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You Were Born a Nobleman, Chapter Eighty-Four Wife, I Want to Make You Empress! (Update)
Mei Xiao's soft voice came through, "Alright, everyone stop messing around. Shu Que Wu Pan Ming Wang, even if the two of us work together, we can't break the barrier. The person who set up this formation seems very confident, knowing that even if we find the entrance, we will be helpless."
Kong Xuan's lips moved, but he did not speak, his face unusually pale.
Mei Xiao said, "Ming Wang, there’s something I—Mei Xiao—am unsure whether I should say."
Lang Ye interrupted her before she could continue, "Just say it already; stop keeping us in suspense."
Mei Xiao paused briefly and then continued, "The Dan Pill given by the Celestial Maiden is still in our hands. As long as Ming Wang takes it and regains your powers, won't we be able to get out?"
Lang Ye suddenly grabbed Kong Xuan's shoulders, their faces close together, eyes locked. "Kong Xuan, this is the only way; you need to think carefully."
Kong Xuan turned his head away, lowering his eyes as if he were intently studying the shattered glass leaves on the ground. The demon realm had not seen sunlight for years; plants could hardly grow here. What surrounded them were merely fake trees and flowers made of jade and glass.
Years ago, it was for a ray of sunlight that he led the demons out of their seal and stormed into Xuantian. Clad in armor and displaying his might, he broke through the Three Immortals and Eight Islands, Nine Kings and Ten Stars; no gods or Buddhas could stand against him. But then… at the last moment of that transaction, they tore off their hypocritical masks and let the demon realm fall back into this Hellish abyss. He, Kong Xuan, ended up as nothing more than a joke for the Heavenly Emperor during tea time.
This was not the time to dwell on such thoughts, yet Kong Xuan couldn't help but remember that Celestial Maiden—Liya—whom he often saw in his father's palace.
His engagement to Liya had been arranged by his father, the Phoenix. At that time, he was just a carefree Demon God and had not yet battled with Tathagata on Snow Mountain.
He still remembered that day when Celestial Maiden Rika stood under the flowering tree holding a bright red wedding dress, smiling as she said, "Brother Xuan, I'm here to bring you clothes; try them on to see if they fit."
Kong Xuan reached out and knocked the dress away. "If you want to marry me, wait another five thousand years." After saying that, he rode on Rainbow Cloud to find friends for feasting and revelry, not returning home for a hundred years.
Later on, Kong Xuan fought Tathagata on Snow Mountain and was subsequently banished to the demon realm. His world was filled with too many variables and upheavals; he had completely forgotten about Liya.
Now she had come knocking at his door during his lowest point to offer help. If he accepted this kindness, what could Kong Xuan use to repay her?
Seeing Kong Xuan silent and lost in thought, Lang Ye anxiously rubbed his hands together but dared not say anything.
After a while, Kong Xuan looked up at the sky as if letting out a long sigh. "Pojun, tell the Celestial Maiden that today Kong Xuan owes her this favor and will repay it with my life in the future."
He would not return his feelings; Kong Xuan's affection was not something just anyone could possess.
Hearing this, Breaking Army let out a sigh of relief. He and Mei Xiao worked together to tear open a small gap in the barrier and then brought in the Celestial Maiden's Dan Pill.
Once the Dan Pill was in Kong Xuan's hands, he swallowed it without any hesitation, leaving Lang Ye unable to voice his concerns about the pill before it was too late.
At the moment the pill slid into his abdomen, a thought flashed through Kong Xuan's mind: the barrier had only left a gap for one Dan Pill; how fortuitous!
After taking the pill, Kong Xuan closed his eyes and began meditating. Lang Ye paced around him like a loyal guard dog. After a short while, white smoke began to rise from Kong Xuan's head, and as the White Mist thickened, he became invisible.
After some time, a brilliant light emerged from within the mist, resembling the first rays of dawn. The light grew stronger, reflecting off the ground covered in Crystal Shards and Glazed Leaves, as if golden liquid had melted into the starry sky, bathing the entire palace in a pure platinum brilliance.
Then, amidst this radiance, a giant peacock with snow-white feathers soared into the sky, filling the air with its snowy brilliance.
