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Tang Zisu stared at her palm, where there was a small red mark resembling a lotus flower. She raised her hand and flicked it towards the ground, causing a loud bang as a spark erupted, startling Tang Zisu into thinking her palm was on fire.
"No, it's not me," Tang Zisu said, drenched in sweat, realizing it had all been just a dream.
She abruptly threw off the covers and sat up, feeling the sweat on her forehead. Surprisingly, now that she had sweated it out, she felt much more relaxed; it seemed her small frame was still quite resilient.
Raising her hand to touch her face, she cursed. That slap from Lijia was really solid; half of her face was swollen. If that nasty woman ever fell into her hands, she would make sure to torment her.
Tang Zisu spread her hands on the blanket in a daze. Suddenly, she noticed that there really was a small red lotus in her palm. Although the color was faint, it was indeed there.
The feeling from the dream returned. Tang Zisu waved her hand lightly as she had in the dream, and sure enough, flames burst from her palm. She quickly pinched her palm to extinguish the fire. Confused by this strange occurrence, she wondered if she really was the Light Eye.
Deep down, Tang Zisu didn't think much of Lijia. If she considered herself a counterfeit, then Lijia wasn't even worth being called that. Kong Xuan could marry or sleep with her, but he would never love her. However, the Light Eye was different; her existence made Tang Zisu feel like a thief. When the rightful owner came looking for their property one day, all it would take was a glance for her to have no chance to argue and only return what belonged to them.
Thinking of this, Tang Zisu slapped her chubby cheek, wincing at the pain. "I really have no memory; what's the use of thinking about these things now? The person I care about doesn't love or trust me. Looking back at everything that has happened feels like an incredibly foolish joke. No wonder they call you Silly Goose."
Just as Tang Zisu was lost in thought, a commotion erupted outside. She walked to the door and saw people rushing out in a panic while shouting loudly about something unknown.
Tang Zisu tightened her clothes around herself and followed those people outside.
The sky over the demon realm was already filled with dark clouds, but now it seemed as if ink had been thrown into water, with swirling black clouds rolling in continuously like a fishing net spreading rapidly across the entire sky of the demon realm.
At the same time, the ground of the demon realm shook violently as if salt had been thrown into water; the rocks and cliffs melted away quickly. Tang Zisu had no idea what was happening but decided to head towards the stables.
The Divine Horses were already restless; as soon as Tang Zisu approached, she heard their whinnies. Unable to stand firm, she leaned against a stone pillar and shouted for Horse Abdomen.
Horse Abdomen entered from the outside and saw Tang Zisu, shouting, "What are you doing here? Hurry and leave."
Tang Zisu grabbed his hand and asked, "What's going on? Is there an earthquake?"
Horse Abdomen wrapped his arm around her waist and moved away from the stone pillar. Just as they distanced themselves, the massive stone pillar cracked loudly.
"Come on, get on my back. We need to escape in the chaos," Horse Abdomen insisted, lifting Tang Zisu onto his back and sprinting towards the Star Gazing Platform.
"Let me down! What is happening?" Tang Zisu clung to Horse Abdomen, trying to shield herself from the fierce wind, unwilling to leave without understanding.
"The seal of the Sealing Pool in the Demon Realm has been destroyed by me. Everything here is in disarray; we should take advantage of this chaos to escape."
Upon hearing this, Tang Zisu instinctively slapped her palm against Horse Abdomen's shoulder. He suddenly grunted and swayed a bit, almost dropping her to the ground.
Horse Abdomen's shoulder felt as if it had been set ablaze, emitting a hissing sound with wisps of blue smoke rising. Through the tattered cloth, she could see that his shoulder was charred black.
Only then did Tang Zisu remember that she was carrying the Crimson Lotus Fire Seal. Damn it, this would be convenient for roasting meat in the future, but right now, she couldn't bear to roast Horse Abdomen. She hurriedly blew on his shoulder, asking, "How is it? Does it hurt? Are you burned?"
Horse Abdomen glanced at her hand gripping his shoulder. His expressionless face showed a hint of surprise, but he didn't have time to ask about it. He pulled on Tang Zisu's arm and said, "Let's go. We can't stay here and let them bully you."
After being dragged a few steps by him, Tang Zisu shook him off. "You saw everything, so you went and destroyed the seal? Do you know what the consequences of your actions are? Lang Ye said that there are countless demons sealed inside; if they all escape, what do you think will happen?"
