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墨書 Inktalez
It is early spring, and the Cold Food Festival is approaching.
A light drizzle falls from the sky, shrouding the distant mountains and nearby waters in mist. Delicate willows sway gently in the rain, while the distant green hills appear like ink, and pale pink apricot blossoms quietly bloom. A gentle pool of azure water ripples slightly, with a hazy mist enveloping everything.
Apricot blossoms in the misty rain of Jiangnan.
A strand of flute music, sorrowful and pleading, lingers in the air, like a small creature intruding into Li Hong's ears, stirring his heart and gradually calming his pent-up anger.
Li Hong unconsciously walks toward the source of the flute sound.
Deep within West Lake, beneath a cluster of pale pink apricot blossoms, stands a beauty like jade.
Her snow-white silk robe has wide sleeves that slide down, revealing her fair arms. Her delicate hands match perfectly with the white jade flute she holds. Dressed in male attire, Beauty Cherry Lips cradles the flute at its end, her long eyelashes casting shadows over her eyes. The light rain sways, causing the pink and white apricot blossoms to fall like rain, brushing against her clothes and filling the air with a refreshing fragrance. The scene before him is breathtakingly beautiful.
Li Hong quietly stands behind Li Xiaolou as the flute music sobs softly, becoming fainter until it is barely audible.
The white jade flute disappears into Li Xiaolou's wide sleeves; she does not turn around but sighs softly, "You have come."
"Yes, I have come."
"The wind suddenly rises, rippling a pool of spring water," she muses.
Li Hong raises an eyebrow: "But what business do you have here?"
"Standing alone in the Small Pavilion, playing the jade flute in the cold."
"Is it simply because one is high up that they cannot bear the cold?" With a sharp tone, Li Hong grows increasingly suspicious.
"Though one may be high up, their heart lies in the abyss." Li Xiaolou slowly stands and turns around, her beautiful eyes filled with sorrow gazing at Li Hong. "It seems you already know. Alas..." She sighs deeply, her tone tinged with evident regret.
Li Hong coldly replies, "You are not a Demon Cultivator; where do you truly come from? Why are you here?" His hands unconsciously tighten within his sleeves.
A blush slowly rises on Li Xiaolou's unparalleled beauty that rivals Xi Shi. A hint of an otherworldly red hue begins to appear in her beautiful As Water eyes—something only Li Hong can see. "I told you we would meet again; it's just a pity that our paths do not align..."
She sighed softly again and suddenly transformed into a Whirlwind, rising from the ground and rushing towards the distant green mountains.
Li Hong was unwilling to let her go and pursued her with a beam of golden light.
In an instant, they covered a hundred miles. Li Xiaolou appeared strangely, flickering in and out of visibility within the Whirlwind. With his cultivation level raised another tier, Li Hong's Divine Consciousness reached out and could sense the faint fluctuations of Yin Power within her body.
Li Xiaolou was indeed a member of the Demon Sect!
Demon Sect! Li Hong narrowed his eyes, focusing on the faintly enchanting figure ahead. A surge of battle intent erupted uncontrollably in his heart. With a cold snort, Yue Que shot out from his forehead, the golden light flashing as it struck directly at Li Xiaolou, half a mile away.
Li Xiaolou's figure suddenly became clear. The white jade flute she had been holding appeared, and with a swift yet precise motion, she turned to point it at Yue Que.
With a crisp sound, time seemed to freeze.
Suddenly, a powerful force erupted with a muffled boom, sending both of them tumbling dozens of miles through the air.
Li Hong flew backward for quite some time before finally stabilizing himself. His chest surged with blood and energy, and his vision darkened. Yue Que quickly retreated into his Upper Dantian. Upon internal inspection, he saw that one of the seven souls formed from ten golden pills had lost its luster. He was shocked; Li Xiaolou's cultivation was unexpectedly high! Though she had not yet formed an infant, she was at least at the late stage of Transmutation. How had she managed to conceal her cultivation level and the unique aura of a Demon Sect Monster?!
The two stared at each other from afar.
Li Xiaolou had already stabilized herself, calm and composed, standing on a cloud with her garments fluttering. Her crown was nowhere to be seen, and her long black hair flowed behind her. She looked stunningly beautiful like a celestial being but bore an entirely different enchanting aura than before.
She said leisurely, "Do you think having a Celestial Artifact means you can defeat me? You are mistaken. This Moonlight Flute was gifted by my adoptive father; you are not my match. It's a pity that the only person who can speak my name is an enemy; even I find it quite regrettable."
Only then did Li Hong catch his breath. His eyes narrowed as he asked slowly, "Who exactly are you? What is your relationship with Yandao Demon Lord? Could he be your adoptive father?"
"You are not worthy to know! It's unfortunate; we could have been friends. Since you have recognized my origins, I cannot spare you!" Li Xiaolou's eyes were filled with killing intent; the crimson spot in her pupils gradually spread until her entire iris turned deep red, contrasting sharply with her snow-white complexion, exuding an exceptionally chilling allure.
