In the back of the palace, the smell of blood is so strong that it can be used as sauce. Chu Xuan kicked open half of the charred hall door, and immediately there was a "clattering" sound of iron chains - the remnant of the Crimson Flame Camp knelt down on the ground, each tied into a zongzi by the "lock magic thread" of the dark hall, with a stubborn look of "I just won't accept it" on their faces.
"If you don't want to, just line up and give your life first." Chu Xuan crossed the threshold lazily, his voice not loud enough to make the captives in the front row shiver. He held the dead head of the demon Flame in his hand, his hair disheveled and his blood dried into a black shell, like a broken cuju, and threw it to the ground with a "thud" to roll among the captives.
"Look, this is the consequence of leading a disturbance." The young man lifted his foot on the table, his hem stained with undried blood, but his tone sounded like he was talking about what wine to drink tonight. "The demon world does not keep idle people, nor does it keep rebellious men. If you want to keep panting, give me a reason not to kill."
There was three breaths of silence in the hall. Suddenly, "plop," a man with a face full of scars stepped out on his knees, his voice trembling: "Your Excellency! I... I'm just following orders. The Flame says that Her Majesty is in collusion with the righteous and wants to clear the monarch's side, I... I'm bewitched!"
"Bewitched?" Chu Xuan raised his eyebrows, and a wisp of ice and fire rose in the palm of his hand, the flames interlaced like a blue and red spirit snake, wandering around his knuckles. "Come on, take out your heart. I'll drive the ghost away for you."
The scar-faced face turned pale, and cold sweat trickled down his temples. Someone beside him sneered and said, "Open your heart?" I sold my heart to the flame of the demon long ago. It's up to you to kill or cut. Frown and you're not a true demon!"
"Good man?" Chu Xuan glanced sideways, laughing with sharp teeth and sharp tongue, "Even a hero has to speak the basic law. To betray one's master for honor, to rebel against one's superior, is that called a true man? This is called immorality." He raised his hand, and the ice and fire spirit snake shot out with a whoosh, biting the man on the shoulder, alternating between hot and cold, the blood was frozen into ice beads as soon as it gushed out, then steamed into red mist by the flames, the visual effect was full, and the screams echoed through the beams of the hall.
"Who else wants to be a hero?" Chu Xuan clapped his hands, and the ice and fire spirit snake obediently landed back on his shoulder, spitting out the letter. The hall was silent, with only the sound of the drops of blood dripping to the ground.
It was in such an atmosphere that Su Meier stepped into the hall. She changed into a plain purple dress, with the hem embroidered with the pattern of the silk bell, and walked with the wind, like a mandala blooming in a pool of blood. She glanced at the captives all over the ground, her eyes fell on the head at Chu Xuan's feet, and made a light TSK: "The head has fallen off, and you're still staring at me? This damned creature, the Flame, is annoying when alive and unsightly when dead."
Chu Xuan shrugged his shoulders, kicked his head like a ball to the corner, and patted the non-existent dust on the hem of his robe: "Sister Meier, the field is clean. You take the blame for the rest."
"The pot?" Su Mei 'er raised her eyebrows, the corners of her eyes flying. "I am the queen, the queen is only responsible for being beautiful, of course the blame should be placed on men." She raised her hand, a flash of magic fire on the tip of her finger, and the head of the magic fire on the ground instantly turned to ashes as if it had never existed.
The captives' eyelids twitched, and they heard her speak slowly: "The Flame is dead, the Crimson Flame Camp is removed. If you want to live, follow the rules - disarm yourself and go to the northern wasteland to mine; If you want to die, I'll do it." She spoke lightly, but no one dared to doubt the truth. Scarface raised his hand first, gritted his teeth and broke his left arm. In the gushing blood, he struggled to kowtow: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for not killing!"
With an example, the rest followed suit, and the hall was filled with crackling sounds of bones, like stir-fried beans. Su Meier didn't even blink her eyelids, turned her head to look at Chu Xuan, and suddenly softened her voice: "Are you tired?"
Chu Xuan moved his shoulders and laughed heartlessly: "It's okay, but my bones are itchy and I want to find a tribulation to fight."
"Not a tribulation, but a magic crystal mine." Su Mei 'er raised her hand and threw him a dark purple token, the size of a palm, with the word "Magic Crystal" engraved on the front and the bell of the silk tree and the cross Magic sword on the back. "Fiefland order, from today on, the magic crystal mine on the west side of the Ten Thousand Demons Cave is yours to mine. Thirty percent of the proceeds shall be handed over and seventy percent shall be kept for yourself. "Also be appointed as' Guest of the Demon World '. If the Queen does not pay homage, you can mobilize the troops of the military hall."
The civil and military officials in the hall gasped - Seventy percent of the magic crystal mine for themselves? This is the fattest piece of meat in the demon world, and Her Majesty will give it away at will! Chu Xuan, however, took it and put the token back into Su Meier's palm, laughing with sharp teeth and a sharp tongue: "Sister Meier, I want the mine, but I still have to pay my respects - if one day you are in a bad mood and take my mine back, I will suffer a loss."
Su Mei 'er was amused by him and tapped his forehead with her finger: "Little sliver, as you please." She turned to Wen Wu, her voice suddenly turned cold. "From today on, Mo Chen is promoted to the position of the head of the military hall, and the original Red Flame Battalion is disorganized and reorganized. Within three days, I will see the list of the new army; otherwise -- "A flash of magic fire on her fingertip, the bluestone on the ground melted into lava in an instant." This is the example."
