Bai Jinshui’s face darkened. She knew that Wangquan Gusui and his royal entourage had a way to prevent the ghost fires from attacking them. However, since the five parties had agreed to act as their vanguard before entering, she couldn’t fall out with them now. She could only use her whip to protect the female disciples of her villa.
“Watch out! Everyone, get behind me!”
After breaking free from the eerie green ghost fires, the female disciples immediately ran behind her to form a formation.
The elders of the Seven Fiends Hall and Wind-Thunder Hall also led their disciples in the fight. The group gradually shifted their position, attempting to cross the pond and enter the main hall.
Only the people from the City Lord’s Estate stood beside Wangquan Gusui. A white-bearded old man sent a spiritual transmission.
“Heir, these ghost fires are the remnants of the Moon Soul Arrow. Although their power has weakened, we must leave quickly and cannot linger. Although this old servant’s father participated in building this tomb six hundred years ago and knew many of its mechanisms, there will inevitably be changes.”
Wangquan Gusui stared at the eerily swaying Equinox Flowers in the pond, furrowing his brows as he nodded. “Then tell them to move faster.”
This place was indeed sinister.
“As you command.”
Having received permission, the white-bearded old man, Li Yan, led his men to support the disciples of the other four sects.
The group covered each other, gradually approaching the main hall.
However, Ouyang Ao, the Third Elder of Danfeng Valley, flew toward the pond alone. He hovered in the air, his hands forming seals. A pale green longsword suddenly appeared in front of him just as the ghost fires were about to attack.
“Swish!”
The longsword instantly split into twelve, rapidly encircling him in a spinning shield. The sword qi forcibly blocked the ghost fires, scattering them all in the next second.
Seeing this, Wangquan Gusui, who was being protected by the others, narrowed his eyes. This old fellow was actually greedy enough to want that Equinox Flower.
...
Wen Li and the other two were drawn inside the city gate.
Unlike the area outside the gate, which was covered in corpses, this place was quiet and deserted. However, the more it was like this, the more cautious the three became.
“Rumor has it that when Wangquan Wuho suppressed the rebel army back then, he slaughtered tens of thousands outside the city. The staggering amount of resentment combined with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to create a nether illusion. It preserved a trace of those cultivators’ souls, preventing them from entering reincarnation and sealing them here to form a Ghost Gate. The scene we saw on the gate earlier must have been a phantom recording of those tens of thousands of rebels being slaughtered as they tried to storm the city.” This place was not only Wangquan Wuho’s tomb but also the site where he had guarded against the rebel siege.
Zongzheng Huangyue turned to look at Wangquan Sheng as he walked ahead.
He paused in his tracks. “You are clever, Daoist friend.”
Zongzheng Huangyue looked him straight in the eye. “Since you knew those corpses would attack and were the first to run, and since you knew those countless skeletons couldn't enter this gate, why didn’t you tell us from the start? Since we are cooperating, why do you need to be so secretive?”
The black fleeceball on Wangquan Sheng’s shoulder bared its teeth and extended its claws to scratch her, but he stopped it. He pulled out a banana to feed it, smoothing its fur as he looked at Zongzheng Huangyue.
“I failed to consider the matter properly, but I didn't intend to hide anything. I only know a little and have no idea what we’ll encounter with each step we take. I can only take things as they come. I didn't have time to explain earlier, but I will inform you both of anything else that comes up.”
Zongzheng Huangyue’s expression softened slightly. “Fine.”
With Wangquan Sheng’s comfort, the black fleeceball temporarily set aside its grudge against her.
The three entered the city.
Wen Li’s focus, however, was on the black fleeceball on his shoulder. Wangquan Sheng was using food to pacify Hua Cishu; could it be that this brat was only following him because he was lured by food? That shouldn't be right. This kid wasn't like Xie Tinglan, who had been imprisoned and abused for years, unable to see much of the world.
“System, tell me about Hua Cishu’s plot.”