It emitted a clear cry as its wings fully spread and ascended at an angle. Dark clouds parted for it like torn fabric, dissipating like cotton fluff. The peacock's long white tail unfurled completely, piercing through the invisible barrier like a sharp sword. The air balloon deflated, and thus, the barrier was destroyed!
The peacock landed gracefully, its three radiant Feathers shimmering above its head while its long tail trailed behind like a maiden's skirt. Lang Ye clapped his hands loudly: "Birdie, we finally see your true form! It's been three hundred years; you've lost so many feathers."
"Get lost." The peacock spoke human words and transformed back into the Graceful and Handsome Kong Beauty. He swaggered over to open the door and thanked the tigers and foxes outside.
Breaking Army felt somewhat excited; he grasped Kong Xuan's arm as if unsure how to express himself. However, Kong Xuan directly addressed Mei Xiao: "Do you have the crystal ball? Let me see what happened to Tang Zisu."
Mei Xiao nodded. They entered the room where Mei Xiao placed the crystal ball on the table and activated a spell. Soon after, Tang Zisu appeared in the crystal ball.
Upon seeing that image, Kong Xuan felt as if his insides were burning; he staggered back and coughed up blood.
The scene in the crystal ball showed Tang Zisu lying on the Bone Refining Platform like a corpse. Her hair was disheveled, her face pale; if not for her body trembling in pain, she hardly looked alive.
"Kong Xuan, Ming Wang." Everyone rushed over to support him. Kong Xuan waved them off and whispered, "I'm fine."
Kong Xuan took a deep breath, straightened his back, and said to everyone: "Breaking Army Mei Xiao, you two stay on the mountain and investigate who set up this barrier. Lang Ye, come with me to rescue her."
With a clear cry, Kong Xuan transformed back into a peacock and said to Lang Ye: "Get on; it's your turn to ride."
The current situation is completely unsuitable for jokes, so Lang Ye wisely kept quiet.
Po Jun shouted, "Wait."
Kong Xuan said, "If you have something to say, hurry up. I'm in a rush to save someone."
Po Jun replied, "Kong Xuan, is it worth it? A wise person like you keeps falling for women. Is it really worth it?"
The peacock-green eyes glanced at Po Jun, then Lang Ye calmly said, "You tell him if it's worth it."
Lang Ye dramatically tossed his hair and declared, "Little Meow, what you like, even if it's just cabbage and radish, you treat it like ginseng Bird's Nest. What you don't like, even if it's ginseng Bird's Nest, you treat it like cabbage and radish. We are demons, but we have hearts that can love just like humans. Sometimes love feels like a knife stabbing the heart, yet the one being stabbed willingly accepts the pain as sweet."
Kong Xuan asked, "Are you done?"
Lang Ye nodded, "I'm done."
"Then hurry up and leave. You're so long-winded."
"Alright then, I'm off!"
Watching the white figure disappear into the sky, Po Jun smiled faintly, "How could I not understand? I know just as much as you do."
Mei Xiao suddenly shivered for some reason. She hugged her shoulders and said, "Tiger King, they've left. Let's go in and clean up."
Kong Xuan rushed out of the Infinite Demon Realm with Lang Ye, resembling a faint light breaking through the clouds. Soon enough, the sky was stained red as if bloodied, with golden light spreading outward in layers; it was indeed the sunrise in the east.
Lang Ye seemed lost in thought but spoke of anything but romance: "What exactly happened at the Shrine? Why was Tang Zisu locked up there? Where did Softy go?"
After being taken away by her Auntie’s people, Softy was directly sent to Zhang Family adorned in red.
Aunt Mi was also afraid of prolonged troubles and didn’t dare to bring Softy home. Once sent to Zhang Family, they immediately planned for marriage.
Zhang Ermao had been dazed and foolish ever since waking up possessed by a Vengeful Spirit. His parents received news that they needed a woman with an extremely yin fate to counteract their son’s misfortune. This didn’t even require calculation; everyone in Peacock Valley knew that Mi Ruanruan had an extremely yin fate that could harm her parents. They directly chose her. However, did Zhang Family really intend to marry Softy? No, they were planning to marry her first and then divorce her once their son recovered; truly a well-calculated scheme.
Such unscrupulous and shady matters naturally cannot be made public. That night, they held a wedding for Softy and Zhang Ermao. Although the bridal chamber was decorated with red and festive colors, there were no firecrackers or music, and in the pitch-black night, the bright red wedding attire appeared to be stained with darkness, resembling a ghost marriage.