All the ministers looked up, and no one dared to raise their head.
...
Afternoon, Magic Crystal Mine.
Chu Xuan stood at the entrance of the mine, looking at the vein with a deep purple glow, and stretched his body. Mo Chen emerged from the shadows, dressed in black, with a cold voice: "The vein is clear, the twelve Shadow Guards are stationed, safe."
"Thanks." Chu Xuan turned his head and asked with a smile, "How does the new official feel?"
Mo Chen, expressionless: "Headache. There are too many remnants of the Crimson Flame Camp, and it will take time to disassemble and reorganize them."
"Take your time, no rush." Chu Xuan patted him on the shoulder and suddenly lowered his voice, "Have you got any clue about the matter I asked you to investigate?"
Mo Chen nodded and handed over a jade slip: "The remnants of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion appeared in the Northern Wasteland last night and met with the scattered cultivators. Target - the Ancient Ruins."
Chu Xuan's eyes turned stern, his palm involuntarily tightened, and a crack appeared on the jade slip with a "click". He took a deep breath and looked into the distant sky, where dark clouds rolled, as if a new storm was brewing.
"Ancient Ruins..." He whispered, his voice blown away by the wind, "Yaoji, wait for me."
In the evening, in the depths of the Magic crystal mine, Chu Xuan lay on the freshly chiseled platform of the mine wall with his arm under his head, and in his mouth, he chewed a star skeleton vine with a "creak" sound. The ink dust emerged silently, like a piece of ice growing out of the darkness.
"The latest tip from the Northern Wasteland." He handed over a dark copper scroll in a very low voice, "There's a 'blind man of the sky' in the Scattered cultivators' alliance, paying a sky-high price to buy the whereabouts of Princess Yaoji. The seller - the Heavenly Dao Pavilion."
Chu Xuan spat out the roots, his eyes instantly darkened into the dead of night: "Price?"
"Three strands of 'Primordial spiritual energy', plus a scroll of 'Wordless Celestial map'." Mo Chen paused for a moment and added his sword, "The seller named names and wants to live."
"Alive?" Chu Xuan sneered, and the palm of his hand burst into flames of ice and fire. "The Heavenly Dao Pavilion is treating Yaoji like a soft persimmon."
"Youdaoplaceholder0 than soft." Mo Chen, rarely using the exotic accent, still expressionless, "they don't know that beside the persimmon there is a Wolf with only a knife."
"The Wolf is too gentle. Let's call it Mad dog." Chu Xuan stretched his body, his joints crackling, but his eyes welled up with a chill. "Pass on the order for me - all 'Shadow crows' of the Dark hall take off and watch the Northern Wilderness teleportation array; The Fire Marrow Cavalry of the military hall assemble all night and go with me; Tell Su Mei 'er again that I'll borrow her Queen's chariot and ask for the fastest Magic Kun ship."
Mo Chen nodded and turned to leave but was stopped by Chu Xuan: "Wait, take my 'greeting gift' with you."
The young man threw out something - it was the purified spirit Devouring pearl. At this moment, the jade color within the pearl was flowing like a gentle bright moon. Mo Chen raised his eyebrows: "Take the sword of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion and chop the people of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion?"
"Using one's own spear against one's own shield, the old way of the ancestors works every time." Chu Xuan laughed with sharp teeth, "If they dare to reach out, I dare to chop off."
...
Late at night, Danque Terrace.
After hearing Mo Chen's account, Su Meier did not even lift her eyelids, but raised her hand and threw the red copper gourd to Chu Xuan: "Bring the wine, satisfy your craving and relieve your fatigue. The Magic Kun ship is moored at 'Fire Bay', the Queen's carriage is lent to you, but you have to pay rent -- "she held out a slender finger and shook it," thirty percent of the earnings from the magic crystal mine, come back to settle."
Chu Xuan raised his head and took a gulp of wine. It went down his throat and he exhaled: "Deal!" Come back and bring you a gift - the head of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion, fresh."
"The head is too bloody. I want it alive." Su Meier's eyes flew up like a sly fox. "I'll ask him in person if it's good to use me as a gun."
"As commanded." " Chu Xuan bowed his hands and turned to leave, but was stopped by Su Meier. She approached, her fingertips smoothed out the wrinkles on his collar, and her voice suddenly softened. "The Ancient Ruins are not as cold as the Magic palace. Don't show off your strength there. "Really can't beat --" she paused, snorted, "Run, run back to the demon realm, sister will support you."
The young man's heart warmed, but his face sneered: "Don't worry, I'm tough, even a gluttonous beast can't gnaw on me."
...
At the hour of Zi, Li Huowan.
The Mokun ship is dark purple all over, and its hull is engraved with the silk bell and the ice and fire pattern, like a sleeping giant beast. Chu Xuan boarded the ship and looked back. The lights of the royal city were fading away, and the demonic mountains rose and fell in the night, like a silent farewell giant. He took a deep breath and pulled out the spirit-devouring pearl in his palm. Within the pearl, jade light flowed, reflecting the cold profile of the young man.
"Yaoji, hold on." He whispered, his voice torn apart by the night wind but with unquestionable firmness, "I'll take you home."
The bow of the ship broke through the dark waves and headed for the distance. Dark clouds weighed down, and lightning moved deep within the clouds, like a new storm brewing.