Chapter 202: The Witch Race, Truly Harmful
After discussing with Shen Baiwei, before she could give a clear answer, Lu Yibei began her actions without further ado.
“I’m planning to find a place to stay. If you believe what I just said, then follow me…”
Having said that, she no longer looked at Shen Baiwei and stepped forward.
Watching the back of Calamity leaving, Shen Baiwei showed a hesitant expression, with a conflict in her mind.
Following her would make it seem like she believed in Calamity’s nonsense, but if that monk from Zawen Temple really intended to harm them, then, from a long-term perspective, acting together would allow them to deal with more unexpected situations.
On the other hand, by following Calamity, she could also timely prevent her from interfering in the past…
Alright then, let’s follow for now and see what kind of tricks Calamity has up her sleeve!
After some consideration, Shen Baiwei lifted her head again, gritted her teeth, and jogged to catch up with Calamity’s pace.
Lu Yibei walked ahead without looking back, her hands clasped behind her head. Upon hearing footsteps behind her, a glimmer of joy flashed in her eyes.
See? Isn’t this working out?
This kind of situation, in some ways, is similar to pursuing a girl. It’s all about the strategy of lure and release; being too eager to know the answer can, instead, become annoying. Rather than aggressively seeking an answer, it’s better to demonstrate your intentions through actions.
Additionally, being too eager to prove oneself might also mean becoming a backup to a girl with questionable values.
How does Lu Yibei understand girls so well?
Of course, it’s all thanks to Water Brother’s great teaching!
The public lover of Huacheng is not to be underestimated!
————
Leaving a secluded corner west of Yumen Pass, Lu Yibei headed straight for the marketplace where Dai Mu Institute is located. In the marketplace, she found a less conspicuous inn and opened a regular guest room.
After taking the room key, she entered the room and saw Shen Baiwei silently following her in, sitting at the farthest distance away from her. She knew that what she said to Shen Baiwei earlier had already taken effect.
However, that was not enough!
“You should rest here. I’m going out for a bit and will be back soon…”
With that, Lu Yibei locked the room behind her and, feeling somewhat helpless, heard Lu Yibei’s words, which made her’s heart suddenly filled with cold laughter.
Ha! Look at this! Just for a little while, she couldn’t help but prepare to take action on her own!
At this time, shouldn’t it be said, as expected of the Witch Race?
Just as Shen Baiwei was pondering this, Lu Yibei added very appropriately, “A few of the Spell Solidification Masks fell into a friend’s hands. I’m going to retrieve them. With that item, we can disguise ourselves and avoid the monk from Zawen Temple’s ears and eyes.”
“By the way, could you provide me with your approximate clothing size? When I return, I can also bring you a set of clothes. What you are wearing is still too eye-catching.”
“Didn’t you notice? There were quite a few passersby sizing you up on the way here!”
Although using the Spell Solidification Mask to change appearance and go undercover was originally her plan, being upfront with Shen Baiwei about her intentions before the action didn’t hurt either.
It was like going out to play during a relationship and reporting everything to your partner unreservedly.
Since she chose to be “gentle,” she had to follow through!
After waiting for a moment and seeing Shen Baiwei had no intention of speaking, Lu Yibei waved to her, leaving her with the words, “Then I’ll handle the buying! Also, if you’re still here when I come back, I’ll be very happy!” and left the room.
“Creek—Bang!”
As the door closed, Shen Baiwei snapped back to reality from her daze, lowering her head to assess her clothing, frowning slightly.
She wore the light blue robes unique to the Miracle Cult.
Such attire could possibly be seen in Yumen Pass but was uniquely worn by the monks of Zawen Temple, who were traditionally respected and admired by the people. It was bound to attract some unnecessary attention.
Shen Baiwei, “…”
Could it be that Calamity really does not intend to interfere with the past?
But… why is that?
Was it because of the d*ath threat caused by that monk from Zawen Temple during the last time they traveled back? Shen Baiwei thought in confusion.
————
On the other side, on a dilapidated rooftop.
A girl with snow-like long hair, looking enchanting, gazed at the sky, elegantly holding a goblet, gently swaying it, and then took a small sip, unable to contain her delight.
“Oh wow—! This flavor is fantastic!”
Her face, flushed with excitement, looked as if she had tasted the finest vintage wine. However, when she set down the goblet, there was only a small half cup of clear water swaying within it.
Yet, in this cursed place, finding a barely drinkable, clean glass of water was much harder than finding a bottle of vintage wine that had been cellared for decades, irrespective of whether it was still within its expiration date.
“It’s been so long since I’ve had water, maybe… sixty years? Seventy? Or even longer?” the girl shrugged carelessly.
In her memory, ever since long ago, the Pestilence Taijie and several entities polluted by heavy metals and toxic organic substances had contaminated most water sources, and she never drank water again.
While letting their powers invade her body wouldn’t cause lethal harm, drinking water would lead to severe gastrointestinal illness, and who could stand that?
Moreover, not drinking water was only initially uncomfortable; once accustomed to it, she’d find that this matched behavior with the ‘Drought God’ power slightly enhanced her abilities.
Two birds with one stone!
However…
People inevitably reminisce about the past.
