Hua Cishu experienced something entirely new, his attention fully captured by the little paper figures.
Zongzheng Huangyue sipped her tea, her eyes curious behind the “sunglasses.” She wondered why the world didn’t look so piercingly bright with them on. To her, the explosions of spiritual energy actually looked quite like fireworks—rather pretty.
Although her Master had explained the principle behind them, she couldn’t recall seeing anything like it despite having read extensively.
If Wangquan Sheng knew that the ten traps he had painstakingly laid by using the cultivation given by the old man in the bone ring were being triggered like this—essentially providing them with a free “firework show”—he would probably die of sheer rage.
After all, he had anticipated that even the most cautious person might suspect he had a fallback plan, and at most, they would guess he had left five traps.
After five traps, the enemy’s patience would be exhausted; they would lower their guard and rush in once they cleared them.
He never would have guessed someone would expect ten fallback plans!
Unfortunately for him, he had encountered Wen Li, a millennia-old master of underhanded tactics. No one was more devious than her, so she knew exactly where someone else would hide their schemes.
Those little paper figures were specifically developed by her, at the cost of significant time, just to play the game of Minesweeper.
Other people could make these paper figures too, but making them personified enough to act as bait for traps while controlling more than ten at once required a Talisman Master with an incredibly powerful Divine Sense. However, most Talisman Masters spent their time researching complex and grand offensive or defensive talismans; none of them had the patience for such petty, trap-tripping child’s play.
Only someone like Wen Li, who was constantly plotting against others while knowing everyone else was plotting against her, would invest so much into such a defensive measure.
After hearing Wen Li explain the origin of these paper figures, Zongzheng Huangyue couldn't help but shake her head in amazement. “Master, no wonder you’ve managed to live so long.”
Surviving through the Western, Northern, and now Eastern Provinces with only a Foundation Establishment cultivation... these layers of schemes were clearly her primary weapon.
“Eh... I mostly rely on my strength,” Wen Li said, waving her hand with fake modesty. “I have a heart for defense, but I have plenty of intentions to harm others too. That boy Wangquan Sheng is still too green; he hasn't harmed enough people yet.”
“...” Zongzheng Huangyue nodded silently; that part about her Master was certainly the truth.
Finally, five minutes passed.
Seven little paper figures remained alive, and the commotion died down.
Wen Li took off her sunglasses and took a look. Good heavens—talismans, arrays, and poisons were all involved. It seemed that after that boy recovered his body and resumed his cultivation, he had done quite a lot of highway robbery. It was likely the old man in the bone ring had given him the idea; otherwise, he didn't seem like the type to leave fallback plans back when he was crawling through dog holes.
“Let’s go.”
She first put away the surviving little paper figures, then picked up and stored the ones that had sacrificed themselves.
Zongzheng Huangyue followed. “Master, aren’t those broken? Can they still be used?”
Wen Li asked, “Do you know why I’m poor?”
Zongzheng Huangyue shook her head.
Wen Li replied, “Because I have no money.”
It was the pinnacle of tautological humor.
Zongzheng Huangyue pursed her lips, processing her Master's dry joke.
The three of them crossed the pond, this time without incident, as they headed toward the main hall.
“Since I have no money, I’ll take these talismans back and use some poison from a toad's back to stick them together. After replenishing their spiritual energy, they can be used again.” Making talismans was expensive, and repairing them was just as costly.
Hua Cishu looked up and blinked his beautiful phoenix eyes. “Why toad poison? Wouldn’t saliva work?”
Since it was for the sticking effect, saliva was much more convenient and faster.
Wen Li was caught off guard by his question. “Uh...”
Zongzheng Huangyue turned her head, feeling there was no need to compete with a black nugget of this intelligence level. He might not even understand her words.
Master had said that if you insulted someone and they didn't understand, it was meaningless.
“Because toads can be caught anywhere for free. If an enemy picks up the talisman and decides to lick it, they might even get poisoned. Of course, if you don't find your own saliva disgusting, you can try it yourself later,” Wen Li explained after some thought. She didn't consider herself perverted enough to lick talismans just to save money.
However, Hua Cishu thought about it seriously. “If you calculate it carefully, Demon Race saliva is indeed poisonous to humans.”
