Chapter 44: Zhao Xuhe's Desperation
Outside Skull Mountain's White Bone Cave market.
A streak of light vanished into the mountain forest, revealing three figures. Two of them were Divine Fist Wu Zhichong and Mountain-Moving Daoist Duanmu Yuan, who had previously attacked the market but fled back in disarray.
The third person was an elderly man with white hair.
"Elder Ouyang."
Wu Zhichong spoke cautiously, fearing that the Qi Refining Great Perfection Elder in front of him would do something irrational. Ahead lay a Dragon's Den and a Tiger's Lair.
"Don't worry, this old man knows what's important."
Ouyang Feng's expression was stern. Although his eyes, looking towards the market, were filled with bitter hatred, his tone was very calm, without the slightest fluctuation.
"That Demon head is a Ninth-Grade Formation Master. He has set up inner and outer Formations in this market, which are not easily broken by ordinary people. It's no wonder he has been able to act freely until now, even gaining the notorious reputation of Blood Robe Lord. However, he is not a true Qi Refining Great Perfection, so it is ultimately a castle in the air."
"But Elder Ouyang, the Heavenly Mirror has also fallen into his hands."
Wu Zhichong quickly agreed, then whispered, "The Heavenly Mirror is mysterious and unpredictable. If that Demon head can control it, he might not be inferior to a Qi Refining Great Perfection."
"I have naturally considered this matter as well."
Ouyang Feng sneered, "The Heavenly Mirror is, after all, a Spirit Treasure of my Divine Martial Sect. How could a Demon head just take it and use it? If he dares to use it, all the better!"
"I have already invited Great Master Yangyazi, who originally refined the Heavenly Mirror. He is also very indignant that the Heavenly Mirror fell into the Demon head's hands and has agreed to come to Skull Mountain to reclaim the Spirit Treasure and set things right. With him here, if that Demon head dares to use the Heavenly Mirror to fight me, it will be his own undoing."
Although Ouyang Feng was angry, he did not lose his reason.
Moreover, with Ouyang Haoze's previous lesson, he would not dare to break into the Formation again. After much thought, it was better to lure Lu Yang out of the Formation.
"When does this person usually leave the market?"
"Uh..."
Facing Ouyang Feng's question, Wu Zhichong and Duanmu Yuan looked at each other, speechless.
Seeing this, Ouyang Feng immediately frowned and said displeasedly, "Didn't you two stake out the market for a long time? How do you not even know such a small detail?"
"Replying to Elder, this person has not left the market at all to this day."
"...Never?"
Ouyang Feng was stunned, "Didn't you relay the news of the Witch Ghost Secret Realm? Doesn't he know that Skull Mountain is now full of Opportunities?"
Both looked wronged, "We already did."
"Then it means the Primordial Saint Demonic Sect's reinforcements haven't arrived yet, and the Demonic Path is weak, so he doesn't dare to leave?"
"In fact, the Demonic Sect's reinforcements arrived three months ago and have been actively moving about Skull Mountain, but this person has not left at all from beginning to end."
"Huh?"
After hearing the report, Ouyang Feng finally showed a bewildered expression.
"I'm not going out."
Inside the Blood Robe Tower, Lu Yang and Fei Xia sat opposite each other. He politely declined Fei Xia's invitation while handing her a cup of Spirit Tea.
"Junior Brother really is..."
Fei Xia looked at Lu Yang, her beautiful face suddenly somewhat dazed.
Once upon a time, she was deeply disappointed by her Junior Brother's timidity, but it turned out he was steadily making progress, establishing the formidable reputation of the Blood Robe Lord.
One must know that all Cultivators are fighting against fate. A single slow step can lead to death from old age.
Even if there is such a thing as Reincarnation, firstly, one may not have the Immortality Opportunity after Reincarnation, and secondly, one may not even be oneself after Reincarnation, so it is difficult to rely on.
Yet, upon seeing him again this time, Lu Yang was as before.
