Chapter 44: Zhao Xuhe with No Way Out

Outside the market town, at the White Bone Cave on Skeleton Mountain.

A streak of escaping light hid within the mountains and forests before revealing three figures; two of them were Wu Zhichong and Duanmu Yuan, who had attacked the market town in the past only to flee back in a wretched state.

The third person was an elderly man with snow-white hair.

"Elder Ouyang."

Wu Zhichong spoke cautiously, fearing that this Elder at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining might do something irrational, for ahead lay a den of dragons and a lair of tigers.

"Rest assured, this old man knows the weight of matters."

Ouyang Feng's expression was cold and stern; although his eyes, fixed on the market town, were filled with bone-deep hatred, his tone remained perfectly calm, without the slightest fluctuation.

"That demonic head is a Ninth Grade Array Master who has laid out inner and outer arrays within this market town; it is not something ordinary people can break, which explains why he has remained at large until now and forged the formidable reputation of the 'Blood-Robed Pavilion Master.' However, he is not truly at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining; ultimately, he is but a castle in the air."

"But Elder Ouyang, the Tai Xiao Mirror has also fallen into that person's hands."

Wu Zhichong quickly agreed, then lowered his voice: "The Tai Xiao Mirror is mysterious and unfathomable; if that demonic head can manipulate it, I fear his power would be no less than that of someone at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining..."

"I have naturally considered this matter as well."

Ouyang Feng sneered: "The Tai Xiao Mirror is, after all, a spirit treasure of our Shenwu Sect; how could a demonic head simply take it and use it? If he dares to use it, so much the better!"

"I have already invited Grandmaster Yang Yezi, who originally refined the Tai Xiao Mirror. He was also furious upon hearing the spirit treasure had fallen into a demonic head's hands and has agreed to come to Skeleton Mountain to reclaim the treasure and restore order. With him here, if that demonic head dares to use the Tai Xiao Mirror against me, he will be seeking his own death!"

Although Ouyang Feng was furious, he had not lost his reason.

Moreover, with the cautionary tale of Ouyang Haoze before him, he could not possibly charge into the array again; after much deliberation, he concluded it would be better to lure Lu Yang out from within the array.

"At what time does this person usually leave the market town?"

"Uh..."

Faced with Ouyang Feng's inquiry, Wu Zhichong and Duanmu Yuan looked at each other in dismay, rendered speechless.

Seeing this, Ouyang Feng immediately furrowed his brows and said displeasedly: "Did you not lie in ambush outside the market town for a long time? How could you not even know such a trivial matter?"

"Replying to Elder, this person has, to this day, never left the market town."

"... ever?"

Ouyang Feng was stunned: "Could it be that you did not spread the news of the Witch-Ghost Secret Realm inside? Does he not know that Skeleton Mountain is currently filled with opportunities everywhere?"

The two wore aggrieved expressions: "We spread it long ago."

"Then has the reinforcement from the Chusheng Mo Sect not yet arrived? Is the demonic path so weak that he dares not leave?"

"In fact, the Mo Sect's reinforcements arrived three months ago and have been acting wildly throughout Skeleton Mountain; only this person has never left from start to finish."

"Ah?"

After hearing the report, Ouyang Feng finally showed a look of bewilderment.

"Going out? I will not go out."

Inside the Blood-Robed Pavilion, Lu Yang and Fairy Feixia sat facing each other; while politely declining Fairy Feixia's invitation, he handed her a cup of spirit tea.

"Junior Brother is truly..."

Fairy Feixia looked at Lu Yang, her pretty face suddenly becoming somewhat dazed.

There was a time when she had been deeply disappointed by this junior brother's cowardice, yet in the end, it was he who advanced step by step, forging the formidable reputation of the Blood-Robed Pavilion Master.

It must be known that all cultivators are fighting fate against heaven; one slow step, and the outcome is death when one's lifespan ends.

Even with the so-called cycle of reincarnation, first, one might not have an immortal fate after reincarnating, and second, one might not even be oneself after reincarnating, making it unreliable.

Yet upon meeting again this time, Lu Yang was just as he had always been.

Indifferent, tranquil, as if he placed nothing in the world within his heart.

