**Chapter 36: Selling One’s Life Contract**
On the damp and empty land, wisps of glowing mist coalesced into clusters, and flickering starlight gathered in the drifting haze, forming golden incantations.
The golden-haired woman cast a final glance at the temporary magical array constructed with disposable talismans, raising her willow-like brows slightly, before shouldering Bai Kai and heading deep into the dense forest.
Not long after she set off, she felt a pair of hands grip her arm.
The hands were soft and seemed to struggle to hold her arm, as if it took great effort.
“……”
Upon hearing fragmented whispers reach her ears, the woman suddenly realized something. She turned her head to look at Bai Kai, only to find him with his eyes tightly shut, but a strange smile had crept onto his lips.
The woman paused, listening carefully, and suddenly became aware that Bai Kai was not whispering; rather, he was chewing on something.
Oh no! She suddenly sensed something was wrong, but it was too late.
During her brief moment of distraction, Bai Kai’s body suddenly sank down, his feet firmly gripping the ground, and his hands slid down in tandem. Power exploded from his fingertips, seizing her arm and yanking it back, locking her joint tightly.
Then…
He abruptly opened his eyes, his slightly curled long hair swaying as if moved by an unseen wind, and a silver arc flashed in his gaze.
“Heavenly action is vigorous; a gentleman continues to be endlessly self-reliant…”
With a low shout, the once dormant spirit patterns emitted a glow, and the words that matched what Bai Kai had spoken appeared like ink splashes in a brilliant silver light.
In an instant, spirit energy surged from the previously exhausted vessel, muscles and tendons pulsating, rippling out through his clothing.
Bai Kai’s speed was too fast, so fast that time seemed to halt for an instant. By the time the woman regained her wits, a half-real, half-illusory beam of light had shot from Bai Kai’s fingertips, piercing through her body and pinning her in place.
Her chest heaved as she looked down at the beam, suddenly laughing and saying, “Xiao Bai, have you lost your mind?”
“Using the city barrier without permission and attacking an inspector, no matter how you look at it, is enough to get you in serious trouble.”
“Sorry!” Bai Kai said in a deep voice as he turned around, heading towards the still dissipating temporary array.
Watching Bai Kai’s back, the woman bit down hard on her red lip and narrowed her eyes, saying, “Xiao Bai, what exactly is her background that has you so eager to squeeze your spirit pattern potential just to help her?”
Bai Kai replied lightly, “She’s my daughter.”
The woman’s expression went cold as she pressed, “Whose child is she?”
As Bai Kai placed his hands on the glowing mist of the temporary array, channeling spirit energy into it, he finally gritted out three words through clenched teeth in response to her inquiry.
“One person.”
The woman, “？？？”
What the hell do you mean “one person”!
Moreover, she’s clearly an urban legend, is it not absurd to say such things with a straight face?
After inwardly cursing, the woman pouted and sighed, “Ah, Xiao Bai, it seems your reasons are rather strong! But even so, I can’t let you act recklessly, so…”
Before she could finish her sentence, Bai Kai sensed her spirit energy fluctuations disappear from his spiritual perception range. The next moment, a cold short blade appeared at his throat.
Gently, she nudged the back of Bai Kai’s head with her forehead, saying, “You can’t possibly think such a spell could contain me, right? I think you’re overly consumed by spirit energy to the point of being reckless.”
“Xiao Bai, if you don’t want to d*e, stop controlling the ritual—now, immediately!”
“……”
Bai Kai furrowed his brows tightly. After mulling it over for a few seconds, he sighed silently, “Xing Yuan, on account of our past, can you let me go this once?”
“After that, whether to k*ll me, torture me, or send me to the Siye Association Headquarters—feel free to do as you please.”
“But today, no matter what, I have to help Xiao Bei complete the Hundred Demons Walk!”
Upon hearing this, the woman named Xing Yuan changed her gaze several times before suddenly tightening her grip on the short blade in her hand. With a twist of her wrist, she swung the back of the blade harshly across Bai Kai’s throat.
“Sealing Cut…”
With a low whisper accompanying it, the blade flashed, leaving no visible wounds, yet Bai Kai’s body suddenly stiffened and he collapsed to the ground.
His body convulsed as if having a seizure, struggling to rise, but soon his eyes rolled back and he fainted.
The short blade slowly returned to its sheath, and Xing Yuan crouched down, gently caressing Bai Kai’s forehead, softly saying, “I never said she couldn’t complete it! Just…”
“Not by you, and not through this extreme method.”
“Moreover, without fully understanding who the true initiator of the Hundred Demons Walk is, to act on emotion, you’re just as foolish as ever!”
If you only treat her as Mu Se and not as the incarnation of the Pestilence Taijie, success is out of the question…
Murmuring to herself, the woman gently touched the golden d*ath-Owl Badge hanging on her chest, sending a message to her subordinates near the Huacheng Reservoir.
“Jin Jiao, Yin Jiao, after I lift the Huacheng Barrier, keep close watch on that little urban legend before she completes the Hundred Demons Walk. Don’t let the Pestilence Taijie’s organization slip into the reservoir amid the chaos.”
“Also, if she fails, are you two capable of handling it?”
Moments later, the d*ath-Owl Badge trembled slightly, sending back a response.
“Inspector General, won’t this lead to…?”
“Are you teaching me how to do my job? Am I the Inspector General or are you?” Xing Yuan said coldly.
“Understood, subordinate complies.”
“Then go execute it!”
