Chapter 254: Qingque's Divine Might

Qingque, with a slightly disheveled bun from sleep, yawned continuously as she walked toward the Tai Bu Si.

She had planned to sleep until the sun was three rods high, then slack off at the gambling hall for a while—after all, the Tai Bu Si job could be delayed if possible, muddled through if possible; that's her life creed.

Unfortunately, fate didn't cooperate; early in the morning, her jade alert sounded like a death knell, and the screen glaringly displayed the four characters "Lord Fu Xuan."

Qingque flinched, nearly throwing the jade alert away.

The connection trembled, and on the other end came Fu Xuan's cold, stern voice: "Qingque, come to the Tai Bu Si immediately; it's urgent."

Then the line was cut.

Straightforward and crisp, leaving Qingque no question.

"…Sigh."

Qingque let out a long sigh, feeling her life was bleak.

She tried to console herself with the nonsense "Maybe Lord Fu Xuan is in a good mood and wants to treat me to tea," but Reason String told her the more likely cause was a mountain of official duties, or some new trouble.

Resignedly crawling out of her warm bed, she hastily washed, changed into the Tai Bu Si's standard robe, and Qingque, full of "don't want to work" resentment, stepped onto the morning street.

Walking, she still replayed that long, bizarre "dream"—in an endless Zhulin, meditating before a Marshal, forced to sense some "jade plaque resonance"... it was scarier than thirty days of nonstop overtime!

She instinctively lifted her hand and looked at her palm.

It was pale and tender, without even a callus.

"So it really was just a nightmare, then?"

Qingque muttered softly, "Great Void Sword Qi… just the name makes me exhausted. I still think gambling suits me better."

To dispel the lingering discomfort from the nightmare, she reached into her sleeve pocket and retrieved the warm, pale‑green jade fish plaque.

The plaque was of superb material, finely carved, the blue‑green fish rendered lifelike, cool to the touch, exuding a calming aura.

Qingque loved it and kept it on her person to toy with.

As she walked, she absentmindedly traced the fish scales on the plaque with her fingertips, scheming whether she could find an excuse to slip to the gambling hall early today.

Just as she passed a relatively quiet street corner, a corner of her eye caught several figures standing in the shadows ahead.

Those people wore ordinary Xianzhou civilian attire, but their posture was stiff, heads down, faces indistinct.

At this hour, in such a place, a small gathering was already odd.

Qingque's heart gave a thud, and her steps unintentionally slowed.

She wasn't one to meddle in others' business, but she was a bit more sensitive than most.

(Something's off…)

She was about to slip away quietly, when those figures seemed to sense her gaze and all lifted their heads in unison!

Qingque inhaled a sharp gasp!

On those faces, eyes turned blood‑red, skin visibly turned gray‑brown and withered, revealing wood‑like grain!

Mouths twisted into feral grins!

Demon‑shadow bodies!

And they erupted on the street, simultaneously, in multiple numbers!

Qingque's mind buzzed—blank!

She was just a Xiao Bu Zhe of the Tai Bu Si who wanted to slack off!

Her combat experience was virtually nil!

Dealing with one or two illusory soldiers might be manageable, but before her were several rapidly mutating demon‑shadow bodies!

Run! That was her first thought.

Yet her body froze from sheer terror, watching those silhouettes roar, limbs unnaturally twisting and swelling, skin cracking to sprout branch‑like spikes, lunging toward her!

Too close!

At the life‑or‑death moment, Qingque acted on instinct, hurling the pale‑green jade fish plaque with all her might at the foremost demon‑shadow body!

"Go—!"

She didn't even know what she shouted.

The tiny jade plaque left her hand, tracing an unremarkable arc through the air.

Then—

Buzz!!!

The plaque, a heartbeat before contacting the demon‑shadow body, suddenly burst into dazzling cyan light!

