Moonlight Mystique

Chapter Fifty-Seven

In the Qifeng Pavilion of the Wutong Phoenix Island, Jin Yao was observing the celestial phenomena at night when suddenly, a star fell from the sky. A sense of unease surged within him.

With a wave of his hand, a water mirror materialized beside him, but the image within was shrouded in mist, obscuring all traces of the foreign city.

Frowning, Jin Yao channeled more immortal energy into his palm, causing the water mirror to tremble—yet the mist refused to disperse.

As a demigod, there was no place in the world Jin Yao could not peer into—unless someone within the foreign city had erected a barrier stronger than his own spiritual power. But the only formation there was Mu Guang’s Spirit-Sealing Array, and the King of the Foreigners had long entrusted its core to Jin Yao’s control. Otherwise, he would never have allowed the Fairy and Demon Disciples to enter the foreign city with peace of mind.

"King of the Foreigners!" Jin Yao closed his eyes and called out through his spiritual consciousness, but no response came from thousands of miles away.

His eyes snapped open, his expression shifting. "Someone, summon Elder Feng Xian!"

At the same time, within the Wutong Forest, a frail figure staggered in, only to be intercepted by the Phoenix Clan guards. Two bursts of immortal energy lashed out.

"Who dares trespass on Wutong Phoenix Island?!"

Struck by the energy, the intruder let out a muffled groan and collapsed to the ground.

Under the moonlight, the guards stepped forward to investigate. Upon recognizing the face of the fallen figure, one of them gasped, "Lord Nan Wan?!"

Nan Wan lay sprawled in the forest, his body covered in grievous wounds. His bones and tendons were nearly shattered, and only the faintest trace of breath lingered in his spiritual core.

One guard immediately rushed to his side, lifting him up. "Lord Nan Wan, weren’t you attending the Wutong Martial Banquet? Why are you here?"

"Quick... take me to Jinyao Zhangzuo and my Master..."

Nan Wan spat out a mouthful of blood before losing consciousness, unable to speak further.

"Lord Nan Wan!" The Phoenix Clan disciples exchanged glances.

"Something’s happened in the foreign city!"

"Go, inform the Elder and the Golden Yao Celestial at once!"

Supporting Nan Wan between them, they vanished in a flash of spiritual light from the entrance of the Wutong Forest.

Back in the Qifeng Pavilion, the leading figures of the immortal and demon clans had hastily gathered. Before Jin Yao could explain the anomalies in the foreign city, the Phoenix Clan guards arrived with Nan Wan in tow.

"Nan Wan?" The Sect Leader of Yunxiao paled and immediately stepped forward to check his disciple’s pulse.

What he discovered shattered his heart—Nan Wan’s spiritual veins were utterly destroyed, his spiritual core fractured, leaving only a thread of life clinging on.

"Golden Yao Celestial!" The Sect Leader of Yunxiao turned to him in desperation, discarding all formalities.

Jin Yao swiftly channeled a surge of spiritual energy into Nan Wan’s chest, and the young man weakly opened his eyes.

"Nan Wan, who did this to you?" The Sect Leader’s eyes burned with fury as he demanded an answer.

"Mas... Master... Golden Yao... Celestial..." Nan Wan gasped, his voice barely audible.

Jin Yao leaned in closer. "I am here. Nan Wan, what happened?"

"Celestial... My fellow disciples and I... encountered a malevolent entity on our way to the foreign city... It wounded me and... took my place... infiltrating the city..."

"A malevolent entity impersonated you to enter the foreign city?" Jin Yao’s expression darkened as he recalled the Yunxiao disciples in the water mirror. "And the Yunxiao disciples who accompanied you...?"

Nan Wan’s eyes filled with grief. "They... they’re all dead..." He coughed up more blood, clutching Jin Yao’s sleeve with desperate strength. "Zhangzuo... the immortal disciples in the foreign city... they’re in danger..."

Before he could finish, Nan Wan lost consciousness once more.

"Nan Wan?!" The Sect Leader of Yunxiao turned ashen.

"Do not worry. I have stabilized his spiritual core with my energy." Jin Yao’s gaze turned icy as he looked toward the desolate lands. "I will see for myself what manner of evil dares challenge both the immortal and demon clans at once!"

Moments later, streaks of spiritual light shot out from the Qifeng Pavilion, heading straight for the foreign city in the wastelands.In the darkness, Bai Shuo felt groggy. She sensed being lifted and carried an unknown distance before being thrown down heavily.

Her body ached from the bruises left by the stone slab. Wincing in pain, she tried to open her eyes but couldn’t. Suddenly, a surge of spiritual energy was channeled into her forehead, and Bai Shuo’s eyes snapped open. Just as she was about to cry out, a hand clamped over her mouth. Her eyes widened in terror, but then a familiar voice whispered in her ear.