Xing Yuan pulled her finger away from the badge, looking toward the Huacheng Reservoir, narrowing her eyes and murmuring, “Little one, the real challenge has just begun!”
Afterward, she pulled out a pale paper kite from her upper clothing pocket, pressing her crimson lips against its wings, whispering a few words before gently tossing it in the air. The kite took flight, flapping toward the Huacheng Reservoir.
————
The aura of Huacheng’s geopathic energies gathered because of the Hundred Demons Walk, and the Huacheng Barrier was violently severed, re-establishing a connection, only to be severed again, creating a fluctuation of energy.
The overwhelming essence was repeatedly “toyed with,” slamming against the shell of the barrier, nearly disintegrating completely.
If the Huacheng geopathic energies had consciousness, it would surely feel like a victim of a deception.
Within the barrier, Lu Xianbei, trapped once more, had left two hundred thirty-seven palm prints on Mu Se’s remaining form, and only then did she step aside to watch Mu Se explode every minute.
Observing the charred remains—akin to coal—being repeatedly blown skyward and crashing down, Lu Xianbei eventually felt reassured that the risk of a resurrection was no longer present. She settled down and sat on the ground.
One hand groped her tattered coat, feeling its already weak spirit energy fluctuations dwindling further. After much hesitation, she finally gritted her teeth, a resolute glint flashing in her eyes.
Although she had always been close to this coat, she had never considered making it a familiar before.
After all, Du Sixian’s experience of transforming from an ordinary person into a spiritual ability possessor through a familiar ritual warned her that taking the coat as a familiar could likely lead to a transformation of its urban legend form’s core.
To put it bluntly, if it condenses into a human form or develops higher spiritual intelligence, Lu Xianbei wouldn’t be able to psychologically handle it, hence the coat would become unwearable.
But now, it was severely injured, filled with Pestilence Taijie’s toxins, and merely supplementing spirit energy or applying healing alchemical potions couldn’t prevent the collapse of its urban legend core.
So…
“This is the only way, isn’t it?” Lu Xianbei frowned, glancing around cautiously before carefully stripping off her clothing.
As her smooth, delicate skin gradually became visible, Lu Xianbei felt her cheeks flush intensely.
Then, she swallowed hard and comforted herself, reminding herself there was no one else in this barrier, and those outside couldn’t see inside. With a single breath, she mustered the courage to strip down completely, holding her clothes in her hands while lowly reciting the description of the urban legend’s abilities.
“There is a Zhongshan. A girl in blue clothes, wherever she sees, there is a drought…”
The coat’s energy was weak, its intelligence confused, and the process of the familiar ritual went much smoother than with Du Sixian and Meng Meng.
In the darkness, beneath Lu Xianbei’s skin, a magma-like glow slowly flowed along her veins, gathering toward her fingertips before pouring into that coat.
Immediately, it seemed as though something had been ignited, as a strand of gold-red flame suddenly erupted from the coat, swiftly dancing. A complex flame-shaped mark almost instantly took form.
Watching the golden patterns on the coat solidifying and dimming, with the tattered parts visibly repairing, Lu Xianbei’s eyes brightened.
“It worked!”
At that moment, the coat floated gracefully and settled onto her shoulders, wrapping around her body tenderly, before raising its collar and brushing against her face.
꒰๑•̫•๑꒱♡
From now on, I’ll be the exclusive outfit of the Witch Lady!
Seeing the coat successfully restored without any unexpected issues, Lu Xianbei felt ecstatic.
However, her joy was quickly overshadowed by the sight of scorched earth and the long-sealed barrier.
What is Water Brother doing?
No updates or messages for so long.
When will I be able to get out? Lu Xianbei thought, resting her hands beneath her chin in frustration.
While lost in thought, a sound like shattering crystals reached her ears.
Along with the noise, cracks spider-webbed across the barrier, and the frigid winter winds rushed in through the fissures, stirring up the murky hot air.
In the next moment, the vast barrier suddenly shattered, turning into shimmering dust flashing with lightning, scattering everywhere and quickly vanishing without a trace.
Lu Xianbei gazed around in confusion as dense fog billowed, carrying a thick stench of bl**d that assaulted her senses. bl**d was spilled everywhere, with corpses strewn about.
There was not a complete corpse in sight; most were the black-robed followers of Mu Se, intermixed with many urban legends.
“……”
Lu Xianbei looked at the remains, momentarily speechless.
At this time, she suppressed the urge to vomit, her complexion pale.
Yet, more overwhelming than the nausea rolling in her stomach was a surge of complicated emotions that she couldn’t quite articulate.
Was it a sense of schadenfreude? Or anger at such meaningless slaughter?
【It’s coming.】
Just then, a premonition suddenly flashed in Lu Xianbei’s mind, and the next moment she felt a terrifying wave of spirit energy assaulting her from all directions.
Her complexion changed dramatically as she anticipated its attack but found no way to evade.
Its assault came from all around, above and below, among the winds and snow, and even in the air.
“Boom—Boom—!” The colossal sounds echoed one after another.
The ground shook as if its heart was pounding.
With every quaking reminiscent of an earthquake, terrifying spirit energy cascaded and swept through the sky, roiling in the clouds.
In the next moment, hundreds of massive limbs made from dark green flesh erupted from the ground, tearing through the earth and unfurling.
They resembled a giant serpent covered in gaping eye sockets, or the monstrous tongues of an evil god.
Waves of earth rippled, and the corpses scattered as they were thrown into the air, bl**d and flesh raining down like a storm.
A hellish yet extravagant scene.