Such a temperament, rare among cultivators, suddenly brought a phrase to Fairy Feixia's mind: Water benefits all things yet does not contend, therefore nothing in the world can contend with it.

But in a lifetime, if you do not contend, how do you seek the Dao?

In the next life?

Thinking of this, Fairy Feixia could not help but sigh: "... am ashamed; I fear I shall never reach such a superb state of mind as junior brother possesses in my entire life."

"Senior Sister overpraises me."

Lu Yang smiled slightly: "Did I not say before coming that in this endeavor we would discuss no great affairs, only the Dao? I will teach senior sister array techniques, and senior sister will teach me talisman arts."

"I shall naturally impart everything I know without reservation."

Fairy Feixia lightly pressed her red lips, raised her pale hand to lift her veil, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face capable of toppling kingdoms; beneath her thin robed garment, hills rose and her hip curve was like the moon, and even her voice unconsciously became soft and delicate: "Speaking of which, I have not yet thanked junior brother for saving my life previously..."

The next day, the sun was high in the sky.

Within the market town, a shabby-looking young man paced inside his cave dwelling, his face full of struggle; it was none other than Lu Yang's old friend, Zhao Xuhe.

"How could it be so? How could it be so?"

At this moment, Zhao Xuhe had reached a peak of urgency: "News of the Witch-Ghost Secret Realm is now known to everyone; if I do not act now, I will have no chance!"

Thinking of this, Zhao Xuhe's spiritual energy suddenly exploded; he was no longer at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining as when he first arrived at the market town, but had broken through to the Seventh Layer, the Late Stage. It was precisely because he had broken through the bottleneck that had trapped him for years that he now harbored the thought of venturing into the Secret Realm to gamble for an opportunity.

But having the thought did not mean having the strength.

Without the opportunities of Panlong Island, he could only cultivate the Yin-Yang Great Joy Ode from Senior Butian Peak; his true qi was merely Fifth Grade, and his divine abilities and magic treasures were inferior in every aspect.

Under such circumstances, striving for opportunities was tantamount to seeking death.

After much deliberation, Zhao Xuhe finally gritted his teeth, took out a jade slip that had been dust-laden for a long time, injected magic power into it, and contacted someone he had not seen in ages.

A halo of light spread from the jade slip, and after a long while, a voice emerged: "Who is it?"

The voice carried laziness and a hint of dryness, yet it made Zhao Xuhe exceedingly nostalgic, causing him to lower his voice: "Feixia... it is me, Xuhe."

Indeed, he had an old connection with Fairy Feixia.

Though it was called an old connection, in reality, they were merely acquaintances from the past; however, after he was chosen by the Senior Butian Peak Master as a son-in-law, he severed contact with her to avoid suspicion.

He had thought that neither party would ever cross paths again, never expecting that nowadays he would have to beg for her help.

Zhao Xuhe clenched his jaw tight and whispered: "Feixia, I wish to ask a favor of you... My path of cultivation is now hopeless, and I plan to leave the market town to make one final gamble."

He knew that Fairy Feixia most admired acts of burning one's boats for the sake of seeking the Dao.

Therefore, only by saying this could he move her.

"But I currently have no contribution points and lack the means to purchase magic treasures or divine abilities; under such circumstances, even if I have the heart to burn my boats, I fear I will only die in vain."

"So... so... for the sake of our past friendship, lend me a little..."

As he spoke, Zhao Xuhe could not help but recall the bits and pieces of his past with Fairy Feixia, and a trace of indescribable hope arose in his heart.

However, in the next second, a basin of cold water was poured over him.

"Apologies, I do not know what you are talking about."

The soft and delicate voice, originally brimming with intense warmth, instantly turned ice-cold, and she said indifferently: "Furthermore, please do not contact me again in the future."

"I am currently discussing the Dao with Junior Brother Lu Yang and do not wish for him to misunderstand."

Crack!

The next second, the jade slip shattered.

Zhao Xuhe stood dumbfounded in place, unable to recover his senses for a long while; only after a long time did his face gradually twist, and from between his teeth erupted a furious roar:

"No——!!!"

(End of Chapter)