Horse Abdomen sneered, "What can happen? At worst, everything here will be devoured."
"You're talking nonsense." Tang Zisu cursed out of frustration.
Horse Abdomen didn't care about that and said, "Are you still worried about that scoundrel Kong Xuan? Everyone knows he is going to marry Celestial Maiden now."
Tang Zisu whispered, "It has nothing to do with him. I'm afraid if these things get into the human realm, what do you think will happen? What if this thing destroys the human realm?"
"That's not something for you and me to consider."
Tang Zisu almost wanted to hit Horse Abdomen: "You little brat, how can it not concern me? If humanity goes extinct, how will there be me? How will there be the handsome guy thousands of years later? This is the butterfly effect, do you understand?"
Well, Horse Abdomen wouldn't understand what the butterfly effect is. In fact, Tang Zisu was also terrified, but she knew she couldn't avoid this matter. Horse Abdomen had to bear the consequences of his own mistakes.
That Brat acted purely on instinct; instinct told him that Tang Zisu was his master, instinct felt he should treat Tang Zisu well, and instinct believed he had done nothing wrong.
At the edge of the Sealing Pool, Kong Xuan looked grimly at the surging swamp.
Lang Ye came from another direction and shouted loudly before getting close: "Kong Xuan, the four corners of the Buddhist scripture have all been destroyed. It's man-made; someone wants us dead."
Kong Xuan remained silent, but Lang Ye noticed a hint of a smile on his face, shining brightly like fireworks in the deep darkness.
Lang Ye frantically grabbed his hair, thinking that this was madness without medication; this kind of crazy rhythm was truly terrifying!
Just as one wolf was scared to death, another tiger appeared. The silver-haired Pojun flew in with a fierce demeanor. "Ming Wang, that woman ran off with Horse Abdomen. Damn it, I knew they were no good; they should have been killed long ago."
In the distance, thunder rumbled ominously as the black muddy swamp surged noisily. The already murky demon realm fell further into chaos.
Kong Xuan quietly watched, seemingly admiring some beautiful scenery.
The wolf and tiger beside him were in a panic. Breaking Army stomped his feet anxiously, "Ming Wang, say something!"
Kong Xuan replied calmly, "What are you all so worried about? Worst case, the evil spirit Chaos will engulf the world, and someone will step in then."
Lang Ye grabbed Kong Xuan by the collar, "By then it will be too late! We won't even have bones left. I still want to get married and have children. You better think of a way!"
"A way? Do you have one? I don't," Kong Xuan retorted, his tone laced with sarcasm.
Lang Ye and Breaking Army felt a chill in their hearts. Why was he so calm? Wasn't that just asking for trouble?
"I have a way," Liya's gentle voice shone brightly even amidst the raging winds and dark clouds.
Breaking Army and Lang Ye turned to her, waiting for her solution.
She seemed to deliberately build suspense, walking up to Kong Xuan and softly saying, "Brother Xuan, they want to harm you, but I won't let them succeed."
A deep and inscrutable light flashed in Kong Xuan's eyes. "Is that so? Then you are a great benefactor to this Infinite Demon Realm."
Liya raised an eyebrow, her eyes glinting with malice. "It's simple; we can use that witch's blood to reseal the Great Wilderness Demon Marsh."
"Oh?" Kong Xuan's gaze sparkled with intrigue as he looked at Liya. "I, as the lord of the demon realm, am actually less familiar with matters of this demon realm than the Celestial Maiden. Sigh, perhaps I shouldn't be a demon king after all."
Liya paused for a moment before laughing, "Brother Xuan must have known all along; you just didn't say it. Now we just need to capture that witch, and all calamities will vanish without a trace. But who will go to catch her?"
Breaking Army quickly said, "I'll go."
"Stop." Kong Xuan called out to Breakthrough.
"Ming Wang, this is not the time to hesitate; we are about to reach our limit."
Kong Xuan looked into the distance. "You don't need to go; the person has already arrived."
Sure enough, a young man was approaching from afar, carrying a woman on his back. Kong Xuan squinted, and although he maintained an elegant demeanor, there was a violent urge to kill surging within him.
Lang Ye saw the situation and thought it was bad news; this foolish woman was practically walking into her own death.
