Moonlight Mystique

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Drip, drip, drip…

In the darkness, the sound of dripping water was unnervingly clear. Chong Zhao struggled to open his eyes, his vision swimming as he took in the sight of a cavern filled with stalactites. At its center stood a towering black tree, its roots sprawling across the ground in a dense, sinister web of dark tendrils.

Chong Zhao was bound to one of the tree’s trunks, while not far away, Er Yun lay unconscious, weakly tied to another by the same creeping vines.

"Er Yun!" Chong Zhao flexed his palm, intending to summon his immortal sword to sever the vines, only to find his Dantian empty—not a trace of immortal power remained.

How? Where was his power?!

A sharp pang of terror shot through him as he became aware of a searing pain in his chest. Looking down, he saw a vicious thorn embedded there, siphoning the spiritual energy from his Golden Core through the tendril and feeding it upward into the towering black tree. With each passing moment, the demonic aura surrounding the tree grew thicker.

As Chong Zhao stared in disbelief, a weak voice broke the silence.

"Junior Brother…" Er Yun stirred weakly nearby. When she saw Chong Zhao’s predicament, her dazed expression twisted into alarm. She struggled against her bonds, but a whip-like vine lashed across her wrist, leaving a bloody gash. She cried out in pain, her face paling further, yet she refused to stop, still desperately channeling her remaining immortal power to break free.

In response, several vines suddenly coiled and sharpened, their needle-like tips poised to strike her from all sides.

"Senior Sister, don’t move!" Chong Zhao barked, halting her struggles.

Er Yun gazed at the malevolent tree shrouded in demonic energy, then back at Chong Zhao, murmuring, "It’s draining your essence… What is this thing?"

"Bodhi," Chong Zhao answered, lifting his head. "If I’m not mistaken, this is what injured Junior Martial Uncle and destroyed the island’s Heavenly Formation."

"Bodhi?!" Er Yun’s voice trembled with disbelief. "Bodhi is a sacred tree of the Divine Realm! This… this is clearly an abomination!"

"Junior Martial Uncle once said that years ago, heavenly fire descended upon this island, causing endless flames to rage for years. Eventually, all life on the Firefrost Isle was consumed by the inferno. That heavenly fire must have been this Bodhi tree. Perhaps when it first fell, it was merely a divine tree brimming with Divine Power. But over the years, it has fed on the island’s living beings, its sacred wood tainted by blood, gaining sentience and transforming into a demonic entity." Chong Zhao sighed, his eyes fixed on the tree’s overwhelming aura. "Master exhausted his cultivation to Seal it, but it seems he failed. It’s grown even stronger now."

"Father…" Er Yun’s eyes reddened as she stared at the demonic tree, her clenched fists nearly drawing blood. "It was this thing that killed him!"

Suddenly, her expression changed. "The Jade Slip!"

Frantic, she fumbled in her sleeve—only to find the Jade Slip, which contained the combined spiritual power of all the ancestors of the Ethereal Sect, was gone.

"Junior Brother, the Jade Slip is missing!" Her face turned deathly pale, the last flicker of hope vanishing from her eyes. Chong Zhao’s expression darkened as well.

This demonic Bodhi tree had severed all connections between the Eastern Sea and the outside world. Even Junior Martial Uncle had been no match for it. The sect’s Jade Slip was their final hope of destroying it. Now that even the Jade Slip had been taken, the Eastern Sea and Ethereal Isle were doomed.

A heavy silence filled the cavern. After a long pause, Chong Zhao spoke again, his voice steady as he stared at the thorn embedded in his chest, his gaze resolute. "The self-detonation of a Golden Core cultivator can stir the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. Perhaps I can—""Junior Brother, no!" Er Yun's expression changed drastically, but before he could intervene, a sinister voice suddenly echoed through the cave.

"Never thought the Misty Sect would produce someone as stubborn as you." A cold wind swept through as a shadowy figure landed nearby, shrouded in malevolent Qi beneath a cloak, his features obscured. He toyed with the Jade Slip in his hand before tossing it into the Void Realm. "This thing is already embedded in my life-bound divine wood, serving my purpose. So much for the so-called Misty Sect of the Eastern Sea—just a worthless low-grade Immortal Artifact."

The figure slowly approached Chong Zhao, reaching out to pull the thorny vine from his chest. It licked the dense spiritual energy oozing from the wound before swiftly reinserting the vine, heedless of the blood gushing from Chong Zhao's chest.

Chong Zhao groaned, his face growing paler. Er Yun screamed, "You fiend! Stop!"

