot of food from the villagers.
Ming Cuicui, along with several skillful demon slayers, was in charge of cooking a large pot of food for everyone.
Tang Guixin, however, specially borrowed a farmer's kitchen, rolled up her sleeves, and specially cooked a special meal for Jiang Mu.
Before long, several exquisite side dishes were served.
This treatment made Xu Fu, who was standing to the side, extremely envious.
After dinner, Tang Guixin went to wash the dishes, and Xu Fu came up to her and teased her in a sour tone:
"Old Jiang, how come you always have women flocking to you wherever you go? Inspector Ling and Hall Master Tang both treat you like a precious gem. I'm not bad either, so why don't I get the same treatment?"
Jiang Mu was too lazy to pay him any attention.
Xu Fu glanced at Tang Guixin outside the door, lowered his voice and chuckled mischievously:
"Hey, I heard that Master Tang has a daughter. Could it be that she's taken a liking to you and wants to bring you back as her son-in-law?"
However, to be fair, Tang Tang's appearance...
Hmm, she's quite dashing, but she's not quite "beautiful." If her daughter takes after her mother, don't complain that the girl isn't pretty enough.
"Their daughter is only thirteen years old!"
Jiang Mu was speechless and kicked him. "What kind of nonsense are you thinking about all day? Aunt Tang is just taking care of me because I'm young, a junior, and have a pitiful background."
Xu Fu rubbed his bottom, looking aggrieved:
"I'm young too, and I have a pitiful background. Why don't you treat me like a junior?"
Jiang Mu thought for a moment, looked at his face carefully, and said, "It's probably because you're ugly."
Xu Fu turned and left angrily, deciding not to speak to this guy all night.
After dinner, night fell.
Jiang Mu and Tang Guixin sat in the courtyard of a farmhouse, chatting idly by the moonlight.
Jiang Mu humbly asked for some knowledge about demons.
After all, he had only been in the business for a short time. Although his strength had improved rapidly thanks to his "cheat code," he was indeed inferior to these veteran hall masters in terms of knowledge and experience. Tang Guixin was also very open and honest with him.
From how to track down the slightest clues of demons, to how to distinguish the types and strengths of demons by their smell and excrement, and then to the weaknesses and habits of various demons...
He recounted everything in great detail.
Finally, she pulled a small notebook from her pocket and handed it to Jiang Mu:
"This contains some of my insights and experiences over the years, as well as some unconventional but practical life-saving techniques. Take a look; you might find it useful in the future."
Jiang Mu was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly.
The two continued chatting, and Tang Guixin recounted how she met her husband—a classic story of a young hero saving a heroine, developing feelings for each other, and eventually getting together.
From her words, Jiang Mu could tell that the woman still loved her husband very much.
He felt both guilty and relieved.
As the conversation deepened, Tang Guixin seemed to remember something and carefully took out a neatly folded piece of paper from her bosom.
When unfolded, it reveals a portrait drawn with charcoal.
A boy of about ten years old, with delicate features, was drawn with extremely fine detail, though his brushstrokes were somewhat naive.
It is clear that the artist put a lot of effort into the painting.
"This is..." Jiang Mu's heart skipped a beat.
"This is my son."
Tang Guixin gazed at the portrait, her eyes becoming distant and sorrowful. Her fingertips gently traced the boy's cheek in the painting, and she whispered,
"I drew it from memory, bit by bit. I drew it countless times, but it never felt right, yet I always felt... this is what he looked like when he was a child."
Jiang Mu leaned closer to take a closer look.
At first glance, the outline of the boy's eyebrows and eyes in the painting bears a striking resemblance to my own when I was a teenager.
No wonder this woman is so close to me.
The maternal love that had been suppressed in her heart for many years had nowhere to go. Suddenly, she saw a young man who looked somewhat like her deceased son, and heard that the young man's parents had died and that he had a tragic life. This emotion suddenly found an outlet.
"He's adorable," Jiang Mu said softly.
Tang Guixin smiled, tears welling in her eyes: "Yes, he's the best boy..."
A night breeze blew by, bringing a touch of coolness.
The two sat quietly for a while, enjoying this rare moment of peace.
Late at night, the moonlight, as clear as water, streamed through the window into the rather simple farmhouse.
Everyone was asleep.
Jiang Mu and Xu Fu lived in the same farmhouse.
As soon as Xu Fu's head hit the pillow, he snored like a dead pig, the sound deafening and continuous, like thunder.
Jiang Mu lay in bed, unable to fall asleep.
He took out the jade pendant that Tang Guixin had given him from his pocket and examined it carefully.