Within the glow, the carved fish seemed to come alive, swelling against the wind, instantly transforming into a translucent giant fish silhouette several yards long, composed of condensed cyan light and vapor!

Its scales shone like gems, long whiskers fluttered like ribbons, eyes glowed like twin cyan lanterns, exuding an imposing aura!

The incident unfolded in a flash; not even Qingque, but also those charging demon‑shadow bodies seemed to pause for a heartbeat.

"Roar—?!"

The cyan giant fish silhouette didn't pause; it emitted a silent yet soul‑stirring, resonant long chant, its massive body bearing unstoppable force, like a cyan mountain torrent or a revived river, crashing head‑on into those demon‑shadow bodies!

No fancy technique, just the most direct—crush!

Boom—!!!!

Deafening collision roared, the ground trembling slightly!

The cyan light and vapor exploded outward, scattering crystal‑clear water droplets across the sky, refracting rainbow hues in the morning sun like a fantastical sun‑shower.

The droplets fell on the street, walls, even distant onlookers, delivering a cool, moist sensation but no lethal effect.

And the demon‑shadow bodies struck head‑on by the cyan giant fish…

Only twisted wreckage remained on the spot.

The previously ferocious threat, under this Heavenly Disaster‑like blow, shattered like a sandcastle smashed by a giant wave, collapsing instantly, unable to muster any semblance of resistance.

One strike, total annihilation.

The splash hit the ground, quickly seeped into the earth, and vanished without a trace.

The imposing azure giant fish's illusory form also faded away, as if it had never appeared.

In the middle of the street, only Qingque, dumb as a wooden chicken, remained.

Qingque: "…………"

She kept the stance of throwing the jade disc, her mouth slightly open, eyes bulging, as if a hundred thousand jade birds were chirping in her mind at once, like a pot of boiling sesame paste, completely losing the ability to think.

(What just happened...?)

(I... threw a jade disc?)

(... Huh?)

She lowered her head bit by bit, looking at her right hand, which was empty.

The jade disc... gone?

The moment that thought rose, a chill suddenly brushed her palm.

The azure‑white jade fish disc reappeared in her hand, intact.

Its feel was warm and slightly cool, exactly the same as before, as if the earth‑shaking scene moments ago had been an illusion.

Qingque: "！！！"

She almost tossed the jade disc again as if burned, but managed to hold back in time, gripping it tightly.

The icy jade feel reminded her that this wasn't a dream.

"Ah—! Killing someone! No, killing a demonic shadow!"

"What was that just now?! Such a huge fish! Is it a gift from the Star God?!"

"Is that a Cloud Cavalry expert? That girl?!"

"Run! Are there any other demonic shadows?!"

The nearby pedestrians who had escaped and kept their distance finally reacted, erupting in louder clamor and exclamations.

Many people pointed toward Qingque, gesturing and chatting noisily.

Qingque jolted awake, breaking free from the petrified state.

(Damn!)

(Caused such a ruckus! And so many saw it!)

(Even though I killed a demonic shadow, this is inexplicable! Where did this ability come from?! And what's up with the jade disc?!)

(If someone from the Cloud Cavalry grabs me for questioning... wouldn't my idle fishing life be completely ruined?!)

Thinking of Master Fu Xuan's stern face and possible punishment, Qingque instantly felt a fear ten thousand times greater than facing a demonic shadow!

Run!

Must disappear immediately, right now!

She no longer dared to hesitate, caring not for her image, shoved the jade disc into her chest, summoned the fastest speed of her life, and plunged into a narrower alley beside her, vanishing in an instant.

The agility of her movements and familiarity of the route clearly showed it wasn't her first time doing such a "finish the deed and disappear, hiding one's merit and fame" act.

Only a group of shaken pedestrians remained on the street, and Yan Qing, who arrived quickly upon hearing the news, stared at the scene with a bewildered expression.

Also by the window of a tea house's elegant room not far away, Bai Hang and Sai Fei Er stood, their faces equally shocked.