Softy was tied up, and two tall maids forcibly pressed her down to pay respects. The couple, Zhang Dahu and his wife, were nowhere to be seen; they were too timid to attend. If they truly made her their daughter-in-law, it would not be a joke if something happened to them afterward.
After hastily completing the ceremony, she was sent into the bridal chamber. Zhang Dahu repeatedly held his son’s hand and urged him, “Er Mao, you must take care of her tonight. Show some effort and make sure to do it properly. The experts say that as long as you take her virgin blood, your illness will be cured. Once you’re better, we’ll send her away quickly. People like her bring bad luck just by looking at them.”
Zhang Ermao only stared at his father’s goat-like beard moving and didn’t really understand what he was saying. He patted his father’s small frame and laughed foolishly, “Dad, let’s go back. I... I’m going to the bridal chamber.”
Zhang Dahu laughed heartily and turned around: “They say he’s gone silly; why is he so anxious about this?”
Zhang Ermao staggered into the room and bowed to Softy, who was tied to the bedpost: “Your Highness, Wife.”
Softy desperately shook her head trying to dislodge the red scarf from her head. Zhang Ermao watched curiously: “Your Highness, Wife, what are you doing? I can shake my head too.”
After saying that, Zhang Ermao started shaking his head as well, his little head bobbing like a rattle drum. After a while, he felt dizzy and plopped down on the bed.
“Wuwu... Wuwu...” Softy’s mouth was gagged, so she could only make those sounds.
Zhang Ermao reached out to remove the red scarf and took out the rag from Softy’s mouth: “Your Highness, Wife, what are you doing?”
“I am not your mother, nor am I your Wife. Let me go,” Softy said, her big eyes red from crying.
“No, no, no! You and I have paid respects; you are my Your Highness now—ah, Wife,” Zhang Ermao insisted.
“Zhang Ermao, I will not marry you. I am an ill-fated person; whoever marries me will bring misfortune and death to their family.”
“You’re talking nonsense! My dad says you can heal illnesses.”
Softy was truly driven mad by his stuttering. Previously, Zhang Ermao had been sharp-eyed and clever; today he seemed utterly foolish. But even if he was foolish, he was still hard to deal with.
Softy thought for a moment and said: “Zhang Ermao, let me go first.”
Zhang Ermao tilted his head and drooled: “I won’t let go; what if you run away?”
Softy felt an overwhelming urge to bite him; was he really this foolish or just pretending?
"I'm not running away. Look, it hurts a lot being tied up like this, and you can't help me forever. Just let me go first."
Softy coaxed him gently.
"I won't spend my life with you. My father said that after we consummate the marriage, he'll divorce you. Just looking at you will shorten my life."
Although Softy didn't want to marry Zhang Ermao at all and wished he would divorce her immediately, the idea of consummating the marriage and then getting divorced was too much; they shouldn't bully her like this.
Softy's expression turned cold. Throughout her life, she had always been gentle and soft with everyone except Lang Ye, but now her anger flared up. She said sternly, "You are being too much; aren't you afraid of retribution?"
Just a moment ago, Zhang Ermao thought she looked quite nice, but now seeing her fierce expression made him want to cry: "You... you... you're bullying me! I'm going to tell my father."
"Don't! Don't go! If you untie me, I'll give you something fun." Softy winked at him, forcing out a fake smile.
"Really?"
"Yes, really."
Zhang Ermao moved behind Softy and hesitantly began to untie the ropes.
Softy was anxious: "Zhang Ermao, are you done? Can you do it?"
"I can! I... I really like playing with this."
"Softy: Ah, be gentle! You're choking me!"
"Zhang Ermao: Ah, it's so tight!"
"Softy: Slow down! Not there—ah, that hurts! Let go!"
Outside the window, Zhang Dahu, crouching down with a goat-like beard, was laughing lewdly. Just as he was about to straighten up, a pair of strong hands grabbed his ears. "You old fool! Why are you out here messing around instead of going back to your room?"
Zhang Dahu was being dragged away by his wife while hopping on his feet. He kept saying, "Hey, be quieter. I'm just checking if our son is silly or not. Let me tell you, our son is not silly at all, haha."
"Look at you, old man. Is it starting inside?"
