Chapter 201

You… you are… Xiao Qidi?!

Mu Cheng finally recognized him.

He was shocked and instinctively reached for his waist to draw his sword.

However, that sword had been lost when General Liu had seized him earlier.

He froze in place, staring warily at Xiao Qidi, "I never imagined that the one who sent people from the Great Wilderness to rescue me and my family would be you. What exactly are you scheming?"

Xiao Qidi sat down calmly, picked up the tea cup on the table, took a sip, and said slowly, "Of course I want to take revenge on you, to capture you and torture you slowly."

Mu Cheng still remembered that even when Xiao Qidi was very young, he already had a strong vengeful nature.

When bullied by other children, even if no one helped him, he would surely find an opportunity to repay double.

It was precisely because he discovered this trait that Mu Cheng did not wish to leave a future calamity for the Great Wilderness.

The air seemed to freeze at this moment.

In Mu Cheng's memory, that youthful yet stubborn and gloomy face gradually overlapped with the more mature but still gloomy countenance before him.

The overwhelming kingly aura even caused chills to run down the spine of this pillar of the Great Wilderness.

However, he showed no sign of submission or fear.

"Xiao Qidi, you've gone to great trouble," Mu Cheng said, lifting his head and chest, "Anyway, I'm already in your hands; even if you cut me into a thousand pieces, I accept it as you wish. But I hope you won't involve my family."

Xiao Qidi's slender fingers idly played with the tea cup, "Since I went to the trouble of capturing you to torment you slowly, I will naturally make good use of your family; otherwise, given your temperament, any torture inflicted on you would not count as torment."

Mu Cheng's pupils contracted, "Xiao Qidi, you…"

Seeing Mu Cheng finally reveal an uncontrollable hint of fear, Xiao Qidi slightly curled the corner of his mouth.

However, Mu Cheng quickly calmed down; the fear vanished, replaced by a composed expression, "Kid, you almost scared me; I think you might torture me with cruelty, but you will certainly not implicate my family."

Xiao Qidi raised his brow, "Oh? How do you know that?"

Mu Cheng spoke frankly, "Although you bear grudges and seek revenge for every slight, you are not a petty, scheming person; back when you suffered hardship in my Great Wilderness, I even said I would kill you, so this debt should be charged to me; my family has never met you, so you would not take your anger out on them, especially since they have received your meticulous care here, which further confirms my speculation."

Xiao Qidi's face showed a cold smile, "General, you are mistaken; it is not that I wish to meticulously care for your family, but that the Jinli Fairy's kindness and goodness allowed them to survive."

"Jinli Fairy… again her…" Mu Cheng rubbed his full belly, his heart inevitably growing more grateful toward that very special and mysterious young woman.

"Mu Cheng, now that you have been abandoned by the Wasteland Nation, I consider you a rare talent; if you are willing to submit to my Daxuan, I will surely employ you greatly—how about that?" Xiao Qidi proposed the condition.

Mu Cheng was somewhat surprised, "Aren't you supposed to take revenge on me and torture me?"

Xiao Qidi said lightly, "Back then you yourself did not bully me and my mother; your desire to kill me was not a personal grudge but for the sake of your Great Wilderness, which is understandable."

Mu Cheng was even more surprised, never expecting this youngster to be reasonable and clear about gratitude and grudges.

However, based solely on his few words now, it is still impossible to judge whether he is sincere or merely pretending.

He had been a hostage prince in another country since birth, suffering years of bullying; after returning to Xuan Guo, within a few years he removed the Marquis of Le'an, Lord Lao An, confined the Empress Dowager's birth mother, overthrew the Chancellor Si Tu Wei, who had a father‑son‑like bond with him, and shortly after his early coronation and assumption of power he also destroyed Yu Guo; now he is only eighteen years old.

A person with such terrifying mindset and ability—who knows what he truly thinks in his heart.

To put on a facade of magnanimous tolerance—wouldn't that be easy for him?

"Mu Cheng, you still haven't given me an answer," Xiao Qidi reminded.

Mu Cheng came to his senses, a resolute gleam in his eyes, "I cannot submit to you; kill or cut, do as you please."

"Why won't you submit?" Xiao Qidi said lightly, "The king of the Wasteland Nation has already abandoned you, and the court of the Wasteland is controlled by treacherous officials; there you have no foothold."

Mu Cheng's expression grew solemn, "As a person of the Wasteland Nation, how could I betray my own country! If you ever let me help your Xuan Guo attack the Wasteland, it would be better to kill me now!"

Xiao Qidi's eyes held a playful glint, his pupils turning cold, "So, you would rather die than surrender?"