"Master, don’t be afraid. It’s me."

It was Mu Mu! Bai Shuo’s eyes welled up as she turned to see her little disciple holding her protectively in his arms. The two of them were hidden in a shadowy corner.

"Master, stay quiet."

Not far away, masked foreign guards were hauling unconscious Fairy and Demon Disciples, dumping them one by one onto the ground.

"Mu Mu, you’re alright?" Bai Shuo asked in surprise.

Fan Yue nodded.

"But you fainted in the hall earlier?"

"I couldn’t defeat the King of the Foreigners," Fan Yue admitted honestly. "I was afraid you’d be in danger, so I pretended to faint to save you."Damn, as expected of a great monster, really smart!" Bai Shuo was beyond grateful. How could she have forgotten? Even though Fan Yue had lost his memories and his spiritual power was inexplicably reduced to a mere fraction, he was still a demigod. Not even the refined Heartfire Wine could harm his spiritual core—let alone the complete Phoenix Heartfire.

"Shh, Master, look." Her disciple pointed into the distance.

Under the moonlight, Bai Shuo turned and gasped in horror.

They were in an enormous stone hall, towering hundreds of feet high. At its center lay a blood pool, surrounded by unconscious Fairy and Demon Disciples. Floating in the pool was the half-human, half-serpent monster she had encountered that night.

Four stone pillars stood around the pool, carved with intricate runes. Suspended from them were Bei Chen, Nan Wan, Chong Zhao, and Mu Jiu, all unconscious. A sinister energy seeped from the runes, forming chains that tightly bound the four.

The terrifying sight sent chills down Bai Shuo’s spine. Had the King of the Foreigners truly allied with evil spirits? No—this hall reeked of malevolence, clearly not something built in a day. The King of the Foreigners was the real evil! But why had he captured so many Fairy and Demon Disciples?

As the last fairy disciple was thrown down, the foreign guards left the hall, their footsteps fading into the distance. Bai Shuo darted from the shadows and rushed toward Chong Zhao.

"A-Zhao! Bei Chen! Mu Jiu!" she called out, but they remained unconscious.

"Mu Mu, is there any way to wake them?"

Fan Yue flicked his wrist, sending strands of spiritual energy toward the three’s foreheads. He disliked Nan Wan, and since Bai Shuo hadn’t called his name, he couldn’t be bothered to waste effort on him.

As the spiritual energy entered their foreheads, Chong Zhao and the others slowly opened their eyes.

"What the hell is this place?" Mu Jiu blurted out the moment he awoke, finding himself chained mid-air in the eerie hall.

"Shut up! Keep your voice down! This is the King of the Foreigners’ secret hall."

Mu Jiu fell silent, closing his eyes to gather his spiritual energy and break free. But the moment he tried, a sharp pain shot through his spiritual core, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"What’s going on? Why is my spiritual core cracked? What the hell did that bastard King of the Foreigners poison me with?"

Panic flashed across Mu Jiu’s face. A shattered spiritual core meant his cultivation would never advance—worse than death for a cultivator!

Bei Chen and Chong Zhao attempted the same, only to cough up blood as well, their expressions mirroring Mu Jiu’s despair.

"Don’t gather spiritual energy! The King of the Foreigners made you drink Heartfire Wine—the third Phoenix Heartfire is inside your spiritual cores now!" Bai Shuo urgently warned."What? The Heart Flame is in my spiritual platform!" Mu Jiu looked at Bai Shuo with suspicion. "You drank the wine too, why aren't you affected?"

"My disciple and I haven't cultivated a spiritual platform yet." Bai Shuo shrugged.

Mu Jiu was speechless. "You're fine, yet you're not saving me?!"

"Alright, alright, don't be so impatient!" Bai Shuo scolded him but then turned to Chong Zhao. "A-Zhao! I'll save you."

"Damn it, you're abandoning friends for love!" Seeing Bai Shuo rush toward Chong Zhao's pillar without a second glance, Mu Jiu rolled his eyes so hard they nearly reached the sky.

In an instant, Bai Shuo arrived at the base of Chong Zhao's stone pillar and reached out to undo the spiritual chains binding him. The moment she touched the chains, they seemed to come alive, lashing toward her chest.

"A-Shuo, be careful!" Chong Zhao's expression changed.

A flicker of fear flashed in Bai Shuo's eyes as a force wrapped around her waist, yanking her away from the pillar.

Stumbling, Bai Shuo found herself—once again narrowly escaping death—landing in her little disciple's arms.

"That was close, too close!" Bai Shuo gasped for breath, relieved to be alive. "Good disciple!"