When the past becomes almost untouchable, even recreating the simple act of drinking water, done every day, can spark uncontainable joy.
“It’s all thanks to you, little fella!” The Proxy Player Sister cuddled a round sphere, entirely translucent, lacking eyes, ears, or mouths, only possessing countless limbs and tentacle-like appendages resembling fur.
“No wonder you’ve been constructed with 132 types of pollutants to reverse-engineer your abilities; you’re practically an urban legend’s oversized water purifier. From now on, I’ll call you… Pure Water King, how does that sound?”
After saying this, without caring whether the little thing liked the name “Pure Water King” or not, she casually tossed it aside and lifted her goblet again, gazing at the sky as if tasting fine wine while watching a movie, observing Lu Yibei’s movements.
However, the next second, the water she was drinking was immediately spit out.
“Pfft—! Cough cough cough!”
After a violent bout of coughing, the Proxy Player Sister stared blankly for a long time, only then issuing a puzzled exclamation over what she had just seen.
“What the hell! What’s this guy doing? Aside from Jiang Li, has she ever been this gentle towards other girls? Is she trying to conquer Shen Baiwei before she matures into a Nightmare all in one go?”
Having fought lifewith a Nightmare countless times and witnessed the worst sides of it, the Proxy Player Sister thought Lu Yibei’s methods were not just effective but extremely eerie!
If this was a ordinary person, it would be like trying to conquer a freak—a stitched monster that isn’t even cute or adorable, but rather a decaying, moldy, foul-smelling serpent-shaped stitch monster.
If you were to take a vow of brotherhood with Xu Xian and Ning Caichen, they’d all have to call you big brother!
In other words, although the Witch Race sacrifices their beauty and dignity daily, they can’t be so…
Wait, thinking about it carefully, perhaps it’s acceptable? The Proxy Player Sister thoughtfully nodded seriously.
“If in that cursed place of Yumen Pass, due to these actions, Shen Baiwei’s thoughts and circumstances undergo any changes, then perhaps… the Nightmare might not be born!?”
Although she wasn’t clear on the exact process of how the Nightmare was born, the fact that the God Realm Yumen, filled with vast spirit energy and “unable to withstand the past,” was nearly swallowed clean by the Nightmare hinted that this could likely be a key element in the birth of the true Nightmare.
If this element could be destroyed, it would at least significantly delay the arrival of the Nightmare.
With this thought, a meaningful smile appeared on the Proxy Player Sister’s lips, “Then let’s go for it, Lu Yibei! Take Water Brother’s ultimate skills to the extreme, and after completion, we can…”
She originally wanted to say, “After everything is done, let Shen Baiwei realize that tenderness is merely gentleness and does not equate to love or any other genuine emotions, thus breaking free from any entanglements,” like some scumbags do when they throw away the trash!
However, just as the words reached her lips, an image of a girl with twin tails flashed through her mind, causing her smile to freeze.
After a long moment, the turmoil in her heart coalesced into a sigh, “Ah—! The Witch Race is truly harmful!”
A priest, corrupted by the Witch Race’s bewitchment, had once said before dying, “The tenderness of the Witch Race is a deadly poison wrapped in a sugar coating… Take this dose of poison and let the sugar coating slowly melt in the stomach until you d*e from the poison, I have no regrets.”
That girl with twin tails, just like that priest, willingly consumed the poison until the sugar coating completely melted, all while reminiscing about the taste of sweetness…
So damned foolish!
The predecessor of the Nightmare shouldn’t be as foolish as that unknown priest and the girl with the twin tails, should it?
Regaining her focus, the Proxy Player Sister raised her hand and brought back the Pure Water King that she had tossed aside earlier, clutching it tightly, then raised it over the goblet to squeeze vigorously.
With a “squish,” the Pure Water King’s body shrank a circle, and without any impurities, the pure water filled the cup.
After filling the cup, the Proxy Player Sister raised it and drank it all in one go.
A moment later, she grabbed the Pure Water King again, giving it a “squish.”
Filling the second cup, she raised it towards the distance, and as the cup tilted slowly, a string of crystal-clear water droplets spilled into the wind…
Chapter 203: The Visitors Bear Malice
A small and delicate building hovered high in the air, outside the window, wisteria flowers adhered to the tall phoenix trees, blooming in unison. As a gentle breeze blew through, the varying shades of purple and red swayed, appearing like rushing torrents.
Behind the window stood a handsome man clad in a light blue robe, gazing out at the scene, yet within his amber eyes reflected a scene entirely different from what lay outside.
In his vision, there was an enormous snake faintly visible, descending from the horizon, its gigantic body stirring up terrifying waves of air. The yellow sand on the Gobi Desert boiled, and only when the sand poured down like a rainstorm onto the twisted and grim visage of the snake would it reveal itself…
A tiny figure, seemingly a girl just past her coming-of-age, was engulfed in flames, countless crimson threads entwined around her, like a marionette. With every slight movement in the wind, her figure flickered as if she was about to vanish into the void, becoming almost uncatchable…
Hong Bian was the master of Zawen Temple, the Light of Zoroastrianism, a miracle worshiped by countless people in Yumen Pass, possessing the ability to foresee dreams, and blessed with the power of the Miracle Flower, yet unable to grasp any information about “the snake and fire.”