The Moonlight Flute slowly flew from her hand. With a pointed finger, she summoned a Crystal Light that shot towards him as she coldly declared:
"I also have a Celestial Artifact!"
This Moonlight Flute was also a Celestial Artifact! Without time to think further, Li Hong summoned Yue Que once more to barely intercept the approaching Crystal Light.
With a loud crash, both figures retreated sharply once again. This time, Li Hong was prepared, yet he still fell back a full ten miles. In contrast, Li Xiaolou only retreated a short distance before stabilizing her stance, elegantly brushing her hair back with her delicate hand, exuding an unmatched grace, though her gaze was chillingly cold.
Yue Que's previous strike had dimmed the essence of his spirit again, but it was fine; he still had at least seven strikes left! Li Hong bit down hard, and Yue Que was sent flying once more, striking first as he aimed a painful blow at the Moonlight Flute. At the same time, the Five Elements Shuttle unleashed five consecutive strikes of Iridescence that shot straight towards Li Xiaolou.
Li Xiaolou smiled leisurely, suddenly producing a moon-white silk fan in her hand. She began to recite softly:
"Silver Candle Autumn Light Cold Painting Screen, lightly waving a small fan to chase the fireflies. Heavenly Street under the cool night sky, sitting to watch the Cowherd and Weaver Girl Stars."
With her jade-like hand holding the fan, she swayed it gracefully from side to side, her long black hair dancing behind her white figure, exuding elegance and beauty.
Suddenly, several thin strands of Black Light flew out from the delicate moon-white silk fan with a crisp sound, causing the Five Elements Shuttle to be knocked back violently.
Li Hong's expression changed as he commanded the Five Elements Shuttle to charge forward again.
Li Xiaolou's figure floated gracefully as she continued to sway the silk fan. Thin strands of Black Light shot out from the fan, increasing to twelve in number. They not only reached the Five Elements Shuttle but also zipped through the battlefield towards Li Hong himself.
The Black Light resembled poisonous needles. Li Hong's expression turned serious as he summoned Lingyi to fly around him rapidly, creating an impenetrable barrier while simultaneously increasing the attack speed of the Five Elements Shuttle. However, a series of sharp sounds rang out like popping beans.
The sky darkened with rolling clouds. A sudden strong wind arose, transforming the lush green mountains and waters below. The newly sprouted tender willows and trees were all affected. In the hazy rain and mist, fragments of leaves and grass sprouts flew about along with swirling sand and stones, while pink and red flower petals were trampled into mud.
The fierce wind rushed towards them as they battled fiercely in mid-air.
What had been a clash of strength now shifted as both withdrew their energy-draining Celestial Artifacts and focused their full attention on using Superior Spirit Artifacts for close combat. Li Hong's Five Elements Shuttle was agile and strange, while Li Xiaolou's silk fan with its black needles could both attack and defend. They concentrated intensely on each other, barely managing to reach a stalemate, though Li Hong found himself slightly at a disadvantage.
Suddenly, Li Xiaolou's expression changed sharply. Li Hong was overjoyed.
The Beast Cultivator Elders were rushing towards them.
Li Hong couldn't help but exclaim, "You are merely in the late stage of Transmutation without having formed your Nascent Soul; with my reinforcements arriving, you will surely have no place to bury yourself!"
"Shameless! So many people attacking one weak woman," Li Xiaolou retorted angrily.
"The Demon Cult has never cared about any sense of justice; after all, group attacks were invented by you! Besides, what does it matter if you are a woman? Where are you weak? You certainly know how to put on a show!" Li Hong mocked loudly.
"I will kill you before they arrive," Li Xiaolou said calmly. Suddenly, she summoned the Moonlight Flute again, and with a flash of Crystal Light, the Moonlight Flute expanded to forty or fifty zhang. A massive crystal shadow resembling a mountain descended upon Li Hong with overwhelming force.
This move was the culmination of Li Xiaolou's lifelong power, truly formidable. Even before it struck, Li Hong felt the immense pressure; his skin began to crack inch by inch, oozing streams of bright red blood.
It hurt, it hurt immensely!
Li Hong bit down hard on Steel Tooth, and Yue Que pierced through his forehead. However, due to the limitations of his power, it could not grow larger. It struck heavily at the center of the Moonlight Flute, causing it to tremble slightly, but the downward momentum only paused for a moment before continuing to strike down at Li Hong.
In this critical moment, Li Hong channeled his Awareness through his arms, gripping Yue Que tightly. He raised his hand forcefully for a desperate strike.
The two forces collided with a sharp crack. Li Hong's arm bones shattered. His body fell uncontrollably like a heavy weight.
Li Xiaolou was not faring any better; her body shook violently as the Moonlight Flute reverted to its original form and flew back. She called back the Moonlight Flute and was about to launch another attack to eliminate Li Hong when her body suddenly froze.
In an instant, Li Xiaolou's face turned purple, her teeth chattering lightly as her eyes bled red. The flesh on her face twisted grotesquely, with clear worm-like things writhing beneath her skin. Flower Beauty had instantly become terrifying.
She helplessly said, "Now this! You’re lucky."