On those grotesque limbs composed of porcine flesh, numerous malformed organs writhed, and gaping cavities opened, devouring every last ounce of spirit energy in the air.
Surrounding pressure dropped drastically, and rapidly flowing air stirred up the white snow, forming a hauntingly pale storm.
Mu Se’s defeat and the end of the Hundred Demons Walk enraged the Pestilence Taijie. All the accumulating flesh hidden within the city converged to this point, ready to unleash the most brutal slaughter upon the defiant.
Facing the spirit energy fluctuations from a cataclysm-grade urban legend, Lu Xianbei suddenly found it hard to breathe as a sense of crisis quietly crept up in her heart.
Instinctively looking for a place to hide, she discovered there was nowhere to escape. The surrounding dark green flesh swirled around her as if raising a grotesque flesh jungle, tightly surrounding her.
“Flap—flap—!”
Just as Lu Xianbei was gripped by terror, a sound of flapping wings echoed from afar. Looking up, a pale paper kite pierced through thick fog, braving the fierce winds and snow, landing on her shoulder and speaking human words.
“Little urban legend, move forward! Climb over that mountain and reach the end of your Hundred Demons Walk.”
“If you survive the challenge…”
My… what does that mean?
You want me to face this hundred-strong beast, whose single spirit power already outweighs the filthy tentacle monsters?
d*mn it! I am risking my life and not throwing it away! Lu Xianbei frowned, feeling a sense of dread creeping in, unsure of how she could escape without seeming cowardly.
In the next moment, the wind roared and surged.
A pair of enormous eyes, like searchlights, opened from the battered ground as a massive body, akin to a train, roared upward, causing the very ground to tremble beneath it.
The humanoid centipede monster returned, its great maw opening wide and biting down into a limb of the Pestilence Taijie, coiling its enormous body around it. Hundreds of barbed claws dug fiercely into the dark green flesh.
“Please, Witch Lady, complete the Hundred Demons Walk!”
The booming voice of the humanoid centipede burst in Lu Xianbei’s ears, snapping her back from the brink of dread. Looking at the pale paper kite on her shoulder, she lifted the broken sword in her hand.
With no path to retreat, and nowhere to hide, she must press on!
After tonight’s events, this city can only have one urban legend king, and whether it be me or not, it should not be the Pestilence Taijie! Lu Xianbei thought fiercely.
As if sensing someone calling its name, the grotesque flesh stirred as if a deformed hand was pulling at the humanoid centipede’s body, unleashing a wail of sorrow.
Lu Xianbei’s gaze crystallized, golden eyes glinting with fire.
At that moment, her innate skill activated.
The evolved core of the urban legend surged with chilly energy for a brief instant and then fell silent. In the next moment, a terrifying wave of spirit energy erupted from her petite body, reaching its ultimate limit.
As if responding to the desire to protect Huacheng and annihilate Pestilence Taijie, a crimson flame soared into the sky from the detached spirit platform, dancing in the wind like a billowing battle flag.
The coat squirmed, transforming into a magnificent blue gown adorned with intricate flaming patterns glowing like molten lava.
In the gale, the gown billowed like clouds, her long hair fluttering like fire. At that moment, her beauty became so striking against the wind and snow that one couldn’t look directly at her; she was like a deity.
“Calamity Witch here, invoking the Hundred Demons Walk; are there any urban legends willing to follow me into battle?”
Lu Xianbei shouted, echoing words she had gleaned from the Great Serpent God’s knowledge.
As her voice fell, a profound silence enveloped the area. The world seemed to still, and yet, there was a distinct feeling of countless spirit energies gathering surreptitiously around her.
Seeing no urban legends responding, Lu Xianbei took a step forward, advancing towards the incoming tide of Pestilence Taijie’s limbs and the dark green flesh tearing at the humanoid centipede.
At this moment, she felt the once ineffective and fragmented geopathic energies surrounding her resonate for an instant.
As the tremors echoed, her eyes flared with heat, and golden threads appeared in her vision, weaving through the void like shimmering rivers and endless starry skies.
Those threads that made up the geopathic aura extended outward; one part was intercepted by the flesh of the Pestilence Taijie, violently plundering and engulfing it within, while another portion invisibly reached out toward the distant dense forest, mountain peaks, and every corner of Huacheng.
Lu Xianbei dodged the incoming dark green flesh and toxic mist, while continuing to step forward, shouting once more.
“Calamity Witch here, invoking the Hundred Demons Walk; are there any urban legends willing to follow me into battle!”
As her voice echoed, the geopathic energies swirling about her quivered, and several threads abruptly merged into her body.
Suddenly, her spirit energy soared.
In that instant, a revelation dawned upon Lu Xianbei, and she murmured, “So this is how geopathic energies are used?”
Every city filled with spirit energy is akin to an island amidst a vast ocean, with every urban legend or spiritual ability user being a solitary isle, while geopathic energies serve as the bridge connecting these islands.
Geopathic energies may not provide an immediate boost in strength, but they can gather the spirit energy dispersed among the urban legends across the city, allowing control to occur when the Hundred Demons are in pursuit.
This was her insight into the true purpose of geopathic energies.
While unfurling this thought, she rolled to evade the rushing dark green flesh, soaring forward.
A sword slashed out, with a fierce hiss.
Taihe Gentleman Sword · Zhaotian Command!
Intricate sword intent, scorching spirit energy, and boiling emotions fused together in that moment, resonating with one another.
In an instant, dazzling flames blurred her vision.