Fire takes on millions of “forms,” constantly changing, impossible to glimpse, impossible to predict.
The snake has no past and no future, as if it merely appears in the instant of evil.
“…”
Could they be the messengers sent by that power?
Are they here to punish me? Have I done something wrong?
No! What’s wrong with choosing your own fate?!
Hong Bian thought, a shadow of a sullen and ruthless expression quietly surfacing on his originally beautiful face.
According to a secret legend from the Zoroastrian faith, the world is a flower born from miracles, blooming with countless forms of beauty at every moment, while a hideous and venomous pest parasitizes this miraculous flower, injecting poisonous liquid into it every three hundred and thirty-three years…
As a result, influenced by the poison, the Miracle Flower lost its luster, its petals withered, its stem rotted, and the charming fragrance transformed into the foul stench of hundreds of filth.
Though Hong Bian was the Light of Zoroastrianism, he never fully believed in the truth of that legend until he glimpsed a corner of the mysteries of this world while progressing towards Cataclysm. He then realized that the legend was, in fact, true.
This world, in places where the majority of people and urban legends cannot perceive, perhaps truly harbors two forces that transcend normal understanding; their operational rules are entirely different, mutually suppressing each other, ebbing and flowing…
It was also when he perceived the existence of those two powers that Hong Bian understood his destiny.
The dark offspring Quepijia would visit the place he lived, bringing him d*ath, adorning his crown with his own eyes, crafting his limbs into weapons, consuming his heart and brain, seizing his power and knowledge, and then spreading the flames of war throughout this world.
Quepijia is the revered name of the Shaman King, and Hong Bian had long heard that the Shaman King’s power comes from the urban legends that coexist with it. Since the Shaman King could allow these urban legends to coexist, naturally, they would also have a way to make him become part of that terrible symbiosis after killing him…
He refused to accept such a fate and was even more unwilling to see the Shaman King spread the flames of war.
With the power of the Nanling County King to aid him, the blessings of miracles, and the judgments made through countless foresights of the future… he believed he could succeed.
And now, likely because he had rebelled against fate, those two powers had sent messengers to thwart his actions.
Returning to his thoughts, Hong Bian left the small pavilion, and as he stepped out of the door, the complex staircases and corridors ahead let out a low rumble, reshaping and reorganizing. With fiecare rumble, he moved forward a step, arriving at a law hall.
“Gur Suwan, Surush…”
He softly called, and within the law hall, two men—one old and one young, both clad in light blue robes—stepped out, folding their hands in respect, bowing slightly, “We pay our respects to our master.”
Hong Bian looked at the two, hesitated for a moment, and said, “I have a task for you. Recently, two girls with special identities have appeared in the city. I have important matters to discuss with them; you will investigate their whereabouts. Once found, invite them here.”
“Should they refuse to come to Zawen Temple, don’t force them. Leave one to guard, and have the other return to inform me.”
Though he suspected that the two girls symbolizing “the snake and fire” might be sent to reprimand him, Hong Bian considered the minuscule possibility of misjudgment and decided to greet them civilly before resorting to force.
If Gur Suwan and Surush failed to invite the two girls to Zawen Temple, he would take it upon himself to do so. If he still couldn’t bring them in, then they would have to vanish into the vast sea of people in Yumen Pass.
————
“…Last night’s events went something like this.”
Lu Yibei said expressionlessly, retracting her gaze from Xia Lianqing’s stunned face and silently sighed.
Not long ago, when she returned to Dai Mu Institute, she originally planned to find a disguised Longxiang Army armor soldier, quietly retrieve the Spell Solidification Masks from them and leave quickly.
But she never expected that Xia Lianqing would be so quick. The Long Bang had just brought back the Longxiang Army soldiers involved in last night’s operation, and Xia Lianqing had already collected the Spell Solidification Masks from them, “thoughtfully” helping to safeguard them.
What a miraculous item, left in the hands of those brutes, who knows what they would use it for!
What if it got damaged? That would be troublesome!
She had to help Miss Shen safeguard it!
Although Xia Lianqing had good intentions, it put Lu Yibei in a difficult position.
To retrieve the Spell Solidification Masks from Xia Lianqing, she had to face her directly.
However, directly asking for them upon seeing Xia Lianqing seemed somewhat abrupt and could arouse suspicion, so before asking for the masks, she had to recount the fabricated experience to Xia Lianqing once again, which, after completing, added some fatigue to her originally anxious mood.
Though she was very skilled at weaving stories, retelling the same story repeatedly would still become tiresome and exhausting for her.
Fortunately, she thought, she probably wouldn’t have to tell it again next time… Taking advantage of Xia Lianqing still being immersed in shock, she said, “Miss Xia, what about those little trinkets I borrowed from you last night? I heard from Long Bang that they were all given to you; could I have them back?”
Upon hearing this, Xia Lianqing paused for a moment, abruptly coming back to her senses and exclaiming, “Oh, right! Miss Shen’s things are still here with me… No problem! Since they belong to Miss Shen, they naturally should be returned. I’ll fetch them for you right away.”