Liya laughed, "This is excellent; it saves us a lot of trouble."
Tang Zisu got down from Horse Abdomen, who shook his head while tugging at her clothes. She comfortingly patted his shoulder, and the two shared a special understanding. Kong Xuan watched, his expression darkening further.
Tang Zisu wasted no time and said, "Kong Xuan, I am the one who destroyed that Buddhist verse."
Horse Abdomen did not expect Tang Zisu to say that right off the bat. A strange twitch appeared on his face. "No, it was me; I destroyed it. Don't take all the blame for yourself."
Kong Xuan snorted, "It doesn't matter who destroyed it; in the end, it's all the same—death awaits."
Since witnessing Liya's snorts, Tang Zisu had developed a strong dislike for such inhuman sounds. For goodness' sake, just speak instead of making those noises.
"If I die here, will everything return to normal? Kong Xuan, I'm here to fill the pit, not to dig one. Keep your people away from me; I will take responsibility for sealing this place." Tang Zisu stood against the wind, speaking with great arrogance.
Liya laughed heartily, "Aren't you afraid of the wind tripping you up? There's no need to go through all that effort; killing you and tossing you aside would yield the same result."
Tang Zisu did not look at her, only at Kong Xuan, waiting for Kong Xuan to give her an answer.
The wind lifted Kong Xuan's bangs, revealing one eye, which was entangled with red threads. Tang Zisu momentarily lost herself and asked, "What happened to your eye?"
Kong Xuan instinctively raised a hand to shield it but immediately felt it was inappropriate and instead wrapped an arm around Liya's waist. "With a beauty by my side, how could I sleep well at night?"
Tang Zisu pouted. "Why say it so nicely? Isn't it just excessive indulgence?"
Suddenly, a thunderous sound came from afar, causing Lang Ye to nearly jump up. "I say, you two, do you need me to set up a stall and brew some tea for you to chat slowly? You really know how to pick a time for a reunion."
"No need." Tang Zisu and Kong Xuan said in unison, and after speaking, they couldn't help but exchange glances.
Tang Zisu looked at the sky and said, "Kong Xuan, we can't delay any longer. Whether you kill me or use me, just give me a straightforward answer."
"Kill you? How could I bear to do that? Keeping you around is far more enjoyable. But what can you do?"
Regarding Kong Xuan's question, Tang Zisu truly had no answer. However, she had a vague feeling that she could manage it; she sensed that this was not the first time she had done something like this.
"You don't need to worry about how I will do it; you just need to trust me," Tang Zisu said before quietly gazing at Kong Xuan. She felt that getting Kong Xuan to agree to do it was half the challenge.
Liya interjected, "Brother Xuan, you can't agree to her. This woman has ulterior motives; don't fall for her trick."
Tang Zisu found it frustrating to encounter such a princess syndrome type of woman. Suddenly, a bold idea flashed through her mind. Little Tang Zisu grinned wickedly inside; oh boy, it's time for a counterattack!
Tang Zisu said seriously, "Kong Xuan, regardless of whether you agree or not, you must do this because it concerns not only the Demon Realm but also the human world above you. However, I have an unreasonable request: we will need the help of the Celestial Maiden for the sealing process."
"Why should I help?" Liya stood her ground.
"Then why can killing me seal it?" Tang Zisu refused to back down.
"Because you are the Priestess."
"Then because you are the Celestial Maiden."
Lang Ye, sitting nearby, was trimming his nails with a small knife. While doing so, he said to Breaking Army, "See? Women just don't make sense. Little kitty, when looking for a wife, make sure to keep your eyes open and don't end up with a Mother Tiger."
Breaking Army snorted coldly, "I've decided to go to your wolf tribe to find a wife. Finding a she-wolf should be fine, right?"
Lang Ye replied, "No way! What if you end up with a Wolf Head and Tiger Body? That idea must be nipped in the bud."
The two of them bantered back and forth, while Kong Xuan over there nodded, "Alright, I agree."
Liya became furious upon hearing this: "Brother Xuan, how can you listen to her? What if she wants to harm me?"
Kong Xuan said, "You are a Celestial Maiden; do you really think a mere mortal like her is worth your attention? Besides, this is your new master's contribution to the Demon Realm. Liya, do you have any difficulties?"
Liya could only shake her head and then asked Tang Zisu, "What do you want me to do?"