On the road ahead, a sea of red heat emerged, as if the air itself had ignited. Massive bright spots appeared on the asphalt, and ash from some unknown source danced in the heatwave as if millions of butterflies were fluttering in a sublime dance.
After the storm, the asphalt pavement, metal streetlights, and the flesh of Pestilence Taijie were in ruins, appearing as though they had been slashed by countless sharp blades, leaving behind gruesome, scorching scars.
Thirty-two limbs of Pestilence Taijie erupted in a thunderous explosion, and several strands of the geopathic energy flowed towards Lu Xianbei, merging into her body.
Pitch-black, foul bl**d surged forth from the severed limbs, pouring like rain. Before it could land, it evaporated into mist due to the intense heat radiating from her body.
Raising her head, her leg muscles tensed suddenly as she used her agility to propel herself forward.
She had to cross over that mountain ahead.
In the meantime, golden strands of geopathic energies drifted about her, as if celebrating the ascension of a new king, merging into her body.
On either side of the road, demonic howls echoed, and countless diverse urban legends emerged from their hiding spots, pursuing that petite but fearsome figure, battling the massive limbs emerging from the ground.
The existence of Pestilence Taijie was akin to a bacterial infestation festering in the dark underbelly of the earth, whereas Lu Xianbei’s commanding Hundred Demons Walk represented an untamable wildfire.
Countless dark green flesh was torn apart by the urban legends, incinerated in the flames, while numerous urban legends fell, pierced by the distorted limbs.
The stench of poor, sticky bl**d and shattered limbs filled the ground.
In an instant, a cacophony of maddening screams and wails erupted that could drive an ordinary person to madness, resonating in the heavens.
This was a clash between two distinct urban legend powers—a brutal war.
————
On a distant mountain.
Watching the gradually growing Hundred Demons Walk team at the foot of the mountain, as they moved forward, leaving bright red scars in their wake—like a red-hot sword marking the earth—the unseeable geopathic energies swirled behind Lu Xianbei like a waving golden banner.
Noticing this, Nanling Yaohua couldn’t help but display a meaningful smile, exclaiming in delight, “The spirit energy fluctuations of countless urban legends have gathered under the reign of the Urban Legend King, coalescing into a singular whole. This is the true Hundred Demons Walk! Truly fascinating!”
She had never seen such a spectacular sight in the vast desert.
After all, the lands protected by the Nanling clan forbade the Hundred Demons Walk.
“The command over the Hundred Demons, making them follow in line, parading on a moonless night, their aura connected to geopathic energies… It seems everything is in place! Looks like we’ll witness the birth of Huacheng’s Urban Legend King tonight!”
“In that case, I just need to build a good rapport with that urban legend girl. With her assistance via geopathic energies, I can search for Huacheng’s spiritual ability users and urban legends, and find Lu Xianbei!”
“Eh!?”
Standing beside Nanling Yaohua, Gu Qiqi’s face changed slightly upon hearing her mumbling. Just as she was about to open her mouth to inform her that the one below was Lu Xianbei, a sharp reprimand from the system rang in her mind.
“Gu Qiqi, don’t say anything excessive!”
“Oh!” Gu Qiqi replied, retracting her head and sticking out her tongue as she felt Nanling Yaohua’s puzzled gaze on her, “What’s the matter?”
Cute.jpg
Nanling Yaohua smiled and shook her head, then turned her focus back to the Hundred Demons Walk team below.
In the shadows observing her, the system couldn’t help but ask, “Gu Qiqi, what’s the background of that girl? Do you have any idea how she is related to calamity?”
Gu Qiqi pouted, “I don’t know! The Mafun leader, while parading, just jumped out themselves, and when they came, they were even holding a cup of milk tea. I don’t know if they were just wandering over to join in the fun or here to help.”
The system, “……”
It would be fine if they were merely seeking to join in the fun, but if they were here to assist calamity…
Then they absolutely must not find Lu Xianbei.
If calamity gained another spirit power ally with a barely-risen energy level after the Hundred Demons Walk was completed, that would be disastrous! the system thought.
————
From the foot of Huacheng Reservoir to the mountaintop where Lu Xianbei’s Hundred Demons Walk team had taken over, a distance of fewer than five kilometers took them over two hours to traverse.
When she stood at the mountaintop, all the geopathic energies converged back into her body. The dark clouds in the sky dissipated, and a delicate crescent moon emerged, casting pale moonlight.
This catastrophic-level aberration’s body and the newly born mythic species battle had nearly reached its conclusion.
Xing Yuan, behind the water barrier, saw this scene, raising her brow, exhaling, “The descendant of the Ling Tai Purification has even more potential than I imagined!”
As she spoke, she gently caressed the golden d*ath-Owl Badge on her chest, soft-spoken, “Jin Jiao, Yin Jiao, your espionage task is complete. Now, go and make contact with Huacheng’s new Urban Legend King, and by the way…”
She paused, her lips curling slightly, “Let her sign the [Selling Life Contract]. If she refuses…”
“Then k*ll her!” Yin Jiao replied.
“k*ll, k*ll, k*ll! That’s all you think about, huh? Does your brain have only muscles? Don’t you know the Moonlight Project is being secretly implemented?”
“Moreover, she just completed the Hundred Demons Walk—many of the spirit energies of Huacheng’s urban legends still remain attached to her, do you dare to k*ll her?”
Countless cases recorded in the Siye Association’s files prove that an urban legend that has just completed such a large-scale Hundred Demons Walk is, solely in terms of spirit energy fluctuations, comparable to a cataclysm-grade urban legend.