With that, she stood up and walked toward the dressing table by the window, cautiously opening the jewelry box on top to retrieve four uniquely styled masks from within.
As her gaze fell upon the four peculiar masks, Xia Lianqing frowned slightly and couldn’t help but ask the question that had troubled her throughout the night.
“May I ask, Miss Shen, what are these four masks modeled after? I’ve never seen anything like them before! If possible, could you satisfy my curiosity?”
“…” Lu Yibei fell silent for a moment as she looked at the masks in Xia Lianqing’s hand, then indifferently replied, “They are characters from nursery rhymes from my hometown. I just crafted them randomly, so there’s no special meaning. It’s not worth a mention.”
There’s no way she could tell her that these were the low-quality masks of the Calabash Brothers, Zhu Bajie, Pleasant Goat, and Ultraman, right?
Explaining such things to an ancient person would not only be too complex, but it could also incur irreparable massive impacts on the past.
Tsk! One of these days, I’ll find a chance to have Gu Qiqi make some more for me. Lu Yibei thought bitterly.
“Is that so?” Xia Lianqing nodded thoughtfully, then walked gracefully towards Lu Yibei, handing the four masks over to her.
As Lu Yibei accepted the masks from Xia Lianqing, she breathed a sigh of relief, placing the masks securely in her coat before saying, “Miss Xia, there are still some residual matters to deal with from last night that I need to take care of now…”
Saying this, she raised a cup from the table and shook it at Xia Lianqing, “Thank you for your tea, I’ll be leaving first.”
After speaking, without waiting for Xia Lianqing to say anything further, Lu Yibei quickly jogged out of Xia Lianqing’s room.
She had already delayed quite a bit in Xia Lianqing’s place; maybe she was already being watched by the monk from Zawen Temple and had sent the information back to Zawen Temple.
From a certain perspective, Dai Mu Institute is the territory of the Nanling County King. She wasn’t overly concerned about that monk causing trouble here, but Shen Baiwei was left alone in the inn!
What if that monk traced her steps back to the inn and did something to Shen Baiwei? An accidental mishap could lead to a disastrous outcome; that’d be a huge problem.
————
In the inn not far from Dai Mu Institute.
Shen Baiwei sat beside the round table in her guest room, resting her head on her hand, boringly staring at the pastries on the table, lost in thought.
Calamity had been gone for almost an hour now, and during this time, she waited alone, bored to the point of counting how many layers were in the mille-feuille on the table.
A total of two hundred and thirteen layers.
It turned out that just like there are no wives in wife cakes, the mille-feuille didn’t actually have a thousand layers either.
“…”
Speaking of which, could it be that Calamity took the opportunity to run away?
Or maybe she, under the pretense of going to retrieve the Spell Solidification Masks, did something to interfere with the past? An hour is long enough to do things that could have irreversible effects on the past.
d*mn it! Why did I trust Calamity’s nonsense and wait for her here? That’s Calamity!
As Shen Baiwei pondered, a sudden knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.
“Knock knock knock—knock knock knock—!”
Hearing the knocking sound, Shen Baiwei held her breath, tiptoeing towards the door to lean against it, peering through the crack, her expression slightly changing.
Outside the door stood a stranger, with a stern expression, clearly coming with ill intent…
Chapter 204: “Quiet” Onlooker
“Mongfu Inn, this is the place…”
Gur Suwan looked up at the inn’s sign, turned to exchange glances with Surush, and they walked in different directions.
The weathered yet kind-looking Gur Suwan entered the inn through the front door, while the young boy, exuding the aura of brutality, took a left turn to sneak toward the back door.
It looked like a clear division of labor: the amicable front persuasion while the fearsome one blocked the back to prevent the target from escaping.
Although before setting off, Hong Bian had advised them to be friendly when inviting the two “Miss Shen,” he also instructed that if declined, one of them should return immediately to report.
Implied was that if the two “Miss Shen” refused the invitation, they should not let them leave until Hong Bian personally arrived at the inn.
Perhaps Hong Bian hadn’t explicitly expressed this intent, but they had their way of operating; regardless, as long as it was something Hong Bian assigned, they would certainly see it through by any means necessary…
————
Times were tumultuous; the number of merchant caravans traveling through Yumen Pass had sharply declined. Without these traders as the main clientele, the inns in the city had closed more than half of their businesses to conserve costs, and places like Mongfu Inn struggling to stay afloat were increasingly desolate.
However, with scarce personnel circulation in such circumstances, any who checked in or left could be easily tracked through the ledgers, making it much more convenient to seek someone out.
After passing through the front door, the large hall of Mongfu Inn looked empty, with not a single guest in sight. Perhaps due to a lengthy lack of business, dust had accumulated on the tables in the corner.
Upon entering the inn, Gur Suwan looked around and saw a counter on the right side of the entrance, where a young boy with short, deep brown hair was slouching, his head bowed. It was unclear whether he was the innkeeper or just a helper.
“Knock, knock!”
Gur Suwan approached the counter and tapped on the surface. When the boy looked up, he revealed a warm smile, joined his hands in greeting, and bowed slightly, “Good day, I am Gur Suwan. On the orders of my esteemed master, I have come to your esteemed place…”
Before Gur Suwan could finish, the previously lazy boy suddenly sprang from his chair, calling out excitedly, “You, you’re the eminent Gur Suwan from Zawen Temple? Oh my god! I can’t believe I’m seeing a real person!”