Mu Cheng snorted coldly, "Yes! No matter what you say, it's useless—whether you threaten or lure, or pretend to deceive me, I would rather die than surrender!"

Xiao Qidi narrowed his eyes, "The lives of your family are all in my hands."

"Hahaha!" Mu Cheng laughed loudly, "If they die, I will only hate you! Besides, don't even think I would submit! You wouldn't do such a foolish thing! But if you only kill me and treat my family well, you could thereby display the magnanimity of your Xuan Guo's king before the other states and earn praise."

Xiao Qidi laughed, "What you say makes sense; in that case, I can only kill you."

"Come, drag him out and behead him!"

Xiao Qidi gave the order loudly.

Two Xuanjia Armor Armor Armor Armor Soldiers entered the tent and, without a word, dragged Mu Cheng out.

Xiao Qidi hastily pulled out a walkie-talkie from his pocket, "Jinli, Jinli, as you said, Mu Cheng is extremely wary of me; I truly cannot make him trust me. I have already played the bad cop; now it's your turn to play the good cop."

"Sure thing, sure thing, I'll make him utterly devoted to you, hehehe."

Ning Jinli finished replying and quietly followed after.

The two Xuanjia Armor Armor Armor Armor Soldiers brought Mu Cheng to the woods beside the camp.

Mu Cheng was also steadfast; even though he was not bound, he had no thought of fleeing, standing straight with his head held high, he said, "Thank you both for seeing me off!"

One Xuanjia Armor Armor Armor Armor Soldier advised, "General Mu, our sovereign is a good king who cherishes talent and loves the people, far superior to your Wasteland Nation's foolish ruler—why not reconsider?"

Upon hearing the words "love the people," Mu Cheng was moved a little.

But such talk is empty; who knows if it's not just lies from Xiao Qidi's people?

Another Xuanjia Armor Armor Armor Armor Soldier also spoke, "General Mu, to lose your life for a Wasteland ruler who doesn't trust you is truly a pity; we really hate to strike the blow."

"Enough! No need to say more!" Mu Cheng hardened his heart, convinced these two were acting under Xiao Qidi's orders to lure him into submission, and shouted loudly, "Hurry up and act! Give me a quick end!"

"Then, I respectfully see General Mu off!"

After saying that, one Xuanjia Armor Armor Armor Armor Soldier drew his long sword and walked behind Mu Cheng.

Mu Cheng stood proudly, finally glanced toward the tent where his family were, then closed his eyes.

Swish—

The long sword split the air.

Then came a thud.

Mu Cheng's burly body collapsed with a crash.

The two Xuanjia Armor Armor Armor Armor Soldiers hurriedly crouched, checking his breath and pulse.

Ning Jinli quickly walked over and asked in a low voice, "How is it?"

Fairy, as you said, I knocked him out with the back of the blade; he's not in mortal danger.

Good, take him and follow me!

Two Xuanjia Armor Armor Armor Armor soldiers carried Mu Cheng, following Ning Jinli into the forest.

After walking a short distance, they arrived at a cave entrance.

Put him here.

Yes, Fairy.

The two set Mu Cheng down and hurried away.

Ning Jinli stood at the cave mouth; with a thought, Mu Cheng vanished instantly, and then Ning Jinli walked into the cave.

There is a Time-Space Gate here.

Earlier, to covertly and quickly transport the over 200,000 sets of Yu Guo weapons and equipment captured at Huangsha Pass to the Daxuan border for convenient negotiation and trade with the Wasteland Nation, Xiao Qidi personally ran to the mountain range between the two countries' borders and set up camp there.

Then, Ning Jinli opened a spacetime channel leading directly here through her perception of him.

Thus, large quantities of Yu Guo weapons and equipment were easily transported from western Daxuan to eastern Daxuan, and then from here to the Wasteland Nation's frontier, making things very convenient.

Besides this, the place also became a small secret base of Xuan Guo.

In the plan to rescue Mu Cheng, it played a very important role.

Ning Jinli now used the spacetime channel here to directly bring the unconscious Mu Cheng back to Lin Xian Cheng.

——

When Mu Cheng woke up, it was already the next morning.

He groggily opened his eyes, still unable to see his surroundings clearly, only feeling that the place he lay in was very comfortable.

Huh? I'm not dead?!

Mu Cheng shuddered awake and sat up abruptly.

Only then did he realize he was in a clean, tidy room.

Soon he realized this room was unlike any ordinary one.

The walls were pure white, extremely smooth, with no trace of brickwork.

He hurriedly got out of bed, reached out and touched the wall, "How… how was this built? Could it be carved from a single slab of stone? But it doesn't feel like stone slab…"

Then he glanced back at the spot where he had just lain, and his eyes widened in surprise.