Attempting to k*ll Lu Xianbei now would be akin to challenging a monster that’s been fortified and blessed by the entire city’s urban legends—equivalent to seeking d*ath.
“What do you mean?” Jin Jiao cautiously inquired.
“What I mean is, if she refuses to sign, you just inform her that Bai Kai is in our hands,” Xing Yuan said, revealing a knowing smile on her face.
“Surely, given that Bai Kai has treated her so well, she won’t just sit back and do nothing.”
After saying that, Xing Yuan gently touched the badge and severed the connection. She turned her gaze to the unconscious Bai Kai on the ground and a tender glint appeared in her eyes as she extended her pink tongue to lick her lips.
“Now, Xiao Bai, it’s time for us to reminisce.”
————
Having finally completed the Hundred Demons Walk, Lu Xianbei stood by the Huacheng Reservoir, watching the gentle breeze and rippling blue waves, with snowflakes gently falling. Behind her, hundreds of urban legends sat in silence. A wave of fatigue and joy hit her simultaneously, inspiring poetic thoughts.
When one becomes fatigued, there’s a desire for relaxation, and when one relaxes, thoughts can go astray, leading to dangerous thoughts.
But as she waved her short hand and parted her pink lips, just about to recite, “In the northern country, the scenery of a thousand miles, frozen in ice, and ten thousand miles of snow falling,” a loud explosion erupted from the reservoir.
In an instant, towering waves rose violently, and spirit energy surged, causing the urban legends behind her to scatter in fright, as though they had seen a ghost.
The power of ten serpents was terrifying!
Following this, as a large figure leapt out of the depths of the reservoir and crashed heavily beside Lu Xianbei, its slippery mushroom cap of a head drooped down like…
A gigantic humanoid mushroom over ten meters tall?
Lu Xianbei fell back to the ground, gazing up at Huacheng’s primary operative, Mushroom Girl, who wriggled her nonexistent throat.
Mushroom Girl stared at Lu Xianbei for a moment, blinking her large eyes that were as wide as washbasins. Then she stood upright, mumbling,
“Is it over? Are you an urban legend or a human?”
“Forget it, I can’t make sense of this since I’m just a mushroom after all.”
“So cold; will mushrooms wilt in winter? They’ll grow back next year, right?”
She uttered such bizarre words as she descended the mountain, shrinking rapidly before disappearing into the dense forest, her spirit energy calming down with her departure.
Watching Mushroom Girl’s retreating figure, Lu Xianbei felt her mood become complex.
Who the hell is the true Urban Legend King of Huacheng?
With such capable operatives like this in Huacheng, how could Pestilence Taijie possibly corrupt the reservoir?
This world truly has people beyond people, and legends beyond legends! After this, she must tread carefully. Lu Xianbei pondered.
Just as she was lost in thought, another powerful wave of spirit energy surged toward her, as two black shadows swooped down from either side, landing in front of her.
They were two almost identical men, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, tall and dressed in black suits, wearing sunglasses. The man on the left had dark skin and two golden horns on his head, while the one on the right had pale skin, with a long silver horn on his brow.
Lu Xianbei, “……”
What the hell is this again!
Is there no end to this? Can’t I even enjoy a moment of solitude?
Wearing sunglasses at night—can you see who I am, Grandpa?
Lu Xianbei sulked as the two men stepped forward. The man on the left introduced himself first, “I am Jin Jiao.”
The man on the right followed up, “I am Yin Jiao.”
“We are special agents of Siye Association.” They spoke simultaneously, “It would be appreciated if you, Calamity Miss, could sign this Moonlight Project contract.”
As they spoke, they unfurled a scroll written in gold leaf before her.
“……”
What does this imply?
Official authorization, appointed as an urban legend?
What the heck, I assumed you were here to apprehend me!
Lu Xianbei was momentarily stunned. Narrowing her eyes, she replied nonchalantly, “I’ll have to take a look first, is that fine?”
As she leaned in to skim the scroll that Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao held, her brows furrowed.
The main content of the scroll seemed mostly fine, not much different from a temp labor contract used by Siye Association, but the notes at the end included highly unequal terms reminiscent of Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics.
If the Siye Association wanted me to commit s*icide, would I have to thrust my sword into my own neck?
This is essentially a life contract, right?
Lu Xianbei thought bitterly, glancing at the two men and weakly asking, “May I ask what you two brothers intend to do if I refuse?”
Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao exchanged glances, nodding slightly, and when they turned back to Lu Xianbei, they replied in unison, “Bai Kai is in our hands. If you refuse, we will…”
“Burn him?” Lu Xianbei asked, her expression serious.
Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao were taken aback, and they opened their mouths to explain, “No, we…”
Lu Xianbei interrupted again, “If it’s not to burn him, then it’s to torture him, right? That’s too good! I’ve wanted to see him suffer for a long time; please help me whip him with a little whip!”
She excitedly said, throwing a fierce punch in the air, as if she could not wait to personally dispose of Bai Kai.
Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao, “？？？”
This is completely different from what the inspector general told us!
Unable to threaten her, unable to fight her, and now they couldn’t even just let her go…
What should they do now?
**Epilogue**
By the reservoir, the cool breeze was gentle.
Watching Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao exchange perplexed looks, Lu Xianbei’s eyes flickered. After comparing the disparity between their spirit energy and her own, and recalling some details of the contract, she secretly made a decision.
“Guys, I absolutely cannot sign this contract; I’ve just completed the Hundred Demons Walk and I can’t even identify the urban legends in Huacheng yet!”