“I heard that before becoming the disciple of Hong Bian Saint Monk, you were the biggest horse bandit in Shazhou. Is that true?”
As he spoke, the boy’s eyes sparkled, and his lips trembled with excitement.
Wherever there are cities, urban legends emerge; this law is never restricted by the era.
The tales of Hong Bian subduing the notorious thief Ma Sai, the bandit Gur Suwan, the wolf boy Surush, and the cannibal monk Zhang Xuan, once terrorizing the residents surrounding Yumen Pass, became one of the urban legends circulating in the late Tang dynasty.
In an era and region where entertainment was relatively scarce, individuals appearing in these urban legends inevitably attracted admiration from some, much like fans chasing after celebrities.
In response to the boy’s somewhat forward words, Gur Suwan remained unperturbed, merely smiling back, “Hehe, that’s all in the past, not worth mentioning. I’m just a regular monk at Zawen Temple now…”
As he spoke, he paused, shifting the topic back to the main point, “I am here on my master’s orders to invite two guests to Zawen Temple. May I ask, young sir, do you have two young ladies currently residing here?”
“Yes, yes!” the boy nodded while flipping through the ledgers, pointing at one of the few check-in records, “One came at noon today. One of them is wearing a robe just like yours, so it should be one of the distinguished guests you mentioned!”
In inns a thousand years ago, the protection of guest privacy wasn’t as strict. Since it was stated by a high monk from Zawen Temple, the boy had no further thoughts and disclosed the information without reservation.
After visiting two or three nearby inns, Gur Suwan finally found his target and released a long breath of relief, a smile on his face, “That’s them! May I ask where the girls are now?”
“They’re upstairs!” the boy said. “One of them has gone out for a bit but should be back now. They should both be here. I’ll lead you to their room right away.”
“No need, no need! Just tell me where their room is, and I’ll go up myself. You don’t need to trouble yourself.” Gur Suwan folded his hands and said.
Judging from his master’s description, the two “Miss Shen” were distinguished guests, but they were likely not easy to deal with. They might refuse the invitation, and there was even a possibility of using force.
To him, it seemed better to avoid risking the young boy’s safety by involving him in a potential conflict with the two young ladies.
Gur Suwan’s words seemingly possessed a certain enchantment, causing the boy to genuinely abandon the thought of leading him, instead raising his hand to point to the far corner room on the second floor, “They are in Room Number 3 at the end of the corridor on the second floor…”
“Thank you, young sir, for the information.”
Gur Suwan bowed slightly to the boy in gratitude, then turned and ascended the stairs.
Climbing to the second floor, he headed towards the end of the corridor. Midway, he paused to gaze out the window along the corridor to see the back door of the inn, trading a glance with Surush, who had been waiting there for a long time, giving a nod of agreement.
With a positive signal confirming the presence of the two “Miss Shen” from Gur Suwan, Surush swiftly took action, pulling out a few deep-colored wooden talismans etched with complex totem patterns, then swiftly disappeared from sight.
When he reappeared in Gur Suwan’s view, the wooden talismans had already vanished from his hand.
Gur Suwan watched as Surush drew a curved blade from under his light blue robe and approached the modest back door of the inn, standing like a door god, realizing that he had already set up the unique solidification spells from Zawen Temple around the inn. Only then did he step forward and knock on the door.
“Knock knock—knock knock—!”
After knocking on the door, he waited for a moment.
Seeing that there was no sound from within, Gur Suwan’s frown deepened, and he knocked again, raising his voice, “To the two Miss Shen, I am Gur Suwan, and my master Hong Bian from Zawen Temple has heard you are visiting Yumen Pass and wishes to have a chat with you. He has sent me to extend a formal invitation. I hope you will honor us with your presence.”
Just three to five seconds after his words fell, the door was opened from within.
As the door creaked ajar, he caught a glimpse of the two girls behind.
One wore the distinctive light blue robe of Zawen Temple, with shoulder-length hair and a fair complexion, her exquisite nose adorned with a uniquely styled accessory.
The other exuded exceptional beauty, sporting the rare red hair common among Canaan people, donned in a chest-length skirt with a green gauze sleeve and a red silk skirt; her pale yellow waistband was embroidered with flowers and creatures, looking stunningly beautiful.
“May I ask, are you the Miss Shen?”
“Indeed we are,” replied the red-haired girl.
————
Moments later, outside Mongfu Inn on the street.
Only after emerging from the Mongfu Inn and stepping onto the street did Gur Suwan still feel a bit dazed.
He never anticipated that the two “Miss Shen” would cooperate so well, accepting the invitation without any reluctance and agreeing to follow him and Surush to Zawen Temple.
That was rather peculiar!
Clearly, his master had conveyed a sense of gravity and tension in his description of these two girls, not lesser than when describing the Shaman King, leading them to be on high alert as well.
They believed that even if the invitation would not be declined, it wouldn’t go so smoothly. They had prepared for a fierce battle to keep the two girls at the inn until their master arrived.