"Yeah, just let go of me first."
Zhang Dahu's wife released him and patted her chest with her thick hands. "Now I can finally relax. Once our son gets better, I will definitely find him a match and settle him down. This back and forth has really scared me."
In the room, Zhang Ermao had managed to untie Softy. As soon as Softy was freed, she stood up and looked around for an escape route.
"Mommy, where's the fun stuff?"
There wasn't anything fun; she had just made that up to trick Zhang Ermao. However, Zhang Ermao was persistent and even seemed on the verge of crying.
"I'll give it to you." Softy had no other choice but to reach into her clothes and pull out the hairpin that Lang Ye had given her.
Zhang Ermao reached out and snatched it away. "So pretty! I'll sell it for money to buy candy."
Softy tried to grab the hairpin back but was afraid he would cry, so she coaxed him, "You can't sell this. Tomorrow I'll buy you candy instead. Will you give it back to me then?"
Zhang Ermao hid the hairpin behind his back. "No way! I want this!"
Softy bit her lip and looked longingly at the hairpin. "You can hold onto it for now, but you mustn't sell it, okay? If you dare to sell it, I won't talk to you anymore."
"Okay, okay! I won't sell it! I want to wear it on my head."
Softy watched helplessly as Zhang Ermao stuck the hairpin into his hair. She sighed in resignation, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Do I look good? Do I look good? Do you think I look good?" Zhang Ermao posed with his fingers like a flower, using his palm as a mirror.
"You look good." Softy's gaze fell on the hairpin through a mist of tears. The round pearls emitted a soft luster, just like how Lang Ye looked at her.
A pang of pain shot through Softy's heart; now was not the time for sorrowful thoughts. She stood up again and looked around, even pushing open the window.
"What are you doing?" Zhang Ermao suddenly asked coldly from behind her.
"I..." Softy felt a tightness in her chest and turned to say, "It's too stuffy; I just want to get some fresh air."
Zhang Ermao casually closed the window, a glint flashing in his eyes. "It's so cold outside; be careful not to catch a chill."
Softy didn't miss the sharpness in his gaze. Was Zhang Ermao really this foolish, or was he pretending?
For a moment, the two of them fell silent, stuck in an awkward standoff.
On the table, there were snacks like chestnut cakes as usual. Zhang Ermao tugged at Softy's sleeve and said, "Come on, Wife, let's eat something delicious."
Softy sighed with relief; thankfully, it was about eating and not about the wedding night.
Sitting at the table, Softy glanced at the wine cup, contemplating getting Zhang Ermao drunk. But then she thought about her own alcohol tolerance and abandoned the idea. She picked up a piece of pastry and absentmindedly took small bites.
Zhang Ermao was busy eating and drinking without bothering Softy. However, the flower pin in his hair sparkled under the glow of the big red Dragon and Phoenix candlelight, which felt like a torment for Softy.
Zhang Ermao pushed away his chopsticks. "Wife, let's go to bed."
"Ah!" Softy exclaimed as a piece of pastry got stuck in her throat, making her cough uncontrollably.
After finally catching her breath, she clutched her collar and stood by the window. "Zhang Ermao, I don't want to marry you. I have someone I love; please let me go."
Zhang Ermao stared at her with wide eyes, seemingly confused. After a long pause, he broke into a silly grin. "You are my wife; I am in your heart."
Softy bit her bright red lip, feeling like she wanted to cry out loud. What was she supposed to do?
As she watched Zhang Ermao step closer, his small black eyes growing wider, she looked around and suddenly noticed a pair of scissors on the nearby table. She quickly grabbed them and pointed them at her heart. "You stop right there! If you take one more step forward, I'll show you what dying looks like."
Zhang Ermao halted in his tracks, his small eyes resembling pebbles submerged in water, glimmering with indifference and impatience. He suddenly spoke fluently, "Is it that unbearable to marry me? What’s wrong with me?"
"You... you..." Now it was Softy who was stuttering.
"I am not Zhang Ermao; I am Emperor Liu Hu." The person suddenly changed his expression. Although he still had a lewd and thin appearance, he exuded an air of nobility and authority.
Softy had been flustered earlier and couldn't focus on anything. Now, she hurriedly calmed her mind and opened her Yin-Yang Eye.