Indifferent, serene, as if nothing in the world bothered him.
Such a rare temperament among Cultivators, Fei Xia suddenly thought of a saying: Water benefits all things without contention, so nothing can contend with it.
But in a lifetime, if you do not contend, how can you seek the Dao?
Next life?
Thinking of this, Fei Xia couldn't help but sigh, "...I am ashamed. I fear I will never reach Junior Brother's profound state of mind in my entire life."
"Senior Sister overpraises me."
Lu Yang smiled slightly, "Didn't I say before coming that this time we won't discuss major affairs, only the Dao? I will teach Senior Sister Formations, and Senior Sister will teach me Talisman Arts."
"This one will naturally teach everything I know."
Fei Xia's red lips pursed slightly, and her delicate hand pulled back her veil, revealing a stunningly beautiful face that could topple kingdoms. Beneath her thin, flowing robes, her figure was curvaceous, and her voice unconsciously became softer, "Speaking of which, I haven't thanked Junior Brother for saving my life before..."
...
The next day, the sun was high in the sky.
Inside the market, a disheveled young man was pacing in his Immortal Cave, his face full of struggle. It was none other than Lu Yang's old friend, Zhao Xuhe.
"How could this be? How could this be?"
At this moment, Zhao Xuhe was at his wit's end, "The news of the Witch Ghost Secret Realm is now known to all. If I don't act now, I'll lose my Opportunity!"
Thinking of this, Zhao Xuhe's Qi suddenly exploded. He was no longer at Qi Refining Sixth Layer as when he first arrived at the market, but had broken through to Qi Refining Seventh Layer, the Late Stage Realm. It was precisely because he had broken through a long-standing Bottleneck that he had the idea of venturing into the Secret Realm to seek an Opportunity.
But having an idea doesn't mean having the strength.
Without the Opportunity of Dragon Coiling Island, he could only Cultivate Mending Heaven Peak's Yin Yang Great Bliss Art. His True Qi was only Fifth-Grade, and his Divine Abilities and Magic Treasures were all inferior.
In such a situation, to contend for Opportunity would be courting death.
After much deliberation, Zhao Xuhe finally gritted his teeth, took out a long-sealed Jade Slip, injected True Qi into it, and contacted that person he hadn't seen in a long time.
The Jade Slip glowed, and after a long while, a voice came out, "Who is it?"
The voice was lazy, and a bit parched, but it made Zhao Xuhe feel particularly nostalgic. He couldn't help but whisper, "Fei Xia... It's me, Xuhe."
That's right, he and Fei Xia had a past.
However, to say they had a past, it was actually just that they were once acquaintances. But after he was chosen by the Mending Heaven Peak Lord as her son-in-law, they cut off contact to avoid suspicion.
He had thought that they would never interact again, but unexpectedly, he now had to seek her help.
Zhao Xuhe gritted his teeth and whispered, "Fei Xia, I want to ask you for a favor. My Dao path is hopeless now, and I plan to leave the market for one last gamble."
He knew that Fei Xia most admired acts of desperation for the sake of seeking the Dao.
So, only by saying this could he move her.
"But I currently have no contribution points and cannot afford to buy Magic Treasures and Divine Abilities. In this situation, even if I have the will to go all out, I fear it would be a futile death."
"So... so... for the sake of our past affection, lend me a little..."
As he spoke, Zhao Xuhe couldn't help but recall the bits and pieces of his past with Fei Xia, and a certain inexpressible hope arose in his heart.
However, the next second, a bucket of cold water was poured on him.
"Sorry, I don't know what you're talking about."
The previously warm and gentle voice instantly turned cold and indifferent, saying, "Also, please don't contact me again in the future."
"I am currently discussing the Dao with Junior Brother Lü, and I don't want him to misunderstand."
Crack!
The next second, the Jade Slip shattered.
Zhao Xuhe stood dumbfounded in place, not recovering for a long time. After a long while, his face gradually contorted, and he let out an enraged roar from between his teeth:
"No—!!!"