But to their surprise…
It felt as if they had exerted all their strength and punched cotton.
Uncomfortable all over!
However, completing the task assigned by their master was still a good thing… Gur Suwan thought to himself.
“Come quick! Look! It’s the eminent monk from Zawen Temple!”
Just as Gur Suwan was secretly relishing his good fortune, an unfamiliar voice suddenly yelled out loudly, immediately followed by the sounds of doors and windows being opened on both sides of the street, curious faces poking out to watch eagerly.
“Hmm? Wait a moment! Why are the monks bringing two beautiful girls? Could it be… oh my god! In broad daylight, committing abduction!?”
Once again, a call rang out from an unknown person.
“Nonsense! How could a monk do such a thing?” another voice quickly chimed in.
“Monks are also people. They might lose control sometimes, right?”
“This… If they lose control, wouldn’t they go to Dai Mu Institute?”
“Lately, the situation has been unusual. Dai Mu Institute has been closed for a long time; don’t you know this?”
“…”
As whispers filled with suspicion, disdain, and fear spread among the gathered crowd, Gur Suwan’s expression changed slightly. Remembering that “a clean man has nothing to fear from shadows,” he straightened his back, wanting to plead his case. Yet before he could utter a word, an unexpected turn of events occurred.
The two “Miss Shen” suddenly started to cry out.
“Wah—! We refuse to go! No!”
“Woo hoo hoo, esteemed monk, please spare us! We beg you!”
“Yes, yes! We don’t want to go to Zawen Temple; we still want to get married someday!”
“…”
As their cries echoed, footsteps emerged from the surrounding alleys, growing ever closer and denser. In less than three minutes, Gur Suwan and Surush were completely surrounded by the gathered townsfolk.
Their curious faces displayed a myriad of expressions.
Gur Suwan, “…”
Surush, “…”
————
Hundreds of meters away.
Two girls dressed in coarse clothing with dark skin hid atop a three-story building.
Watching the scene on the street below, the girl wearing glasses with a freckled face gritted her teeth, “Calamity! Is this what you call not interfering with the past?”
“If I trust a word from Shen Baiwei ever again, I’m a dog!” Shen Baiwei thought angrily.
“Luring two ordinary people to become scapegoats also counts as not interfering with the past? What kind of twisted idea is that?!”
Lu Yibei gently stroked the large black mole on her face, shrugging as she remarked, “I can’t believe you, a time traveler from the 21st century, haven’t seen how fervent some fans can be. If you haven’t, I suggest you visit Jinling on the third day of next month; there’s a huge anniversary fan event for ‘Love and Magical Girl.'”
“When Miaomiao Sauce cosplays as Bai Xiaohua and comes on stage, you’ll understand… Besides, nothing is more exaggerated than fans going wild—especially when an idol faces a scandal. Does that not resemble the expressions of the spectators in the melon field?”
“Honestly, I didn’t expect so many fanatics to exist without a single urban legend being born.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Baiwei facepalmed.
Was this what she wanted to ask?
She wanted to know why, despite agreeing not to interfere with the past, such an incident would ensue.
“Even so… this is already the best option, alright?” Lu Yibei continued while peeling off the large black mole from her face and then sticking it onto Shen Baiwei’s forehead.
She understood what Shen Baiwei was trying to say but wanted to take a moment to enthusiastically recommend Bai Xiaohua.
“Don’t you see? That monk from Zawen Temple wants us dead; if they can’t find us, will they just give up? Plus, they’ve already blocked the door; without using some methods, how can we leave safely?”
“Even if we leave, they will clash with us, right? If things go physical, I can’t guarantee I won’t…”
Or that they might not harm each other? The monk from Zawen Temple’s henchmen should be rather formidable, Lu Yibei thought.
At her words, Shen Baiwei blinked, furrowing her brows.
Initially skeptical of Calamity’s claims that the monk from Zawen Temple wanted to k*ll them, the way Surush set his binding spells around Mongfu Inn made her accept it as fact.
After all, judging by the series of actions from Surush and Gur Suwan, even if that monk did not want to k*ll them, he would certainly not be good for them.
But…
“What if those two get hurt?” Shen Baiwei asked, a hint of concern in her eyes as she watched the two struggling and crying girls.
“What could happen?” Lu Yibei rolled her eyes. “Are you worried that the monk from Zawen Temple will ruin the purity of those two strong men? If they really knew how to do that, I would be totally helpless!”
Shen Baiwei, “…”
“Relax! This little affair won’t create much of an impact on the past; look at those scandalous news about celebrities—how long do they stay hot?!” Lu Yibei reassured her, “Those kinds of things are quickly forgotten! In a few months, the townsfolk will forget about the eminent monk from Zawen Temple abducting women.”
Moreover, by the time of Yumen Pass, less than a day remained… Lu Yibei added internally.
“…” After a few seconds of silence, Shen Baiwei shot a dark look at Lu Yibei and said in a deep voice, “I understand, let’s go!”
“Not in a hurry, not in a hurry!” Lu Yibei waved her hand, then pointed towards the bustling street ahead, “Let’s watch this excitement a bit longer before leaving, shall we? Even if they finish here, they won’t find us right away. We have time.”