Inside Zhang Ermao's body was a completely unfamiliar soul. The person appeared to be in his twenties, with broad brows, a handsome face, and an elegant demeanor. Most strangely, two streams of Dragon Qi, one blue and one white, coiled atop his head.
Softy was greatly alarmed. Wasn't this Dragon Qi the legendary aura of an emperor? Who exactly was this person?
"Who are you? How did you end up in Zhang Ermao's body? Where is Zhang Ermao? Did you kill him?"
"I am Liu Hu, your emperor."
"You are insane."
"Miss, what will it take for you to believe me?"
Softy closed her eyes for a moment to rest but still gripped the scissors tightly. "I don't believe what you're saying. You are merely a wandering soul, which means you haven't truly died; you've just left your body. But what about Zhang Ermao? Where has his soul gone?"
"I don't know how I ended up in his body either. I only remember that someone served me a bowl of soup before I went to sleep. After drinking it, I found myself sitting in front of the Dragon Throne and fell asleep. Then someone wrapped in a Black Cloak forcibly grabbed me, claiming he would take me to some cave. But at the cave entrance, someone stopped him, and they seemed to argue before fighting. I took advantage of the chaos to escape and somehow ended up in Zhang Ermao's body. To avoid arousing suspicion from his family, I had to pretend to be mad. From the moment I saw you, I knew you were not an ordinary person, so I decided to tell you the truth in hopes that you could help me."
Softy was stunned. Was this person—no, this soul—really the emperor? "Even if I believe you, it won't help; I can't assist you. Let me go."
Liu Hu sighed helplessly. "Fine, I won't force you. But how will you leave? There are servants watching all around the house, and there are fierce dogs at the door; you can't get out."
"I'm not afraid; I want to leave." Softy held onto the scissors firmly; she had her own convictions.
"Alright, you may not be able to help me, but I can help you. I'll set fire to the woodshed; you can escape amidst the chaos."
"You'll set fire? Are you really going to help me?" Softy couldn't believe he was so kind-hearted.
"Just wait; take your chance and run."
Softy watched him leave, the scissors clattering to the ground as she nervously gripped the edge of the table, waiting anxiously.
After a while, both inside and outside the house became chaotic, filled with shouts from people and barks from dogs. In the pitch-black night, a firelight appeared in the direction of the woodshed, followed by cries for help to put out the fire.
Softy tiptoed to the door, and sure enough, it was eerily quiet with no one around. She took a trembling breath, lifted the cumbersome hem of her wedding dress, and prepared to run away.
It was too dark; Softy groped around several times but couldn't find the main door. Suddenly, a few people ran past her, and she quickly hid.
Among those people, one was clearly the steward, who shouted as he ran, "Quickly go find someone to help put out the fire! The young master is still inside the woodshed! There are several barrels of oil in there!"
After they left, Softy stood frozen. She should have realized that if that person truly was of high status, he would never have done something so reckless as starting a fire. Now he was trapped in it—what could she do?
After thinking for a moment, Softy turned and ran toward the woodshed.
The fire in the woodshed was intense; flames devoured the dry grass, and greedy tongues of fire spread everywhere. The flames quickly grew into a sea of fire, and thick smoke billowed out, with the wind fanning the flames and painting half the sky red.
Softy widened her eyes and rushed into the fire without a second thought.
A person was important; their jeweled hairpin was also important. Therefore, this person had to be saved.
The servants were only throwing water inside but dared not enter. No matter how loudly Zhang Dahu shouted or how much silver he offered, no one was willing to take that risk.
Yet a small figure dashed into the sea of flames.
The fire was fierce; as soon as she entered, it singed her hair. She pulled down her Dharma King umbrella and chanted a spell to shield herself. With the protection of the umbrella, she no longer felt the searing heat of the flames; however, a collapsing beam blocked her path.
She opened her mouth but choked on thick smoke. Coughing and gasping for breath, she shouted, "Zhang Ermao! Where are you?"
The only response was the crackling sound of flames burning and beams collapsing; there was no sign of that stuttering voice.
Softy gritted her teeth and pushed aside each beam one by one. However, the speed at which the flames consumed the dry grass far exceeded her movements as they quickly reached her feet.