The Bodhi Wood let out a sinister chuckle. "Truly a rare spiritual vessel—so delectable. Don't even think about it. My cultivation is already at the demi-god level. If self-detonating your spiritual energy could work, that useless Song Feng would have done it long ago. Why else would he send juniors like you here with the sect's Jade Slip?"

Its gaze fell on the golden spiritual energy seeping from Chong Zhao's chest, its voice tinged with disdain. "Though tasty, it's useless beyond healing—far inferior to that little girl's blood."

Chong Zhao's expression twisted violently as he jerked his head up. "How do you know about A-Zhao's blood...?"

His voice cut off abruptly, his eyes burning with fury as he spoke through gritted teeth, "Don't you dare touch her! Or else I'll—"

"Or else what? What can a worthless cripple like you do, when you can't even save yourself?" The Bodhi Wood sneered. "If not for the risk of your spiritual energy exploding upon extraction, do you think you'd still be alive? Once I've drained you dry and captured that girl, the entire Eastern Sea will be mine... No..." It looked up at the dark sky beyond the towering trees. "The entire Three Realms will be mine!"

Chong Zhao's eyes turned bloodshot as he struggled against the vines binding his hands, blood streaking his wrists. Suddenly, the Bodhi Wood stiffened, its gaze turning toward a distant point beyond the watery cave. As if hearing something, it let out a puzzled hum before glancing back at Chong Zhao with an eerie grin. "Well, well. Someone actually dares to risk death for you. Boy, once I ascend to godhood, I'll grant you a swift end."

The Bodhi Wood vanished. Chong Zhao's face paled further. "A-Shuo...!"

"That so-called Lord of the Moonlight Hall is nothing but an ungrateful coward!"

In the peach grove, Bai Shuo stumbled through the trees alone, muttering under her breath. "I told him I had a way to deal with that evil thing, and he just ran off! Coward! Stinky monster! That old turtle was right—pretty demons can't be trusted!"

"A-Zhao? A-Zhao?" Bai Shuo whispered as she rummaged through her Qiankun Bag, pulling out a talisman that transformed into a drowsy paper doll.

"Quick, sniff out A-Zhao's aura and find him." The little paper doll yawned sleepily, too lazy to move.

"A-Zhao's in danger! Find him, and I'll give you spirit dew!" At the mention of spirit dew, the doll perked up, standing straight before sniffing the air and floating off in a direction. Bai Shuo hurried after it.

Deep in the shadowy grove, a pair of dark eyes watched Bai Shuo—but instead of attacking, they vanished without a trace.At the edge of Fire and Ice Island, waves crashed against the shore, while the island remained shrouded by that sinister Qi curtain. Fan Yue stood by the coast, frowning slightly, preparing to ascend into the sky.

"Are you really not going to help her? If Dragon Three takes her blood and ascends to godhood before you, then turns to devour you, your Divine Soul will vanish..."

A golden pig flew out from Fan Yue's sleeve, tugging at his sleeve with its teeth.

"Those twelve ethereal disciples who entered earlier are already dead. He absorbed their Spiritual Qi and has fully recovered from his injuries. Her blood is useless unless willingly offered. What I faced earlier was merely his Clone, and I barely managed to wound him. On the night of the full moon, my demonic power is halved. Even if I go, I can't save that immortal sect disciple. Besides..." Chong Zhao's voice grew faint. "Two Immortals aren't worth risking my life for. Now that I know his hiding place, I'll reclaim this Bodhi wood Clone once my demonic power is restored."

Fan Yue casually tucked the golden pig back into his sleeve. A surge of demonic energy split the sky, tearing a rift in the dark curtain as Fan Yue transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the horizon.

Not far away, a mass of black Qi materialized, watching Fan Yue's departure with an eerie chuckle before disappearing.

Inside the water cave, thorny vines continued to drain Chong Zhao's vital essence to nourish the Bodhi wood. Despite his efforts to gather spiritual energy, he remained powerless.

Suddenly, a small voice called out nearby.

"A-Zhao... A-Zhao!"

Chong Zhao turned to see Bai Shuo crouching behind a tree trunk in the distance, a large leaf covering her head as she called to him.

Chong Zhao's face paled—even more than when the evil had pierced his heart. He strained toward Bai Shuo, his eyes blazing with fury. "What are you doing here? Who told you to come? Get out! Leave this island now!"

Nearby, Er Yun was equally shocked to see Bai Shuo. Noticing Chong Zhao's distress, she bit her lip, turned away, her eyes flashing with anger and hurt.

"I came to save you. Senior Brother said you and Senior Sister were on this island too." Bai Shuo shuffled quickly toward Chong Zhao under her leaf, muttering as she eyed the eerie vines. "What kind of cursed place is this? The little paper man Old Turtle gave me led me here. Always mooching my spirit dew, but at least it's useful in a pinch."

