Chapter Forty-Three
"You're saying a low-level spirit fox understands formation arrays?" Yan Shuang looked utterly incredulous as she glanced at A Jiu. "Listen, Water Condensation Beast, this fox does look quite cute, but at best it can be a mascot just like you. Can it really help me gather the Crimson Blood Lingzhi? Are you joking with me?"
Nowadays, straightforward and humorous girls like Yan Shuang were truly rare. Although Ayin wasn't angry, A Jiu was not one to take insults lying down.
"Hey, you dimwit, who are you calling cute? Who's a mascot?" A proud, youthful voice emerged from the little fox's mouth. A Jiu leaped onto Ayin's shoulder, his fox eyes glaring defiantly at Yan Shuang.
"Huh? It can actually speak." Yan Shuang was taken aback, then narrowed her eyes. "Low-level spirit foxes can't yet take human form. Your Spiritual Power is clearly weak—how can you speak?"
The demonic aura on A Jiu was concealed by Xian Shan's Demon-Concealing Charm, so Yan Shuang could only detect a faint trace of spirit fox Spiritual Power from him.
"The world is vast and full of wonders. There's plenty you don't know. What's so strange about a spirit fox being able to speak?" A Jiu tapped his fleshy paws on Ayin's shoulder and shot Yan Shuang a disdainful look.
Ayin glanced at the sky and secretly pinched A Jiu's tail, signaling him to stop teasing Yan Shuang and help resolve her issue quickly so they could leave.
Understanding her meaning, A Jiu lifted his chin and raised it toward Yan Shuang. "Dimwit, do you want to gather the Crimson Blood Lingzhi or not?"
After all, Yan Shuang was the Eagle King's daughter. Though straightforward and direct by nature, she was not foolish. Despite the weak Immortal Power of the beast and fox before her, they showed no fear in her presence. Moreover, the fact that they could move freely through this strange stone formation without any harm suggested they possessed genuine skill.
She was not one to beat around the bush and immediately clasped her hands respectfully. "Of course I want to gather it. Rest assured, I, Yan Shuang, always repay favors. If you can help me obtain the Crimson Blood Lingzhi, you'll be my friends, and I will repay you properly."
Ayin's eyes gleamed cunningly. The Eagle Clan and Hundred Birds Island had been in conflict for decades, so Yan Shuang was likely very familiar with the island's location. Once they left this strange stone formation, she could ask Yan Shuang to transform into her true form and take them to Hundred Birds Island. Then, she could see A Jin right away.
Thinking this, Ayin gave A Jiu a meaningful look, urging him to help quickly. A Jiu put on a stern fox face and said to Yan Shuang, "This strange stone formation is a Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams array naturally evolved through the laws of heaven and earth. You just need to follow the trigram steps of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams to avoid the array's attacks and fly to the cliff top to retrieve the Crimson Blood Lingzhi." As he spoke, A Jiu waved his paws, instructing Yan Shuang to memorize the trigram steps for flying to the cliff top.
"Is it really that simple?" Yan Shuang had suffered quite a bit in this formation. Seeing A Jiu explain it so simply, she blinked suspiciously.
"Intelligent people rely on this..." A Jiu tapped his head. "They use their brains. Did you think everyone relies on brute force like you?"
A Jiu had a rebellious nature and remembered Yan Shuang's earlier teasing about him being a mascot. Seizing the opportunity, he couldn't resist getting back at her.
"You!" Given Yan Shuang's temper, anyone who dared speak to her like that would usually have their bones crushed by her eagle claws. But now, needing their help, she couldn't afford to be too proud. She could only snort, turn her head, and transform into her beast form.
A beautiful and majestic golden eagle let out a long cry, soaring above the two. A clear voice rang out: "Stinky fox, your method better work. If you dare mess with me and cause me to fail in retrieving the lingzhi, I'll beat you until you're picking your teeth off the ground."After speaking, Yan Shuang waved her pair of gilded wings and soared into the air. Following A Jiu's instructions, she carefully navigated through the strange rocks and indeed did not trigger the formation array again.
Ayin rubbed A Jiu's forehead fur. "A Jiu, this Eagle Clan princess seems to have a fiery temper. Will your method work?"
"Of course," A Jiu replied, patting Ayin's hand with his paw. "Such a simple Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams formation array—my aunt taught it to me when I was two hundred years old. Look, that silly eagle is flying just fine..."
Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
Before A Jiu could finish speaking, a sudden change occurred above the strange rocks. A giant serpent, several zhang tall, emerged beside the Jade Blood Ganoderma at the cliff's peak. It spewed true fire from its mouth, surrounding the golden eagle and trapping Yan Shuang firmly.
Rocks tumbled down as the serpent writhed, crashing onto the golden eagle. Trapped within the true fire, the golden eagle flapped its wings desperately, unable to hold back pained cries.
"Oh no, A Jiu, that Jade Blood Ganoderma has a fierce beast guarding it..." Before Ayin could finish, she felt her embrace empty as the little white fox leaped nimbly into the air.
"Stay here and don't move!" A Jiu's warning echoed as a light, fluttering talisman landed in Ayin's hand—the Demon-Concealing Charm Xian Shan had used to hide A Jiu's demonic aura.
Mid-air, Yan Shuang was trapped in the true fire, unable to move, and even the Eagle Clan's distress signal was impossible to send. Birds naturally feared fire, and this serpent's demonic power was at least twice as strong as hers. Yan Shuang concentrated her immortal power within her inner core, barely managing to keep the true fire at bay. If the fire invaded her body, she would be reduced to ashes.
No wonder her father had forbidden her from approaching this sea area. The deep sea was vast, and the more precious the treasure, the greater the danger. She must look utterly pathetic now—the two Water Condensation Beasts and the fox below were probably terrified...