Coughing violently, she murmured an apology to herself: "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have let you start this fire." Tears streamed from her eyes due to the smoke. "Don't worry! I will definitely save you—cough, cough!" She promised while desperately trying to push aside a beam with her painfully sore shoulder.
After pushing aside several beams, she was exhausted and her legs trembled. With deep breaths and using every last bit of strength she had left, she finally moved a beam aside. Once it was clear, she collapsed onto the ground as if all her bones had been pulled out.
"Help." A faint voice came through, and Softy was overjoyed. She crawled forward and indeed found Zhang Ermao.
"Get up quickly, I'll get you out." Softy moved closer and helped Zhang Ermao onto her shoulder, dragging him out.
The distance to the door was only a little over ten steps, but Softy felt like she had been walking for ages. She could hardly remember how she handed Zhang Ermao over to Zhang Dahu or how she fainted on the scorching ground.
When she woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. A man was lying beside her, staring at her with wide eyes. She jumped in surprise. "What are you doing?"
Zhang Ermao—more accurately, the current Emperor Liu Hui—smiled at her and said softly, "Be quiet, don't let them hear you. Thank you, you saved me. I want to reward you."
Softy sighed weakly. He should be thinking about how to regain his throne instead of worrying about rewards in his current state.
She reached up to his temple and took back the hairpin. "You should return this to me first."
Liu Hui watched her put away the hairpin and asked, "Is this very important to you? Did your beloved give it to you? Where is he?"
"He? He will be back soon. By the way, maybe he can help you." Mentioning Lang Ye made Softy's eyes shine like the rising sun.
Liu Hui turned his head arrogantly. "No need, I can do it myself."
"You can? How will you do that?"
"I'll take the imperial examination. If I pass, I can enter the court as an official and then see who the current emperor really is—or rather, which ghost has taken over my body."
"You are too naive; it won't be as easy as you say. Even if you become an official and see the emperor, how will you return to your former self?"
Liu Hui didn't know how to respond and turned away with a huff. Softy chuckled softly, "Your Majesty, I'll help you."
Liu Hui suddenly turned back around. "Softy, if you help me reclaim my throne, I will make you my empress; you will be my lucky star."
Softy was at a loss for his naivety. She turned to look at the rising sun and suddenly remembered that time had already passed; she wondered how High Priestess was doing. She hadn't returned yet, and searching for her must have driven her mad.
At this moment, Tang Zisu had already endured great suffering.
Endlessly ravaged by ice and fire, Tang Zisu felt as if she was about to fall apart. Intense pain radiated from her body and internal organs, accompanied by a suffocating sensation that tightly bound her like threads. Her lips were pale, her complexion was ashen, she felt dizzy and nauseous, unable to see anything clearly around her. In the chaos, memories swirled like phantom remnants and tattered cotton, torn and mixed together, making it impossible to discern where these deep memories originated.
She struggled desperately, but the overwhelming force was too great to allow any resistance. Amidst the strange sounds that resembled ghostly wails, Tang Zisu gradually lost consciousness.
Outside, traffic flowed endlessly under the bright sun. Tang Zisu stood on the street wearing a white T-shirt and khaki capris. Although people surged around her, she felt as if she were on a lonely island, unseen and uncared for by anyone. She felt cold and isolated, as if covered in ice and snow.
Looking down, she saw the Malachite necklace around her neck. She pressed it tightly with her hand, as if trying to embed it in her heart.
“Tang Zisu.” A gentle call seemed to echo in her ears, as if coming from afar. She looked around in confusion, searching for her lost heart.
“Tang Zisu, Tang Zisu.” The warm voice flowed into her cold and tense body like a warm spring, causing her to suddenly relax. In the distance, through the throng of people, she clearly saw someone: dressed in white with black hair, their features exquisite, smiling lightly and calmly.
“Kong Xuan!”
Tang Zisu shouted in anguish as the scene before her suddenly shattered like glass; it felt like a needle piercing her temple, making her feel as if she would explode.
“Mother, Mother.”
Another gentle call came, melting away all tension. Tang Zisu opened her eyes to see a golden light enveloping a Little Baby appearing before her.
“Who are you? Why do you call me mother? I am a man.”
The Little Baby looked like a bundle of snow; despite his young age, he had black hair framing his face and thick eyebrows with long eyelashes. His most beautiful feature was his eyes—deep like a lake yet shimmering with flecks of gold—just like Kong Xuan’s.