Taking out a pill from her pocket, she swallowed it down. The Soul Summoning and Spirit Refining Banner appeared beneath her feet in an instant. Black Light vanished into the sky.
********
As soon as Black Light disappeared, Shui Qingzi was the first to arrive but saw no trace of Li Hong.
The area around was nearly flattened; green mountains had turned into barren hills, and below lay a massive pit filled with filthy muddy water. It must have been a hundred zhang in diameter, exactly where the two had fought.
Upon closer inspection, Li Hong's presence was faintly emanating from the bottom of that huge muddy pit.
Shui Qingzi rushed down and dove into the yellow mud. Moments later, he emerged holding Li Hong.
Though Li Hong was too weak to move, he remained very conscious and alert, his eyes darting around as he shouted, "Demon girl! If you have guts, fight me again!" He feared losing face in front of Beast Cultivator Elder.
"What are you talking about? Your bones are broken in more than half; let’s go! Back to Lin'an Palace to recover. The Demon Sect has powerful experts even in Lin'an. It seems we won't be able to leave this time!" Chuxuan flew over and gave Li Hong a helpless smile.
"Should we chase after her?"
Li Hong actually felt pain all over his body. Just as he was about to shake his head, he felt a sharp pain in his neck, as if his head might fall off. He said, "Don't chase. That demoness may be alone, but who knows if she has hidden soldiers lurking in the shadows? Chuxuan is right; we should return to Lin'an Palace. Zhao Gou will make sure the Celestial Master is comfortable, or else... hm!"
The group returned to the palace.
Zhao Gou had already awakened and was overwhelmed with mixed feelings upon seeing Li Hong and his group return. However, when he saw Li Hong's limp state, he was immediately alarmed and shouted, "Chu Hongzi, the National Protector! What happened?"
Chuxuan coldly replied, "There are experts from the Golden Dog in Lin'an. This time, we must confront them!"
Zhao Gou sat back down on the dragon throne, his eyes wide open, once again displaying that look of shock and fear.
Chuxuan, feeling exasperated, said coldly, "Let's go to the Emerald Cold Hall first. Uncle Emperor, please summon the imperial physician and find an expert to help my senior brother fix his bones. We have no one here who can do that."
Zhao Gou snapped back to reality and repeatedly agreed. Moments later, a swarm of seventeen or eighteen imperial physicians rushed into the Emerald Cold Hall. Upon seeing Li Hong's body broken and deformed yet still full of vitality, they were all stunned and exchanged glances as they examined him.
Li Hong was furious: "Stop just touching me without fixing my bones! Are you idiots? Hurry up and set my bones properly! I need to heal!"
The physicians wiped the sweat from their brows and complied, jumping onto the bed to work together to set Li Hong's broken bones. Half an hour later, Li Hong realized he was tightly bound with at least seventeen or eighteen layers of white cloth wrapped around him; even his little finger couldn't bend.
He was enraged: "Who told you to wrap me up so tightly? You’re only supposed to bind one layer!"
The physicians obediently followed his orders and left with bowed heads. The room finally quieted down.
Li Hong struggled to sit cross-legged; the earlier vitality had vanished without a trace, and his expression suddenly turned cold.
Earlier, Li Xiaolou could have easily killed him and escaped, but at a critical moment, something seemed off with her; she appeared to be losing control. Could there be an issue with her cultivation technique? Perhaps this was why she could suppress her Demonic Cultivation Technique aura. So next time they crossed paths, could he take advantage of this?
With some clarity in his mind, Li Hong felt a deep sense of regret; such a beautiful woman turned out to be from the Demon Sect. It was quite intriguing who her adoptive father really was.
It seemed that Li Xiaolou held a significant position within the Demon Sect. She would be his greatest enemy on this journey.
With great difficulty, Li Hong used his swollen, carrot-like fingers to form a seal and took out the healing Elixir he had brought from the Cosmic Bag. After consuming it, he held a small piece of Supreme Celestial Stone in each hand and began to meditate for healing.
Outside, the Beast Cultivator Elder surrounded the Emerald Cold Hall with layers of guards, not allowing anyone to enter.
Zhao Gou was like an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth at the entrance of the Emerald Cold Hall, anxiously hoping to see Li Hong come out soon for details.
Chuxuan dared not speak to him anymore; his nephew's words were simply too hurtful. After thinking it over, he felt that Chu Hongzi, the National Protector, was easier to talk to than Chuxuan. Moreover, since he was here this time, perhaps he could truly cure his stubborn ailment. As for the matter concerning Yue Fei, he had to find a way to appease the Celestial Master.
Originally, he could have pushed the blame onto Qin Hui, but since he had already admitted that everything was his own idea, Zhao Gou couldn't help but feel like slapping himself.
He decided to ignore it and push Qin Hui out instead. He would start by recalling Zhao Ding. Chu Hongzi, the National Protector, had always liked Zhao Ding; perhaps this old man could persuade Chu Hongzi not to be angry with him anymore.
With this thought in mind, Zhao Gou's eyes lit up as he summoned an Inner Palace Guard over and whispered his plan.
The Inner Palace Guard understood and nodded before quietly leaving.
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