Yan Shuang was quite the carefree girl; even in a life-or-death situation, she was only worried about losing face.
Seeing that the true fire couldn't burn the golden eagle, the serpent guarding the ganoderma grew agitated due to their natural enmity. It twisted its body, roared, and opened its gaping maw to swallow Yan Shuang whole!
A shadow loomed overhead. The golden eagle looked up to see the serpent lunging directly at her, its forked tongue dripping with foul-smelling saliva. Disgusted, Yan Shuang let out a long cry. Finally, her survival instincts overcame her pride, and she screamed in terror, "Oh my god, someone save me! Is anyone there? I'm going to be eaten by this monster!!!"
The serpent's saliva dripped onto her face, and Yan Shuang's entire body trembled with extreme revulsion. The serpent's roar pierced her eardrums. She folded her wings over her head, gave up resistance, and closed her eyes, resigned to her fate.
Awooo! Awooo!
The expected foul saliva didn't engulf her, and the sound didn't seem like her own scream. Hearing a series of agonized roars, Yan Shuang cautiously moved the wing covering her eyes and looked up into the sky.
With just one glance, she was left utterly stunned.
A young man in fiery red battle robes stood valiantly before her, wielding the Nirvana Wheel. He swung the massive wheel fiercely and dominantly at the serpent's head, each strike drawing blood and tearing flesh.
Yan Shuang was astonished not only by the young man's breathtaking beauty but also by the incredibly pure demonic power radiating from him.Demon Monarch! And a stunningly beautiful Demon Monarch at the peak of High Lord cultivation! Yan Shuang swallowed hard, glancing around nervously, afraid that some Immortal Tribe member might appear and witness her being saved by a beauty—a classic damsel-in-distress scenario reversed.
The Immortal and Demon Tribes were sworn enemies! If anyone saw this and accused the Eagle Clan of colluding with the Demon Tribe, the entire clan would be doomed!
The once-ferocious serpent, now overwhelmed by the youth’s vast and surging Demonic Power, howled in agony as it fought a retreat. Seizing an opening, it curled its bloodied head and fled in disarray.
A Jiu retracted the Nirvana Wheel, leaped gracefully to the cliff’s peak, and retrieved the Crimson Blood Lingzhi.
He flew over to the stunned golden eagle, his expression full of disdain, but sighed and scooped her up, descending toward the ground.
Only when A Jiu held her did Yan Shuang snap out of her daze, her face flushing crimson. She began flailing desperately. "Let me go, you Demon Tribe scum! Let me go!"
"Idiot, shut up! Keep making noise, and I’ll toss you into that giant serpent’s belly!"
Huh? Why does that sound so familiar? The youth’s impatient voice rang out, and Yan Shuang froze, her mouth agape in shock. "You’re that stinky fox!"
A Jiu landed on the ground, unceremoniously dropping Yan Shuang to the side and tossing the Crimson Blood Lingzhi out as well. He crossed his arms, ignoring her.
Ayin, her heart pounding, had been anxiously waiting for these two troublemakers.
Yan Shuang transformed into human form, stumbling unsteadily onto a rock. Catching the Crimson Blood Lingzhi A Jiu had thrown, surprise flickered in her eyes. She eyed Ayin suspiciously. "Who exactly are you? You’re an immortal beast—how can you keep company with a demon fox?"
"His name is A Jiu. He is indeed of the Demon Tribe, but he’s my friend. He’s kind-hearted and won’t harm you," Ayin explained. "As for me, I’m a disciple of Great Marsh Mountain. Sect Leader Xian Shan, the Immortal Lord, is my senior brother."
Hearing the words "Great Marsh Mountain," Yan Shuang’s expression instantly darkened, her eyes flashing with undisguised hostility. "You’re from Great Marsh Mountain?" She paused, then angrily added, "No wonder you showed up in the North Sea. You’re allies of Hundred Birds Island, sent to spy on our Eagle Clan’s weaknesses. And here I thought you were friends."
"Hmph." A blatant scoff came from the side. A Jiu looked at Yan Shuang as if she were an idiot. "Moron, I’ve seen fools, but never one as dumb as you. If we were allies of Hundred Birds Island, we’d have just watched you get swallowed by that giant serpent. Why would we bother saving you?"
"You!" Yan Shuang was left speechless. "Then you’re no good either. My father was injured because your Great Marsh Mountain lent the Sky-Shielding Umbrella to Hua Shu. Otherwise, my father would never have lost to her. Your Great Marsh Mountain preaches benevolence and righteousness, claiming never to interfere in conflicts among Immortal Tribe factions. Yet in the end, you still helped Hundred Birds Island."
Though harsh, her words held truth. The Peacock Clan and the Eagle Clan had been at war for a century. This time, Hua Shu’s severe injury to Eagle King Yan Qiu was indeed achieved with the help of Great Marsh Mountain’s Semi-Divine Artifact, the Sky-Shielding Umbrella.
Ayin was fiercely protective. Even though she also disliked Hua Shu, she couldn’t stand by and let Yan Shuang slander Gu Jin and their sect. She straightened her expression and said, "Yan Shuang, I know you’re upset about the Eagle King’s injury. But if your Eagle Clan hadn’t been so greedy, trying to seize half of the Peacock Clan’s Paradise Grotto in the North Sea, my senior brother wouldn’t have taken pity and lent the Sky-Shielding Umbrella to Hua Shu to help Hundred Birds Island through the crisis."Hearing this, Yan Shuang was taken aback, then flew into a rage. "What nonsense are you talking about? Sharing half of the Peacock Clan's Paradise Grotto? Our Eagle Clan has never laid a finger on any territory of Hundred Birds Island. Where did you hear such rumors?"
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