Finally reaching Chong Zhao, Bai Shuo gasped when she saw the sharp vine piercing his chest. She tossed the leaf aside, no longer caring about being spotted, and rushed to his side.

"What is this thing?..."

Her eyes red with panic, she grabbed at the vine, but it remained unmoved. Her hand was instantly pricked, staining crimson.

"What good are you here? If even Junior Brother and I can't handle this evil, what can a half-Immortal like you do?" Er Yun snapped.

Unfazed, Bai Shuo conjured a small dagger and hacked at the vines, her brow furrowed in determination.

"A-Shuo, get out of here! This evil is an ancient divine Bodhi wood. We're no match for it. Go back to the island and alert Junior Martial Uncle, the Sect Leader. With his immense power, he'll know what to do."Chong Zhao spoke earnestly, and Er Yun was taken aback. Second Uncle was clearly no match for that evil Bodhi tree... Then she realized Chong Zhao was lying to Bai Shuo, hoping she would leave. A pang of sorrow struck Er Yun’s heart. Though she was usually domineering and arrogant, she wasn’t without conscience. Their lives hung in the balance, and perhaps the entire Misty Isle would be destroyed in this calamity. Bai Shuo, a half-immortal barely stronger than a mortal, should live if she could, flee if she could... If she could die alongside Junior Brother Chong Zhao, it would become a legendary tale for the immortal clans centuries later.

“I told you, you’re useless here. Stop getting in the way and scram back to the island to deliver the message,” Er Yun lifted her chin and spoke coldly.

But Chong Zhao understood her intent and cast her a grateful glance.

“Bai Shuo, did you hear me? I told you to hurry—”

“Shut up!” Bai Shuo suddenly snapped, turning to glare at Er Yun with icy eyes.

Er Yun was startled by Bai Shuo’s gaze, her words choking in her throat. Then, realizing she’d been intimidated by a mere half-immortal, she flushed with anger and tried to speak again. “You—”

“I said shut up.” Bai Shuo’s voice was frigid. “Yes, I’m just a lowly half-immortal, but at least I’m not the one trapped here, helpless and spouting nonsense. Between the two of us, who’s really the useless one?”

“You!” Er Yun was too furious to speak. She’d rarely shown mercy, and now Bai Shuo dared to be so ungrateful.

Seeing Bai Shuo’s cold expression, Chong Zhao tried to explain for Er Yun. “A-Shuo, Senior Sister she—”

“A-Zhao, don’t defend her. Hasn’t she bullied me enough?” Bai Shuo sneered at Er Yun. “Senior Sister Er Yun, if it weren’t for your Sect Leader father and the Spirit Treasures nourishing you on the island, do you really think you’d qualify as a Misty Cloud Disciple? One of the Twin Prodigies of Misty Isle? How dare you compare yourself to A-Zhao.”

In her hundred years of life, Er Yun had never suffered such humiliation. She trembled with rage. Chong Zhao, though annoyed by Bai Shuo’s relentless attitude, couldn’t help but say, “A-Shuo, this is no time to argue with Senior Sister. Before that evil returns, you must leave—”

Before he could finish, Chong Zhao suddenly let out a roar, blood gushing from his mouth and staining his white robes. The thorny vines had pierced deep into his chest, rupturing his golden core. Vast amounts of spiritual energy were being sucked into the Bodhi tree, and blood poured from Chong Zhao’s chest.

“A-Zhao!” Bai Shuo forgot her quarrel with Er Yun and rushed to support Chong Zhao, but the life in his eyes was fading fast as the vines continued draining his vitality.

“Junior Brother! A-Zhao!” Er Yun was frantic but helpless. “Bai Shuo, hurry back to the island! Only Junior Martial Uncle—maybe only he can—”

“Shut up. Do you think I’m stupid? If the Sect Leader were unharmed, would he have let you and the Twelve Misty Cloud Disciples risk your lives in this cursed place?” Bai Shuo coldly cut her off. “I won’t let A-Zhao die. Stop shouting.”

Er Yun froze as Bai Shuo drew a dagger and slashed her own palm.

“No! A-Shuo, stop!” Chong Zhao immediately realized she intended to save him with her spiritual blood and weakly tried to stop her. But Bai Shuo pressed her bleeding palm firmly against his chest without hesitation. Her blood poured into his core, and his pallor rapidly regained color. Er Yun stared in disbelief.Bai Shuo, this good-for-nothing who couldn't even cultivate immortality, her blood could actually revive the dead and regenerate flesh and bones!