As she spoke, she leisurely pulled a stick of spicy strips from her pocket and put it between her lips. Tilting her chin upward, she raised her eyes playfully.
“You all know how tough it is to be the boss these days, under such conditions, even if I agree, they might not. If I impulsively sign this contract and offend them, I cannot guarantee your safety.”
Upon hearing this, Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao were momentarily astonished, their expressions growing intricate.
“……”
Is this our illusion?
Is she implying that she has many underlings? Even if we force her to sign, we can’t ensure we’d leave Huacheng alive? both pondered.
Seeing them fall silent, Lu Xianbei’s eyes lit up with joy as she gripped the broken sword tightly. Without changing her expression, she activated her innate skill for enhancement, and then let go of the sword.
“Clang—!”
As soon as the Ling Tai Purification landed, with a thought from Lu Xianbei, flames burst forth from the blade, sculpting a fiery trench along the ground.
Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao’s pupils constricted slightly, pulling back a step while preparing for battle.
“Uh, my bad, just newly acquired abilities, losing control is reasonable, right?”
While Lu Xianbei nonchalantly picked up the Ling Tai Purification, she explained. Just after she finished speaking, she unleashed spirit energy to its extreme.
With the support of the previously lingering geopathic energies, her spirit strength shot up to terrifying levels, and the air seemed ignited, swirling with rolling heat.
However, what was even more frightening was the calm, composed expression on her young face, as deep as the ocean.
If anyone was deceived by her harmless-looking appearance and let their guard down, they would undoubtedly meet a grim fate, Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao thought.
Noticing the sweat pooling on Jin Jiao’s forehead, Lu Xianbei quietly sighed, her expression blank, “Don’t be afraid! I’m not a bad person!”
“This is just excess spirit energy leaking out due to a loss of control, it’s merely a slight venting of excess!”
Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao, “……”
No doubt about it, she’s implying!
If we don’t go along with her proposal, not only might we not leave Huacheng, but we might not even be able to escape the reservoir’s boundaries!
While they were musing, Jin Jiao steeled himself, summoning the last vestige of stubbornness, and mustered the courage to say, “What do you want?”
“I don’t want anything!” Lu Xianbei feigned innocence, “If I wanted something, would I still be standing here talking to you? You all clearly can’t tolerate me, but you can’t k*ll me either, right?”
So arrogant.jpg
Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao, “……” She seems to have a point, but…
“What I mean is I won’t sign this contract right now, but if possible, I’d like to bring this contract back and study it thoroughly. I’ll make a decision after I’ve thought it through.”
As for who the unfortunate soul to sign it after I’ve considered it, well, that’s uncertain… Lu Xianbei added covertly in her mind.
When she previously skimmed the Moonlight Project contract, although she had merely had a cursory look at its basic content, she had scrutinized the incantations engraved on the gold leaf closely.
While she couldn’t comprehend everything, she quickly noticed discrepancies when she rearranged the known sections she recognized and compared them to the contracts in the Great Serpent God’s knowledge.
That contract was clearly a life contract, no doubt about it.
But…
Just because she couldn’t sign it didn’t mean she didn’t want it; if used correctly, it could very well turn into a lethal weapon!
The clauses were clearly outlined, and the incantations firmly restricted any urban legends that signed the contract from attacking members of the Siye Association.
Aren’t I a member of the Siye Association? An acting main operative at that. Lu Xianbei mused.
So she not only wanted it but aimed to stockpile several templates for backup. After all, she had grown accustomed to lambing off the Siye Association; one more instance wouldn’t hurt.
People are inevitably prone to compromise, just like in the sweltering heat of the summer, wanting to turn off the air conditioning would undoubtedly face opposition from everyone else.
But, if it were merely requested to adjust the temperature from sixteen degrees to twenty-five degrees, usually it would not be met with issues.
Seeing Lu Xianbei make a concession, Jin Jiao deliberated momentarily and then cupped his fist at her, saying, “Then we’ll await your response; we hope you make a wise decision.”
In truth, the Siye Association’s Moonlight Project was not progressing smoothly. Thus far, urban legends choosing to cooperate had all been those who had demands of the Siye Association, meaning they were coerced into signing.
Therefore, Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao had never expected Lu Xianbei would easily sign the contract. Her willingness to show goodwill was already a great outcome.
“That’s natural, that’s natural.” Lu Xianbei nodded, as she nonchalantly received the scroll from their hands, slipping it into her clothing pocket.
Seeing this, Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao exchanged gazes, nodding slightly. Just as they were about to turn and leave, Lu Xianbei halted them.
“Wait a moment, you two!”
Upon hearing this, Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao frowned, turning back, warily looking at Lu Xianbei, perplexed, “Is there anything else, Miss?”
Lu Xianbei frowned, chewing on the spicy strip, tilting her head slightly, “What did you two say earlier about how you plan to deal with Bai Kai if I refuse?”
“We…” Jin Jiao slightly parted his lips, then laughed, “Since you’ve indicated the matter regarding Bai Kai, we would still have to discuss it with our superiors…”
“Please don’t!” Lu Xianbei exclaimed eagerly, “Go ahead and torment him however you wish, but don’t go easy on him! If you can’t bear to do it, passing it on to me would also be fine!”
I’ve acted so overtly; surely they can’t have thought I was close with Water Brother?