The Little Baby reached out his chubby little hand to brush aside Tang Zisu’s long hair and gently caressed her face. “Mother, why are you confused? I am your child. But right now I’m still in your belly; I won’t be born for another ten months.”
“Ah? You’re in my belly? But you…” Tang Zisu pointed at her belly and then at the child; this was too miraculous. She didn’t know what to say.
The child’s chubby little hand stroked her body gently, softly rubbing her belly. “Mother, are you feeling better? I am the son of the Peacock King; of course I was born with divine power. But no matter what, you must hold on. If you can’t last until Father comes to save you, I won’t be born either. Mother, you must be strong.”
The child’s hand was like a gentle breeze and light rain soothing Tang Zisu’s broken body bit by bit. The warm light shining upon her brought a sense of relief.
Tang Zisu raised her hand to touch his soft little face. “Are you really my son?”
"Well, do you think I look like Dad?"
"Yes, if you didn't say anything, I would have thought you were a younger version of Kong Xuan. By the way, how old do you look?"
"Mom, are you asking about my age in your body or in my dad's body?"
"How should I count that?"
"In your body, I've only been here for less than two months, but in my dad's body, I've been around for at least three hundred years."
"Forget it, let's pretend I never asked. Son, you're a little baby and should look like one. Don't be so mature; it's even more annoying than your dad."
Little Baby smiled at Tang Zisu and said, "Mom, you need to be strong. Once I'm out, I'll be able to protect you. I really like how you look, Mom, I love you."
Tang Zisu felt her heart melt instantly. She reached out to hold the child in her arms, but in a flash of golden light, the child disappeared. She was still lying in the midst of ice and fire, but her surroundings were no longer chaotic; she could faintly see golden runes floating in the air.
Her body wasn't without pain, but Tang Zisu smiled as she placed her hand on her flat belly. "Baby, Mommy loves you too. I will protect you well."
Thinking this way made her feel that the pain wasn't so bad anymore. She struggled to sit up, clasped her hands together like a lotus flower, and began to chant Buddhist scriptures.
Kong Xuan, I will wait for you until the very last moment!
At this moment, Kong Xuan was flying through the clouds toward Peacock Valley.
Lang Ye was riding on his back, the strong wind howling in his ears. He leaned against Kong Xuan's snowy white neck and asked, "When will you help me break the seal?"
Kong Xuan replied, "Breaking the seal requires a lot of power. Let's rescue Tang Zisu first before we do that."
Lang Ye said, "Are you afraid that rescuing her won't go smoothly this time?"
Kong Xuan nodded, his white feathers shining brilliantly above him. "I'm afraid someone has been waiting for us."
As soon as he finished speaking, he dove down through the cloud layer. Lang Ye swayed a few times and quickly grabbed onto the feathers. "Hey! If you're going to land, at least give me a heads-up; I almost ended up as a pancake."
Kong Xuan did not waste words with him, gliding low through the valley. Many early-rising villagers witnessed a large expanse of glowing white clouds appear over Peacock Valley.
In front of Infinite Cave, the white Peacock Feather retracted, instantly transforming into a tall and graceful Beauty, descending lightly like an Auspicious Cloud. The Wolf King was not as cool and domineering; he was dragged down by Kong Xuan by the scruff of his neck. Once on the ground, he continued to grind his teeth near Kong Xuan's ear: "Bird, you can't just land and wait for me to come down before transforming."
The only response he received was a brief two-word reply: "Cannot."
Kong Xuan took a few steps forward, his gaze turning cold as he addressed the person sitting cross-legged at the cave entrance with a sword in hand: "Mr. Dongfang, when did you start acting as a guard dog?"
Dongfang Muze opened his eyes but did not rise. He smiled slightly at Kong Xuan: "It's an honor to guard a woman of Ming Wang; I do not feel it is degrading."
Kong Xuan narrowed his eyes, looking at the dark cave entrance. Thinking of Tang Zisu made his heart burn with anxiety. He did not wish to linger with Dongfang Muze any longer and said calmly, "Please step aside."
"Ming Wang is joking; if I were to step aside, there would be no need for me to guard here. It seems Ming Wang has already regained his powers and is no longer that Divine Maiden hiding in the Shrine. It’s impressive how Ming Wang can be both male and female, flexible and adaptable."