The toe-picking system came online. “Hua Cishu is half-human and half-demon. His mother was the daughter of the Shangqing Sect Master in the Central Province and was in love with the Palace Master of Lingwu Palace. On the eve of their wedding, she was abducted by the Demon Emperor of the Demon Race. He was born in the Demon Realm. Two months later, his mother was personally rescued by the Palace Master of Lingwu Palace, and the two of them went on to get married and live happily ever after. The Demon Emperor had many children, and he was not favored. As a half-breed with impure blood who couldn't practice demonic techniques, he could only be bullied and loathed by the Demon Race. He grew up eating ants and mud and drinking dirty water until he was fifteen, when his demonic nature awakened, and he began a frenzy of killing his own kin and devouring their power.”
“By the time Hua Cishu was twenty-five, he had no rivals in the Demon Race except for the Demon Emperor. He is a perverse and violent madman who doesn't care for his own life. He left the Demon Race to find his mother, only to discover that she and the Palace Master of Lingwu Palace had a son—the Chosen One of this plot line—who looked exactly like him, both resembling their mother. However, his younger brother was the favored genius of the sect, while he was a half-breed that neither race could tolerate. He tried to reveal his identity, but his mother felt extreme loathing toward him and even wanted to kill him. The Palace Master of Lingwu Palace beat Hua Cishu half to death, severed his meridians, and threw him back into the Demon Race.”
“Later, Hua Cishu killed the Demon Emperor and became the new one. He ignited a war between the human and demon races, captured his own brother, and assumed his identity to get close to his mother, enjoying three years of maternal love while secretly slaughtering righteous disciples. After the truth was exposed, Hua Cishu killed the Palace Master of Lingwu Palace. When he was about to kill his brother, his mother pleaded bitterly. Hua Cishu told her that if she loved this child so much, she should give her life for his. His mother actually committed suicide. Hua Cishu regretted it and ultimately couldn't kill his brother. He chose to kill himself in front of his mother's grave. The last words he left for his brother were: ‘I want you to live. You can’t fight me for Mother this time; only I can stay by her side.’”
At this point, the system raised its hand to wipe away a non-existent tear.
“But in reality, his brother was also of the Demon Race's bloodline. His mother had given birth to twins back then. When the Palace Master of Lingwu Palace broke into the Demon Race to save her, he found that his mother could no longer bear children and had suffered a mental breakdown from being forced. She desperately needed a psychological pillar to stay alive. At the time, one of the twins was strong and the other weak. The Palace Master chose the weak one because the half-demon bloodline in him wasn't potent and could be suppressed. He lied to her and said the child was theirs. Sigh, what a trick of fate.”
After listening, Wen Li’s features were twisted with frustration. This was difficult to digest. This dog-shit plot was clearly a common tactic of the Heavenly Dao to mold a villain. What if a protagonist with a happy family came along and shouted at Hua Cishu, “The world is beautiful, why don’t you go see it? Aren’t you doing a disservice to your parents, your friends, and those who helped you?” It was just a mountain of clichés.
Forget Hua Cishu—even she, an onlooker, wanted to go kick the protagonist twice.
Fifteen was the turning point when Hua Cishu’s demonic veins awakened, but he was only eight now. He had already suffered through half of his hardship.
Wen Li, who had just been surprised and denied that Wangquan Sheng could attract Hua Cishu with only food, was now silent. She looked up at the black ball of fur on his shoulder, her heart filled with complex thoughts.
Could you say his mother was wrong? No, she was also a victim. She was clearly in love with the Palace Master of Lingwu Palace and about to get married when she was abducted and forced. The Palace Master of Lingwu Palace only saved the weaker twin but claimed it was their child and meticulously raised him as a genius; he didn't seem to be in the wrong either. And Hua Cishu—this name was given to him by his mother.
“Youth fades from the mirror, blossoms fall from the tree.” Even the name carried the spiteful hatred of separation. This child seemed to have no choice in the matter.
Hiss, it was all that damn Demon Emperor's fault.
Sensing Wen Li’s gaze, the black fleeceball on Wangquan Sheng’s shoulder hopped around to face her. It was eating a banana with extreme joy. It bared its teeth as its eyes rolled, a spark of mischief emerging. It turned back around.
“Pfft—”
What are you looking at? Eat my fart!
A thunderous, stinking fart blew directly at the three of them.
“...”
The stray hairs on Wen Li’s forehead, which was closest to its butt, were blown by the draft. The emotional turmoil in her heart vanished in an instant as a vein throbbed in her temple.
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