Fan Yue held a silver chain, his face stern, though his arms trembled slightly as he held Bai Shuo.

Chong Zhao stared at the silver chain coiled around Bai Shuo's waist, his expression unreadable. Who was this youth? If he really was that person, how could he allow himself to be toyed with by a mere King of the Outlanders? Yet the magical artifact and his appearance unmistakably pointed to him.

Bei Chen also caught a glimpse of the fleeting spiritual light from the silver chain and frowned slightly, his gaze shifting to Fan Yue.

Could this youth be…?

Watching Bai Shuo pat the youth's head while showering him with praise, Bei Chen felt a wave of absurdity and shook his head.

Impossible. How could a demigod stoop to being a half-immortal's disciple?

"Hey, you two, stop flirting and save us already!" Mu Jiu couldn't help but roar.

Bai Shuo snapped back to reality and looked at Fan Yue. "Mu Mu, can you undo this cursed thing?"

Fan Yue glanced at the stone pillar and shook his head. "I can't."

"You didn't even try! How do you know?" Mu Jiu shouted.

"No need to try. I know." Fan Yue replied coldly.

Mu Jiu choked. It was clear now—this girl's disciple had warmth only for Bai Shuo; to everyone else, he was as indifferent as the dead.

Bai Shuo turned to Bei Chen. "Lord Bei Chen, do you have a way?"

Bei Chen moved his palm slightly, touching the sinister chain. The dark energy seared his hand like a branding iron, leaving a scorch mark. His face paled as he shook his head. "These chains are formed from the pillar's formation. The King of the Outlanders laid this formation, and he's already at the Peak of the Upper Lord realm. Unless someone with equal power intervenes, it can't be undone."

"Peak of the Upper Lord realm?"

Bai Shuo was stunned. There were only a handful in the Immortal Realm who had reached that level—where could she find one now?

With only a few hours left before the Phoenix Martial Banquet ended, Jin Yao would surely open the Spirit-Sealing Formation on time. By then, the entire Three Realms would know something had happened in the Outlander City. Yet the King of the Outlanders dared to capture Fairy and Demon Disciples as sacrifices—he clearly had no intention of letting them live until the banquet's end!

From atop the pillar, Chong Zhao suddenly spoke, his eyes fixed on Fan Yue. "Take her away. Now. Immediately."

Clearly, what Bai Shuo had realized, the others had too. The King of the Outlanders could return at any moment. If Bai Shuo didn't leave now, she wouldn't get another chance.

"Hey, no way! If she leaves, we're dead!" Mu Jiu's eyes widened in panic.

"I'm not leaving! If we go, we go together! I'll find a way to save you all!" Bai Shuo roared angrily, pacing frantically around the pillars.Hearing Bai Shuo's roar, the little fox breathed a sigh of relief—good, good, there was still a sliver of hope for its fox life.

"Bai Shuo, the King of the Otherworld is already at the Peak of the Upper Realm. Even if you stay, you won’t be able to save us. There’s no need to throw your life away needlessly." Bei Chen sighed softly as he watched Bai Shuo pacing anxiously, then turned to Fan Yue. "Take your Master and leave. As long as you can hide in the city until dawn tomorrow, you’ll survive."

"Go!" Chong Zhao didn’t even glance at Bai Shuo, his gaze fixed solely on Fan Yue. "Do you want to watch her die here?"

Fan Yue frowned and, without further hesitation, raised his hand to strike Bai Shuo’s neck. He knew she would rather die than abandon Chong Zhao.

The moment this thought surfaced in his heart, Fan Yue felt a pang of sorrow.

Before his hand could land, Bai Shuo suddenly turned and caught her little disciple’s wrist mid-air.

"Mu Mu, let’s go!"

Without another word, Bai Shuo grabbed Fan Yue’s hand and turned to leave.

Everyone was stunned. Fan Yue’s eyes lit up, obediently letting himself be dragged away without so much as a backward glance at the three behind them.

"Hey, you brat, you’re just leaving like that?" Mu Jiu gaped. "After all we’ve been through together!"

Bai Shuo didn’t look back. Mu Jiu panicked. "Hey, your Senior Brother is still here!"

Chong Zhao silently watched Bai Shuo’s retreating figure, his eyes lowering.

As long as A-Shuo was safe, whether he lived or died didn’t matter.

"A-Zhao, wait for me." In the quiet stone hall, a voice rang out from the distance. Chong Zhao looked up as Bai Shuo turned back, their gazes meeting in mid-air.

"Stay alive until I return. I will save you." Bai Shuo’s eyes were resolute. Without another moment’s hesitation, she turned and ran out of the stone hall.