The jade pendant has a delicate texture.
On the way, he tried to inject demonic energy into it as usual, hoping to see if he could modify it.
Strangely, the demonic energy was able to enter the jade pendant.
But this jade pendant was like a bottomless pit, swallowing a lot of demonic energy, yet it didn't make a sound, let alone produce any strange phenomena.
This was the first time he had encountered such a phenomenon.
"How strange..."
Jiang Mu played with it for a while but couldn't figure it out, so she could only attribute it to the special material or that the trigger condition hadn't been met yet. "Never mind, time to sleep."
He tucked the jade pendant back into his bosom and closed his eyes.
In a daze, Jiang Mu suddenly felt a powerful suction pulling at his consciousness, and the world spun around him.
When I opened my eyes again, the scene before me had changed.
The vast lake, as clear as a mirror, reflects the dazzling Milky Way.
On the isolated island in the middle of the lake, the peach blossoms are in full bloom, as bright as rosy clouds.
Purple Mansion Divine Realm!
He was forcibly dragged in by that "Lady Peach Blossom" again.
Beneath the peach tree, a graceful figure stood quietly, surrounded by petals.
It was Shangguan Luoxue.
But this time, the peach petals surrounding her no longer danced as gently as before; instead, they swirled rapidly with a sharp, piercing light. If last time she gave the impression of a mysterious and gentle fairy,
So this time...
She was like a Valkyrie about to unleash divine punishment, radiating a low-pressure atmosphere like a raging storm.
Especially his eyes, which were icy cold and hinted at a murderous intent.
It was as if someone owed her eight million and hadn't paid it back, or... it was the kind of irritability she had when she was on her period.
Jiang Mu's heart skipped a beat, and she tentatively greeted him:
"Hello, madam?"
Seeing that the other party didn't react and her eyes remained icy cold, he added, "Lady Peach Blossom?"
"Don't you think...?"
Shangguan Luoxue's beautiful eyes were icy cold as she said, enunciating each word clearly, "You're very capable?"
Jiang Mu was a little confused.
Is this woman on drugs?
I finally managed to open up your dilapidated Taoist temple after going through all sorts of hardships, just as you requested.
It even softened your aloof and arrogant attitude.
It's one thing if you don't say thank you, but what's with the sour face right from the start?
Trying to renege on your debt?
Jiang Mu's face also darkened, and she said irritably:
"Madam Peach Blossom, one must be honest. We had an agreement: once I comprehend the Great Dao, you will give me a star position and cultivation techniques."
Now that I've done the job, are you trying to burn your bridges? If that's the case, then I'll truly despise you!
Do you despise me?
Shangguan Luoxue laughed in anger, her chest heaving violently.
How dare you look down on me?!
You barged into my painstakingly cultivated Dao Heaven and Dao Foundation in such an unreasonable and domineering manner, and even transformed it into your own shape! You've usurped my place and turned the tables on me!
Now you're actually acting like a victim, questioning whether I'm renegeting on my debt?
You still want to look down on me?!
She suppressed the urge to immediately smash this bastard to ashes and coldly said, "I asked you to comprehend the Great Dao, how did you do it? Who allowed you... to arbitrarily modify your Dao foundation!?"
Jiang Mu suddenly realized.
So that's what it was about.
He looked completely innocent: "I had no choice. You yourself said that time was tight and told me to figure it out as soon as possible."
Besides...
My method may be a bit crude, but it's highly efficient! Isn't that fast?
"Besides, you didn't tell me to be gentle and not rude. If you had told me earlier, I definitely would have been very gentle with it." Purple snow gathered in Shangguan Luoxue's palm, and killing intent surged.
She really wanted to slap this bastard who got the benefits but acted innocent to death!
You changed my avenue to your shape, and you still have the nerve to complain?!
But reason told her that things had already come to this point, and killing this guy wouldn't make a difference.
Her Daoist temple has already recognized its master.
Although she can still receive feedback from the Dao Palace to sustain her cultivation, regaining control is currently impossible. Unless her Dao foundation is completely repaired, her strength returns to its peak, and she forcibly erases the other party's mark.
And right now...
If we want to repair our Dao foundation, we really can't do without this kid!
This feeling of being manipulated made Shangguan Luoxue, who was always high and mighty, feel extremely frustrated.
"call……"
She forcibly suppressed the anger in her heart, dispersed the snowflakes from her palm, and resumed her cold and indifferent expression:
"That's enough, there's no point in saying more now that things have come to this."
"From this day forward, you and I will begin to study and discuss the Way together."