“Didn’t we agree beforehand? This time we’d be quiet bystanders… And as bystanders, how can we not enjoy the show?”
A quiet bystander? Are you sure? Shen Baiwei tilted her head.
Seeing the confusion in Shen Baiwei’s eyes, Lu Yibei completely misinterpreted and explained, “There are at least over ten inns still open in Yumen Pass, all with rooms booked under your name. A few residences have you staying as well…”
“If they want to realize something’s off, it might take them a while, don’t you think?”
“More than that?” Shen Baiwei’s eyes widened in shock, “When did you…”
“On my way to retrieve the Spell Solidification Masks!” Lu Yibei replied expressionlessly. “If I hadn’t been sidetracked by something else along the way, I wouldn’t even have been caught at the door!”
That’s right, I’m talking about you, Xia Lianqing, you troublemaker!
Shen Baiwei, “…”
Chapter 205: It’s Time…
The more noble, the more public attention, the more respected a person is, the worse the prejudice and skepticism they face when they have stains and blemishes.
People will say, “I knew they were like this already; they could no longer hide it!”
They’ll say, “If this is how terrifying the exposed issue is, what horrible things have they done behind closed doors, I dare not imagine.”
They’ll also say, “Ha! I will never trust these hypocrites again!”
…
When the perfect “god” finally makes a mistake, the ones who are the most vicious in knocking the statue down are those who once were the most devout believers.
The farce in the streets left Gur Suwan and Surush’s image as high monks shattered almost completely.
Although the townsfolk didn’t make any extreme actions due to their past good deeds and accumulated reputation, walking among them, they felt almost as if they were prisoner parades—like dead men walking.
Those gazes filled with suspicion, disdain, and fear felt like rotten tomatoes and foul eggs being thrown at them.
Faced with this situation, the composed Gur Suwan took it well, while Surush, raised among wolves and left unstable in his psyche, was on the verge of losing control. Had it not been for Gur Suwan’s restraint, he would’ve probably retaliated on the spot.
Upon returning to Zawen Temple, Hong Bian had already learned of the street incidents, but when he saw Surush looking depressed, he couldn’t help but sigh and shake his head gently.
“There’s no need to take this matter to heart; the innocent shall remain pure,” Hong Bian said, stepping closer to Surush and affectionately ruffling his short hair.
“But…” Surush lifted his head to look at Hong Bian angrily, “Surush does not understand. Those onlookers, those pointing fingers, have they forgotten who walked through the city each night to expel the demons and monsters?”
Gur Suwan opened his mouth to say something to Surush, only to see Hong Bian shake his head at him, then turn back to Surush and say, “Surush, they are merely blinded by the fog. It is neither their fault nor yours; it’s the fault of those who blind others.”
“…” After a moment of silence, Surush solemnly stated, “Surush understands now. I will find those two and confront them face-to-face.”
Once again, Hong Bian shook his head, “Surush, you will not find them. Even if you do, today’s events will repeat again…”
As he spoke halfway, seeing Surush still appearing unconvinced, he waved his hand at Surush, then turned to Gur Suwan, “Gur Suwan, take Surush to rest. In about half a day, Quepijia’s vanguard forces will be arriving, so conserve your energy.”
“As for those two Miss Shen, I will personally go see them!”
“Understood.” Gur Suwan folded his hands and bowed slightly, then pulled Surush deeper into Zawen Temple.
Watching Gur Suwan and Surush pass through the flourishing front yard, Hong Bian retracted his gaze and stepped outside Zawen Temple. The moment he stepped out the main door, his figure vanished as if melding into the brilliant sunlight of the afternoon…
————
The wind howled.
Two figures clad in coarse clothing darted between the scattered buildings like two swift birds soaring forward.
After the chaos on the street, she originally had begun to distrust Calamity, but as they moved closer to the southern city wall, guided by Calamity, watching the changing scenery, she felt that Calamity’s words about “wanting to be a quiet observer” held a bit more credibility.
Dai Mu Institute is located in the northwest corner of Yumen Pass, and the market connecting Mongfu Inn to Dai Mu Institute lies to the northern part of the city gate. Per the Nanling County King’s plan, both places were within the area for evacuating and temporarily accommodating the citizens, about seven to eight kilometers away from the approaching Shaman King’s army.
And this seven to eight kilometers does not include the towering city walls, adjacent to large and small villages around Yumen Pass, counting those villages could stretch much longer into the Gobi Desert.
Although at this time, various shops in the street where Dai Mu Institute and Mongfu Inn are located remained open, with regular flow of people as normal, as Xia Lianqing and Long Bang completed the evacuation, there were increasingly fewer people further south.
Initially, she could still see some hurried passersby returning home or heading west and northwest, but after walking for about four to five kilometers and passing through a turning point near Dragon Xiang Army’s hidden post, there were hardly any pedestrians on the street.
Continuing on, she saw nothing but empty streets, with tightly shut doors on both sides and scattered shops, as the wind stirred various debris, swirling through the streets.
Only by using spiritual perception could she sense a few stubborn souls remaining in deeply embedded mansions who had not left.