As a primary operative of the Siye Association tangling with a major urban legend proceeding with the Hundred Demons Walk, that’s a severe crime…
Besides, as long as Water Brother is not in mortal danger, I can certainly afford to be a little exaggerative, removing myself from responsibility. He should only face minor punishments after all, Lu Xianbei thought.
Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao, “……”
Ah, why do I suddenly feel a bit sympathetic towards Bai Kai?
————
When Bai Kai woke up, he found himself tied to a large round bed, the corners of the ceiling lit by pink, ambient lights. Various uniquely-shaped trinkets lay near the bedside.
Momentarily dazed, his first thought flashed in his mind was Lu Xianbei’s safety.
In a panic, Bai Kai blurted out, “Oh no, how did I end up in this place? Is Xiao Bei still…”
“Rest assured, she’s alive, and doing quite well.”
“Clack—!”
The sound of a lighter igniting rang out from a corner of the room. Bai Kai followed the sound and noticed Xing Yuan, clad in only a black lace nightgown, sitting on a couch in the room, clouds of smoke billowing from her crimson lips, her sultry gaze piercing through him.
As Bai Kai turned to look, her gaze trailed down across his collarbone and hovered over his bare chest, finally resting on his waist, her lips curling into a smirk. “Not too shabby!”
“……”
Xing Yuan’s gaze felt intrusive, akin to a hand roaming about him, and even Bai Kai, experienced as he was, felt slightly uncomfortable. After reflecting for a moment, he tentatively said, “Did you sleep with me?”
“Tch!” Xing Yuan scoffed, “It’s not like this is the first time. Why get so worked up? Don’t I have the right to reminisce?”
“I…” Bai Kai hesitated, contemplating for a few seconds before forcing out, “There’s nothing worth reminiscing between us…”
Xing Yuan frowned, “Apologies, that was insensitive of me.”
After a pause, she pressed, “One last question, and after that, you can leave. Who is that little urban legend tonight? What made you go all out for her?”
Upon hearing Xing Yuan mention Lu Xianbei again, Bai Kai’s face darkened. “I can’t tell you that; she’s one of the most important people to me. You dare touch her, and you’ll regret it!”
“One of the most important, huh?”
Xing Yuan gazed at Bai Kai with a meaningful expression, smiling, “Let me guess, someone important to you could be me, but unfortunately, we fell out. Then there’s your master, but surely that won’t do either. Your senior brother’s daughter, but she really doesn’t need to turn into an urban legend. Then…”
“Right, Lu Ming should count, but he’s already dead, isn’t he? The backup report for the site investigation is still sitting in my office!”
“If that’s not the case, that leaves only Lu Ming’s son.” Xing Yuan remarked, thoughtful, nodding, “He must be the one!”
As she spoke, she caught Bai Kai’s gaze, shaking her head with a sympathetic smile, “Bai Kai, you’re finished. You took such good care of their only son, and now a few years later, you’ve turned him into a daughter? Considering those two’s personalities, even if he died, I’m afraid…”
The more Bai Kai heard, the darker his expression became, and he couldn’t help but interrupt angrily, “Enough! Are you done? What do you want?”
“Want? I want nothing! Just catching up, seeing how you’ve been all these years!” Xing Yuan said with an unnaturally forced smile.
At her words, a flutter of emotions surfaced in Bai Kai’s heart but quickly subsided.
“Hah, where were you all this time? It’s too late to want to know now!” He chuckled coldly, “I’ve been living quite well; standing tall, embracing the spring nights. I haven’t the need for you!”
Xing Yuan was momentarily stunned, “You’ve been truly living… I thought you…”
“What of it?” Bai Kai retorted defiantly, “I’m allowed to frolic and enjoy myself, while you take a one-sided approach? Xing Yuan, don’t be double standard!”
“I genuinely thought…” Xing Yuan’s eyes flickered with a hint of urgency, opening her mouth as if to argue, then she gave a rueful smile, “You’re right, but…”
As she spoke, she gently slid down the strap of her lace nightgown, revealing her delicate shoulder, raising an eyebrow at Bai Kai and said, “Since you’ve gotten that adventurous, would you mind a little more adventure?”
Bai Kai was momentarily taken aback, squinting his eyes, and cautiously asked, “Aren’t you asleep?”
“No.” Xing Yuan shook her head, a hint of inexplicable grievance crossed her features, “I was waiting for you to take action, but it seems…”
“……” Bai Kai fell silent for several seconds before speaking seriously, “Since we aren’t discussing feelings but business, I want to say…”
“I’m very expensive.”
As these words left his lips, an audacious grin spread across his face as he extended his tongue to wet his lips.
Is this truly that same Xiao Bai from before? Xing Yuan thought, covering her forehead, and waving her hand at Bai Kai, “Forget it, forget it, I’ll untie you now, just hurry and leave!”
Saying this, she moved over to the bed and unraveled the binding seal on Bai Kai’s hands.
————
Once Bai Kai left the Huacheng Reservoir, Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao, unable to contact the theater using the d*ath-Owl Badge, hurried back to their hotel suite, preparing to report their findings in person.
Arriving at the hotel, they found Xing Yuan’s room was completely dark. They exchanged a look of confusion and called out softly a few times but received no response.
A sense of ominous premonition arose in their hearts.
“Inspector General, wouldn’t she have been backstabbed by her old lover?” Jin Jiao whispered.
“That’s uncertain. I’ve heard that Bai Kai is of mixed spirit patterns.” Yin Jiao shrugged his shoulders, saying, “You know about mixed spirit patterns, right? Many miraculous deeds were accomplished by this type of ability user, weren’t they?”