Lang Ye felt furious inside; damn you, you bastard pretty boy! You’re cursing without using any foul language; aren’t you just implying that the bird is neither male nor female?
Kong Xuan maintained his composure, knowing that Dongfang Muze was trying to provoke him and delay time. He understood better than anyone what motivated this; every moment Tang Zisu spent inside meant more suffering for her. At that moment, he drew the Peacock Feather to form the Phoenix Tail Sword: "Mr. Dongfang, since you refuse to step aside, I won’t hold back."
However, Dongfang Muze did not draw the Zhu Xian Sword but instead sized up Kong Xuan: "Ming Wang, are you truly one of the Three Immortals and Eight Islands, Nine Kings and Ten Stars? From my perspective, it doesn’t seem that impressive."
"Would you like to try? Dongfang Muze, you are merely a disciple of the Intercepting Teachings' Celestial Master of the Way's four great disciples, the Dobao Daoist. Your master wouldn’t dare act recklessly against me. Even though you possess the Zhu Xian Sword, do you really think you can match me?"
"I didn't expect Ming Wang to see through my background. Indeed, my master mentioned in Azure Palace that among the gods and Buddhas, there are three who cannot be provoked: the Heavenly Emperor, Buddha, and you, Ming Wang. I am just an ordinary mortal; being able to spar with Ming Wang is indeed a stroke of luck."
Kong Xuan thrust out his sword: "Then what are you waiting for?"
Dongfang Muze slightly lowered his body, and the Zhu Xian Sword unsheathed itself, rushing towards Kong Xuan's sword. The sword energy stirred up a chilling aura that seemed to freeze light in midair.
Kong Xuan flicked his pale wrist; with a light tap of his slender fingers, he shattered the icy beam.
Dongfang Muze soared into the air, chanting incantations as countless replicas of the Zhu Xian Sword transformed into raindrops aimed directly at Kong Xuan.
Kong Xuan suddenly gathered his energy, an overwhelming killing intent surging forth. He drew his sword in midair and set up a barrier. The illusory Zhu Xian Swords collided with the barrier and fell apart one by one, leaving only their true forms coalescing into a towering cold light that seemed ready to split open the barrier.
Kong Xuan waved his left hand through the air, unleashing a silver palm shadow. Within that silver light, it seemed as if countless peacock eyes sparkled, flickering like fireworks, creating a stunning sight.
Dongfang Muze knew all too well that the more beautiful something appeared, the more dangerous it was. He hurriedly summoned the Zhu Xian Sword to meet the attack.
Kong Xuan was unwilling to continue dancing around him. He called forth the Phoenix Tail Sword with his spiritual energy, and in the air, a silver phoenix danced and spun, its assault both urgent and swift, as if it aimed to devour him.
The two swords clashed mid-air, sparks flying; both were ancient divine weapons, equally sharp.
However, Dongfang Muze's True Qi was far inferior to Kong Xuan's. He fought while retreating, clearly at a disadvantage.
Kong Xuan pinched two slender fingers in the air, sending a flurry of snow-white feathers like hidden weapons shooting toward Dongfang.
Dongfang Muze stumbled as the feather reached him. He turned to intercept it, but it pierced his shoulder with a thud, instantly staining the exposed feather shaft red.
Kong Xuan let out a cold snort and struck down toward Dongfang's face with one palm. Seeing he could not dodge in time, Dongfang Muze had no choice but to close his eyes and brace himself for the blow.
Suddenly, a chaotic black wind surged through the air, and then a figure wrapped in black mist appeared. With gloved hands, he caught Kong Xuan's palm strike. In an instant, Kong Xuan felt his strength dissipate against the opponent's grip. As the black mist swirled in the gale, when it finally cleared, both he and Dongfang had vanished without a trace.
Lang Ye slammed his palm down in frustration: "Damn it, he got away."
Kong Xuan paid no mind to this and rushed into the cave: "Let's not talk about that now; saving people is our priority."
The long corridor echoed with Kong Xuan's heartbeat; he felt each step was like treading on his own heart. The mottled murals flashed before his eyes; the false Azure Water Lotus still bloomed vibrantly. He stared at the wall depicting Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and gently pushed with his hand, causing the stone door to open.
Taking a deep breath, Kong Xuan anxiously stepped inside.
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