As they neared the southern city wall, whether due to illusion or reality, even the daylight seemed to grow slightly dimmer.
The pervasive sense of oppression brought by the encroaching army thickened the air, as if an unseen fist were tightening around their throats, constricting more with each step southward until it became suffocating…
Finally, when Lu Yibei and Shen Baiwei stopped in a quiet small house near the southern city wall, Lu Yibei had one final conversation with Shen Baiwei.
“If there are no objections, shall we temporarily stay here?”
Shen Baiwei looked around and shook her head, “No objections.”
So long as Calamity wasn’t like before, interfering with the past, staying in an inn or a simple hut wouldn’t make much difference to her.
“Good! By the way, with your level of spirit energy, when they begin fighting, you should be able to hide without being discovered, right? We agreed to quietly observe this time. If we happen to get discovered and drawn into it, that would be troublesome.”
“Hm.” Shen Baiwei nodded.
She looked at Lu Yibei with some suspicion, feeling as if something about Calamity was off at this moment, much like an aging person who had glimpsed the end of life, waiting calmly for d*ath.
Seeing Shen Baiwei nodding in agreement, Lu Yibei said, “Alright, then I’ll rest first. Make yourself at home.”
With that, she entered the small house, looking for a rattan chair to sit in at the door.
Looking far, her vision was framed by the dirty wooden door into a square shape as she spotted figures clad in black armor streaming across the city wall hundreds of meters away.
A dry wind blew in, carrying the sounds of clashing weapons and iron armor, along with subtle vibrations as bowstrings tightened…
“The cutscene” is about to begin!
Let me see what kind of plot the monk from Zawen Temple and the esteemed County King have crafted! Lu Yibei thought.
————
On the other side.
The General’s face was solemn as he gazed up at the sky.
The vast red stirred by the Shaman King clashed ceaselessly with the golden light stirred by the First Generation Miracle Saint, creating a visual spectacle reminiscent of two massive and brilliant stars showcasing their immense energy. Amidst this, a white beam shot upwards, rushing towards the First Generation Miracle Saint.
That white beam was sharp like a sword, the humming it emitted was so intense that, for a moment, the resounding impact from the clash between the Shaman King and the First Generation Miracle Saint echoed throughout.
And the one who unleashed that white beam was none other than Bai Kai.
Despite returning once more, Bai Kai still disregarded the General’s warnings and charged toward the First Generation Miracle Saint with his sword, like a wild hound out of control, desperate to tear away a ‘piece of flesh’ from Him and seize control over the God Realm Yumen.
“Foolish!”
Finally, the General could no longer hold back from critiquing Bai Kai’s reckless actions.
“Utterly foolish! At his age, he acts as recklessly as a young man, letting his emotions dictate his actions! Doesn’t he know what the word ‘d*ath’ means?”
He understood well that although he had helped Bai Kai temporarily elevate his spirit energy level to that of Cataclysm by merging the inherent properties of spirit patterns, Bai Kai was still not truly at a Cataclysm level. No matter how strong his combat power was in a fleeting moment, he could not match the monstrous levels of the Shaman King and the First Generation Miracle Saint.
It was just like how no matter how bright a lamp may shine, even obscuring the stars in the sky, ultimately, it would never be a star. Compared to stars, that radiance was fleeting.
The General had thought of forcibly stopping Bai Kai, but he could not.
Bai Kai’s speed was too fast. In terms of sheer speed, excluding the Black Emperor, who could transform into lightning, he could almost be considered the first person in the Siye Society; how could he be stopped?
“…”
Gazing at Bai Kai growing nearer to the First Generation Miracle Saint, the General fell into silence once more. After a long sigh, he tightened his grip on the Seal of the Wolf Smoke, as if he had made a resolution. His eyes flashed with determination as he quietly urged the spirit patterns.
Soft rhythmic beats and the sound of a suona emerged, intertwining to compose an “Entering the Battlefield” tune, coinciding with the surging spirit energy inside him and crescendoing more vigorously…
————
In midair.
As Bai Kai approached the First Generation Miracle Saint, he felt unprecedented pressure closing in.
Wave after wave of overwhelming spirit energy crashed onto his body like a tidal wave, the feeling of being crushed enveloped his chest, and the throbbing sensation echoed through his bones, as though they would collapse at any moment. Capillaries burst, and his skin flushed red all over.
Yet his gaze remained fixed on the figure of the First Generation Miracle Saint without deviation.
Fine silver light enveloped him, coalescing into contours of tiny blades, each brimming with pure murderous intent.
One hundred meters, fifty meters, twenty meters…
When he was within twenty meters of the First Generation Miracle Saint, his hand fell upon the hilt at his waist.
He wore two swords at his waist.
One was “Xue Xiang,” which he wore when he first left the Jade Gate Desert.
The other was “Shi Yue Bai Hong,” given to him by the master swordmanship teacher of Nanling Peak when he had dashed back to the Jade Gate Desert after being forced into retreat by Xing Yuan.
At that moment, just as he was about to draw his sword against the First Generation Miracle Saint, Bai Kai hesitated for a moment, softly murmuring, “It’s time…”
Then, he gently pressed his hand against the hilt of “Shi Yue Bai Hong.”
Water Brother.