“Good point!” Jin Jiao contemplated and nodded before saying, “Let’s hurry and find her. If she isn’t there, we will need to render assistance.”
“Right!” Yin Jiao agreed, and they began searching around the room.
“Inspector General? Are you in there?”
“Inspector…”
“Shh—!”
Just as Yin Jiao was calling out, he suddenly saw Jin Jiao standing in front of Xing Yuan’s bedroom door, gesturing for him to be quiet, and his voice trailed off.
Seeing this, he walked closer, perplexed, about to inquire what was going on when he overheard the sounds from beyond the door, red-faced conversations audible.
“Isn’t this too tight? How did you manage to…”
“Less chatter! If I don’t tighten it, what if it slips out?”
“Ow—! Careful, that hurts!”
“……”
Jin Jiao cautiously turned to Yin Jiao, quietly asking, “What do you think they’re…?”
As he spoke, he gently clapped his hands, emitting soft sounds.
Yin Jiao rolled his eyes, exhaling in a frustrated manner, “You have some strange thoughts! Typically, these are misunderstandings. Just wait and see, I can assure you when I stride in there, they clearly won’t be engaged in anything scandalous!”
As Jin Jiao was about to stop him, Yin Jiao pushed the door open wide and strolled in confidently. Moments later, he dashed back out, hands on his face.
“Inspector General, we’re back. We… Uh, sorry for the interruption!”
Within the room, Bai Kai and Xing Yuan both wore blank expressions as they watched Yin Jiao stumble in, unprepared to explain, only to see him fly back out in a rush.
Then…
“Bang!” the door slammed shut behind him.
Seeing Yin Jiao’s face flush red, Jin Jiao hurriedly caught up with him, asking, “What happened in there?”
“Uh, it was… the same! When I went in, the Inspector General was in a nightgown, riding Bai Kai, and the remainder, I didn’t dare to witness.” Yin Jiao stammered, his words tumbling out.
“……” Jin Jiao’s face twitched as he slapped Yin Jiao hard on the back of the head, “I told you to read fewer romance novels! Why didn’t you listen? Now look what you’ve done!”
“I… I had no idea, the Inspector General was serious?” Yin Jiao replied, feeling wronged.
“What do you mean? You really believe that! The Inspector General’s known for being a tough lady; do you really believe she’s made of iron? After two decades without dating, finally running into an old flame—how could she resist!?”
“Just wait for her to turn around and deal with you!”
Yin Jiao, “……”
Suddenly, he felt less sympathy for Bai Kai.
————
Out in the outskirts of Huacheng, in a field of wheat.
Snow began to fall again, cloaking the entire land in white mist. The wheat had long been harvested, leaving only a few withered stalks of chicory lying in the mud.
A corpse lay face down, submerged in the dark, muddy water, fingertips swollen so badly they separated from the bones, with flesh floating like rotten cotton, revealing a segment of a pale skeletal finger.
Near its chest cavity, there was a massive gaping wound, appearing to tear as if its flesh had suddenly sprung forth a consciousness and fled.
A trail of footsteps meandered through the light snow covering the field, extending into the distance.
In the distance, a disheveled woman with long, dry, yellow hair staggered along. Filthy liquid dripped steadily from her tattered, flesh-like gown.
With each drop, small dark green buds sprouted almost instantly.
The woman was none other than Mu Se, who narrowly survived the encounter. She had not yet succumbed to the lethal effects of the Pestilence Taijie’s dispersed bl**d and flesh scattered throughout the city, confined within the barrier. After such attacks, she likely wouldn’t even manage to cling to life.
“d*mn, it was so close, just a little more…”, she mumbled to herself, her voice trailing off as an unmistakably familiar spirit energy fluctuation reached her suddenly, freezing her in her tracks.
Looking ahead, she saw a girl in a white dress standing in the road, holding a rusty fire axe, her eyes glittering with crimson light.
“My dear master, where are you off to?” the girl said with a smile, “Your spiritual fluctuations are so weak; it was such a struggle to locate you!”
“……”
The murky eyes of Mu Se shifted in several directions, biting her lips hard for a moment. Then without warning, she turned on her heel and dashed away. Yet, she hadn’t run far when the ground trembled beneath her feet.
A barrier built from bones burst forth from the earth, blocking her path. On the barrier was a fair-skinned man, silent, casting a cold gaze downward.
“Rabbit, I actually…” Mu Se opened her mouth, wishing to utter something, but as she turned back, a glimmer of steel flashed. A terrible stench of bl**d doused the air.
Her remaining spirit energy dissipated quickly as her body began to lose control. Just as she was about to collapse, a pair of hands cupped her face.
“Shh—! You needn’t say anything; in my eyes, only a sleeping master can be a good master! So, goodbye, dear master!”
As she finished speaking, the Rabbit Girl let go of Mu Se’s face, raising the fire axe high, bringing it down with force as pale flames erupted from its blade.
Moonshadow Flames ignited.
The Rabbit Girl watched Mu Se’s body transform into ashes within the burning white flames, vanishing forever from this world. At long last, she gained her freedom but suddenly felt a profound sense of loss and heartache.
Just then, a hand wrapped in bandages reached out gently, touching her shoulder.
“Congratulations, you’re free. Now let’s go?”
“Go where?”
“Back with me,” Shuo E murmured softly.
At this, the Rabbit Girl’s pink eyes trembled slightly. Just as she was about to say something, she heard Shuo E say, “You still have two experimental rituals to finish!”
The Rabbit Girl, “……”
(End of this volume)