That bed was higher and wider than any he had seen, with sheets, blankets, and pillow soft yet substantial; though lacking any embroidery, one could tell at a glance that its quality surpassed that used by the king of the Wasteland Nation.

What… what place is this?

Although Mu Cheng had awakened, his mind was even more muddled.

After a moment of dazed staring, he quickly walked to the window to see what was outside.

"How strange, this window has only a frame!" he muttered, sticking his head out.

Bang——

A muffled thud.

Mu Cheng's forehead was struck.

Hiss…

He sucked in a breath of cold air, hastily reaching for the window; upon close inspection, he discovered there was a transparent layer.

Is this… crystal?

Mu Cheng nearly dropped his jaw, "Such flawless, impurity‑free top‑grade crystal… a huge piece… actually made into a window?! Good heavens! Even the kings of all nations wouldn't be this extravagant!"

Besides the shock, he finally saw the view outside the window.

Under the brilliant morning sun, far off lay continuous green mountains; closer were groves laden with various fruits; beyond that stretched endless golden fields; even nearer stood rows of peculiarly arranged houses, with broad roads crisscrossing among them.

The streets bustled with people, yet all wore strange‑style clothing and shoes.

Besides horse‑drawn carriages, there were some box‑like strange vehicles that needed no animal traction and could run extremely fast.

Even some people rode odd‑looking two‑wheel vehicles.

Mu Cheng rubbed his eyes hard, confirming it wasn't a hallucination; yet the scene was so incomprehensible that after a moment's thought he suddenly realized:

"I get it… I really must be dead, otherwise I wouldn't have come to this bizarre world. Could it be… this is the world one enters after death? It certainly isn't the underworld; could it be… I've ascended to the immortal realm?"

"General Mu, this is certainly not the immortal realm." A clear, pleasant voice suddenly sounded.

Mu Cheng hurriedly turned his head; upon seeing the person who pushed the door open was Ning Jinli, his eyes lit up with joy.

Although he didn't know the Fairy Jinli that the bystanders spoke of, in this strange and unfamiliar place he could at least consider her an acquaintance.

Fairy Jinli!

Mu Cheng quickly stepped forward and asked, "Fairy, if this isn't the immortal realm, then am I… not dead? I clearly remember being beheaded last night."

Saying this, he touched the back of his neck; the pain was still obvious, making his head feel a bit fuzzy.

Ning Jinli's eyes flickered with a mischievous glint as she said solemnly, "Yes, you were beheaded; you're completely dead."

"Ah? Then what am I…?" Mu Cheng, already dazed, became even more confused.

Ning Jinli explained in a solemn tone, "You are now merely a soul, and then I brought you to this place."

"A soul… really?" Mu Cheng stared at his hands in disbelief, "But… I feel my body is truly real."

Come with me.

Ning Jinli tried not to laugh, turned and walked away.

Mu Cheng hurriedly followed, going with her out of the room, down a corridor, and finally through a large door to the outside of the house.

He glanced back; a sign hung on the gate reading "Lin Xian Grand Inn" in five characters.

"What a peculiar inn…" Mu Cheng muttered, then suddenly noticed the ground under his feet was hard and extremely flat; he promptly lay down to examine it closely, then exclaimed, "Fairy, how was this road built? It has no trace of soil, nor does it look like laid stone slabs."

Ning Jinli casually said: "This is paved with cement."

"Cement?" Mu Cheng stared in disbelief, "Can water and dirt be made into this? Fairy, you must be joking with me."

At this moment, passersby in groups of three or five passed by, all bowing to Ning Jinli and shouting respectfully: "Jinli Fairy!"

However, these passersby ignored Mu Cheng, who was lying on the ground with his buttocks raised and his beard disheveled, covered in dirt.

Mu Cheng also quickly realized this, somewhat flustered he got up, "Fairy... they can't see me?"

Ning Jinli said solemnly: "Didn't I tell you? You're already dead; now only your soul remains, so of course living people can't see you."

"Then... Fairy, why can you see me and even speak with me?"

"Because I am a Fairy."

"Ah, yes, yes, yes!"

"Come on, let me continue to show you around; don't run around recklessly, and don't bump into living people, for if you are struck by the yang energy of the living, your soul will scatter and you won't be able to reincarnate."

"Yes, Fairy, I will be careful."

Now Mu Cheng, who fully believed her words, followed closely behind her, never leaving her side.

Subsequently, the passersby they encountered likewise bowed and greeted her, likewise ignoring Mu Cheng's presence.

"Fairy..." Mu Cheng cautiously avoided the passersby and asked in a low voice, "What exactly is this place? Why did you bring me here? Could you tell me the reason?"