Tang Zisu squinted at the four pillars in the vast swamp that were about to topple over. The sealing mantra was affixed on top. Tang Zisu said, "I'm just a mortal and can't reach there. I ask the Celestial Maiden to carry me over."
Liya was infuriated upon hearing this: "Tang Zisu, how dare you! I am a Celestial Maiden and you actually want me to be your mount?"
Tang Zisu looked innocent and said, "I can't do it either, but I can't get up there. Dong Cunrui can blow up bunkers, and Huang Jiguang can block the enemy's view. What does it matter if you carry me over? I would actually feel like you're taking advantage of me."
Kong Xuan smiled slightly; it had been a long time since he had heard his Silly Goose speak such incomprehensible words.
Breaking Army said, "Let me handle it; it's very dangerous in the marsh."
Tang Zisu replied, "Tiger King, first of all, you are a man and I am a woman, which is inconvenient. Secondly, you are a demon; if you go, they will sense your presence and come out even faster. Here, only I and the Celestial Maiden are not demons."
Such a strong argument left no room for doubt. Liya's face turned pale as she glared at Tang Zisu with eyes that seemed to burn with anger, wishing she could carve out a piece of Tang Zisu.
Kong Xuan patted Liya on the shoulder and said, "Liya, do your best; I believe in you!"
The howling from not far away grew louder, accompanied by piercing roars. Hands began to reach up from the ground as if at a concert, ready to wave glow sticks.
Lang Ye slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "What are you two waiting for? Let's go!"
Caught in a difficult position, Liya had no choice but to let Tang Zisu ride her while she used her energy to fly to a large pillar in the center of the marsh.
The Horse Abdomen, who had always been inconspicuous, also flew over as Liya carried Tang Zisu off the ground.
Tang Zisu shouted, "Horse Abdomen, go back! The things below will become even more frenzied if they catch your scent."
Horse Abdomen refused to leave; he stared intently at Tang Zisu, afraid she might disappear from his sight at any moment.
On the shore, Kong Xuan shook his head at Breaking Army and Lang Ye. A wolf and a tiger soared into the sky simultaneously, with one person lifting Horse Abdomen by one arm to bring him back to shore.
Horse Abdomen struggled silently, while Kong Xuan gently pressed a hand on his back, but it felt like a mountain pressing down, making it impossible for him to lift his torso no matter how hard he tried.
Lang Ye patted Horse Abdomen on the head: “Little Beauty, just stay put; this is none of your business.”
Horse Abdomen grumbled, “You big men let two women go on an adventure. How shameless.”
Kong Xuan released his hand and said, “Who says women are inferior to men? It was Nüwa who created you.”
Liya carried Tang Zisu and circled around the pillar. She looked down at the bustling scene below, lively as a festival, and felt tempted to throw Tang Zisu down to join in the fun.
Tang Zisu focused intently on the pillar, which was made of a thousand-year-old dark iron, entirely black with intricate phoenix feather patterns carved into it. In the center of the pillar was a poster with Buddhist scriptures affixed to it. The poster was currently dull and lifeless, fluttering wildly in the strong wind, making loud slapping sounds as it threatened to detach from the pillar.
A familiar feeling surged from her heart like a tide; Tang Zisu could almost see herself from hundreds of years ago floating in mid-air, biting her middle finger to seal Demon with her blood on every pillar. It felt innate; Tang Zisu bit her finger again and used her own blood to inscribe a scripture she didn’t even recognize—Om Mani Padme Hum.
As the incantation was etched word by word onto the iron pillar, it seemed as if countless thin silver threads were drawn down around the pillar, quickly penetrating into the mire, tightly binding this place.
Kong Xuan and Pojun were stunned. After a while, they regained their senses and noticed that Kong Xuan was staring intently at Tang Zisu, his gaze dazed yet gentle.
After sealing one pillar, she lowered her hand as if finishing a concert. After sealing the second pillar, the thunder gradually ceased and the thick clouds began to disperse. After sealing the third and fourth pillars, the demon realm returned to silence. Tang Zisu collapsed exhausted on Liya's back.
Horse Abdomen flew over and practically snatched Tang Zisu from Liya, holding her gently and swaying: “Master, are you alright?”
All of Tang Zisu's strength seemed drained away; her face was pale and transparent, even her lips were colorless. She moved her lips slightly, her eyes seemingly searching for something.