Wen Li asked, “Really?”
She had never heard of that.
Zongzheng Huangyue also listened intently.
Hua Cishu looked up and innocently shared his knowledge. “Because the places where the Demon Race lives have no sun all year round; they are mostly damp, dark, and hot, which is the best environment for various poisonous creatures to grow. I used to catch those poisonous snakes and toads to eat when I had nothing else. Later, I kissed a little rabbit, and it died shortly after. It wasn't injured, and I didn't mean to hurt it, so it must have been my saliva that killed it.”
“If other demons eat poisonous things too, then their saliva would also be poisonous.”
“...”
The air went silent at his words.
Zongzheng Huangyue didn't know his background or the plot, but hearing him say this confirmed his identity as a member of the Demon Race. She hadn't expected him to have been reduced to eating poisonous creatures. No wonder he insisted he was eight years old when he only looked six.
Wen Li took his hand and led him up the steps of the grand hall, her voice cold yet gentle as she looked at the road ahead. “That’s not because Demon Race saliva is poisonous; it’s because you ate the wrong things. In the future, I’ll give you non-poisonous things to eat. Next time you kiss a little rabbit, it’ll be fine.”
Hua Cishu couldn't help but ask, “What about the little rabbit that died before? If I apologize to it, will it forgive me?”
He subconsciously tightened his grip on Wen Li’s hand, testing her view on the matter—or rather, her view of him.
“...” Wen Li was rarely at a loss for words. She paused for a moment before coming up with a sentence. “Life is hard enough already; if you can blame others, don't blame yourself.”
“If you apologize, that rabbit will definitely forgive you. It’s because its body wasn’t strong enough—it died just because you gave it a little kiss. That’s its own problem, not your fault. Next time, I’ll find you a strong rabbit; it’ll definitely stay alive after you kiss it.” She would just feed it a bottle of detoxification pills beforehand; she didn't believe it would die then.
Hua Cishu’s eyes widened. “...Really?”
The three of them entered the hall, and Wen Li led him into the first room.
“Really. Truer than pearls.”
Hua Cishu’s eyes curved into a smile. “Then Master, can I give you a kiss?”
“No,” Wen Li replied, her face full of rejection.
Hua Cishu’s ears drooped. “You just said it was fine. You’re so powerful, you must be even less afraid than a rabbit.”
“Because you’re a boy and I’m a girl. Haven't you heard that men and women should maintain boundaries? Unless you admit you’re a little girl and let me dress you up as a little princess from now on.” Wen Li waved her hand, casting an illusion to hide the two prominent demonic horns on his head.
“Never mind then. I’m a man’s man who stands tall between heaven and earth.” Hua Cishu immediately shook his head upon hearing that.
Master had told him that a man’s man has strength and ability, able to eat ten bowls of rice in one sitting. If he became a little girl, he couldn't be a man’s man, and he wouldn't be able to eat ten bowls of rice anymore.
The three of them bypassed all the empty rooms and pushed open the final door.
“Mmph? Mmph!!!”
Inside, more than twenty disciples from the five sects, along with those from Wangquan Gusui’s lineage, were all tied to pillars, unable to move. Their spiritual energy was sealed, and their mouths were stuffed with hemp cloth. They looked at the trio with eyes full of surprise and pleas for help.
Only two people were dead.
Although they didn’t recognize the two strange and ordinary faces of Wen Li and Zongzheng Huangyue, seeing the cute child following them made them instinctively feel that even if these three weren't here to help, they were at least good people.
After all, what kind of bad people would bring a child to a tomb?
Wen Li scanned the room and saw five familiar faces—the five Danfeng Valley disciples she had drugged with laxatives and locked in a dungeon with Gu Linshu. Especially Gong Xu, who she had knocked out in a latrine; the way he looked at her now with snot and tears, desperately pleading for his life with his eyes, was far too eye-catching.
“Mmph! Mmm!” Save me, benefactor!
Wen Li walked over and reached out to pull the hemp cloth from his mouth.
“Who tied you all up here?”
Although she knew perfectly well it was Wangquan Sheng, she wanted to fish for some information.
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