Kong Xuan parted the crowd and stepped forward to grasp Tang Zisu's hand, then said tenderly: “Tang Zisu, you’ve suffered.” But how could that be? In reality, Kong Xuan coldly snorted (again with that snort; so annoying): “Don’t think this means you’re off the hook; once you recover, you will still be punished.”
Kong Xuan spoke harshly, but there was no real threat in his words, to the point that Horse Abdomen didn't even bother to argue and just carried the person away. Lang Ye chased after them from behind, calling out, "Hey, Little Beauty, I'm talking about you. Where are you taking her? You should come back."
Kong Xuan suddenly rushed forward and reached out, saying, "Give her to me. I'll take her to rest."
Horse Abdomen looked at Kong Xuan warily, unable to understand how this man could change his demeanor so quickly. He stepped back two paces to protect Tang Zisu and said firmly, "No way."
Lang Ye poked him in the side from behind, urging, "Hurry up and give her to him, or you'll end up with broken arms and legs again."
"Still not giving her," Horse Abdomen insisted resolutely.
In a flash, Kong Xuan moved like lightning and snatched Tang Zisu away, tossing out a remark: "You deal with him." Then he floated away, leaving Lang Ye and Horse Abdomen glaring at each other.
Liya emerged from the mud but received no attention; instead, she became the most invisible person in the room. Frustrated, she stomped her foot and flew after Kong Xuan.
Kong Xuan placed Tang Zisu on the bed and leaned down to kiss her long eyelashes gently, whispering, "Silly Goose."
At that moment, Tang Zisu was not unconscious; she was just too exhausted to keep her eyes open. Hearing Kong Xuan call her "Silly Goose" felt like a knife twisting in her already hollow heart, causing her eyelids to close even tighter.
She then heard Liya's voice, which seemed quite angry. After a while, she heard Kong Xuan say, "Is the Celestial Maiden getting jealous before even stepping through the door? It's common for men to have multiple wives, especially in our Phoenix Clan."
Kong Xuan, your thoughts are truly naive. Do you think that after being with every woman you feel all cute and charming? How shameless! I can't stand it!
Liya stormed back into her room in a fit of anger.
As soon as she entered, she felt something was off; every hair on her body stood on end. She shouted into the darkness, "Is it you? Have you come?"
A figure slowly emerged from the darkness, it was the Black Cloak and Hat. His voice had a strange metallic rasp in the dark that made one's muscles ache and scalp tingle. "You can't even deal with a mere mortal, yet you still have the audacity to live?"
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Tang Zisu moved back to the small room next to her kitchen after waking up that day. As she put it, Kong Xuan's bed was too dirty. Kong Xuan did not stop her; he just came to take a look and instructed someone to bring more bedding, also asking the Black Bear Spirit, Fat Cook, to take care of Tang Zisu.
Fat Cook was surprised that Ming Wang would speak to him, his entire body trembling with excitement as he repeatedly assured that he would take good care of Miss Tang Zisu. Kong Xuan dismissed him and then said to Tang Zisu, "This place is not bad, close to the kitchen. You are not allowed to sneak out for snacks at night."
Sneak out for snacks? Are you sure you’re not talking about yourself? Don’t think that just because you say this we’ll become familiar; please keep your overly familiar demeanor to yourself and disappear immediately.
Kong Xuan left, patting her face as he called her Silly Goose.
Now hearing him call her that, it was hard to tell whether it was more sarcastic or bittersweet.
After dinner, Fat Cook brought a bowl of soup to Tang Zisu. "Miss Tang Zisu, drink up quickly! This soup is made with Auspicious Fruit; it's good for the baby. Drink it while it's hot."
"Auspicious Fruit? What is that?"
Fat Cook squeezed his large body into a chair. "This Auspicious Fruit has quite the history; it's said to grow on the peak of Kunlun, blooming once every thousand years and bearing fruit once every thousand years. When ordinary people eat it, it strengthens their bodies and prolongs their lives. If pregnant women consume it, it calms the mind and nourishes the fetus, enhancing their constitution and benefiting the child's bones. It's particularly rare; Ming Wang specifically instructed me to make this for you."
Aunt, are you sure you're not talking about Ginseng Fruit? But shouldn't the fruit be eaten raw? Why make soup? Nevertheless, since I heard it's good for children, she still lifted the bowl to her lips.
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