Chapter 222: So I’m the Protagonist After All (18)
“Although the Demon Abyss seal has failed on the nine continents’ side, those demons have altered the sealing formation. Now, this Sea’s Edge only allows the demon race to freely enter the nine continents, but doesn’t allow attacks from this side—”
“It’s a pity that these captured demons have revealed too little. We only recently used a soul-searching technique on one of them, but only managed to find out a small path from the nine continents into it…”
“After the destruction of the Thirteen Schools, the demon race hasn’t made any major moves. We don’t know what conspiracy they’re brewing, and we must find out more.”
Six months later.
At the headquarters of the Thirteen Schools, the Righteous Alliance meeting was being held.
The sea breeze blew from all directions on this sunny island. A misty white figure, as straight as a pine or bamboo, held a fishing rod in one hand, wearing a bamboo hat. Her white veil fluttered gently in the wind. She leaned against a rock on the beach, eyes closed, as if she didn’t see the tugging fishing line.
“Senior Sister… A fish is biting!”
A figure appeared beside her at some point, sneaking up to Su Mingxiu and suddenly whispering in her ear.
Su Mingxiu didn’t even open her eyes, nor did she pull the fishing rod, “Who’s your Senior Sister?”
Since she wouldn’t move, the person took the initiative and pulled up the fishing rod in one go. However, the hook was empty, even the bait was gone.
As if seeing her dejected expression, Su Mingxiu slowly opened her eyes and spread her hand towards Yan Miaomiao, “You’re too impatient. You want to reel in before the fish even takes the bait.”
Yan Miaomiao hadn’t come to help her reel in. Now, she put her hands on her hips and looked at her, “I don’t care, you are my Senior Sister.”
The little girl had grown a lot compared to her time in the Hundred Flower Sect, and was now half a step into the Golden Core stage. Although she no longer wore the hairpin with the illusion spell that Su Mingxiu had given her,
She had blossomed like a summer begonia, lively and charming. Her bright brocade robe instantly made her the most beautiful scenery on the beach.
Su Mingxiu had been “forced” to return to the righteous path six months ago and was now a guest elder of the Sword Sect.
Because she didn’t return to the Hundred Flower Sect, there were inevitably some rumors about the discord between her and the sect. The more unpleasant ones still questioned whether she had used the demon to kill her master, a heinous crime.
But she didn’t care at all, nor did she defend herself. She didn’t take the initiative to participate in any Righteous Alliance meetings about the demon race. She just fished on the beach every day. Regardless of whether she had any harvest, she would always leave empty-handed, taking her fishing rod to another small island to meditate and cultivate.
Hearing Yan Miaomiao’s stubborn words, Su Mingxiu nodded noncommittally. Seeing that the wind was strong today, she didn’t bother to sleep here. She simply reeled in the fishing line, put away the fishing rod, and prepared to return to her island.
Yan Miaomiao followed her, “Senior Sister, how are you feeling today? Do you want to make lunch?”
“No.”
Su Mingxiu ruthlessly rejected her, “Didn’t your Hundred Flower Sect recently make new flavors of inedia pills? They even simulated the taste of spirit beast meat. Can’t the so-called vegetarian pills with meaty aroma satisfy you?”
“Eating meat is eating meat! Eating vegetarian is eating vegetarian! This kind of false advertising of vegetarian meat and vegetarian pills is just fooling people!”
Yan Miaomiao said as she chased after her from behind.
Hearing her words, Su Mingxiu’s eyes under the bamboo hat showed a meaningful look, but she didn’t say much, letting her follow her without any principles, pestering her to make lunch, saying all kinds of nice things.
After arriving at the desolate island, with neither spring flowers nor winter snow, only dark cliffs, Su Mingxiu finally spoke, but not to answer her request, “Rare guest, what brings Elder Xuanling here?”
Hearing her words, Yan Miaomiao knew that they had serious matters to discuss, and her lunch was ruined again. She immediately drooped her head and shoulders, turned around dejectedly, and left.
Just as she turned around, a plate of pumpkin cakes suddenly appeared in her arms. The little girl looked at the bright yellow, festive-looking pastries on the plate, still steaming hot, and didn’t react. Su Mingxiu asked with a smile, “Don’t like them? Then give them back.”
“No way! They’re mine now that you’ve given them to me! I’ll eat them all, and I won’t even return the plate!”
Yan Miaomiao ran away with the plate of pumpkin cakes.
Nearby.
Su Mingxiu put away her smile and even politely took off her bamboo hat, letting her dazzling face appear generously under the sunlight, allowing it to be gilded.
Xuanling rarely didn’t have the smell of alcohol on him. Looking at Su Mingxiu’s expression, he felt that the elders in the sect were all cunning, knowing that Su Mingxiu was difficult to deal with, so they pushed this hot potato to him.
Now, facing Su Mingxiu’s gaze, he sighed in his heart, raised his hand, and scratched his forehead, “Ahem, we recently caught a few demon minions.”
This opening was very familiar.
Su Mingxiu remembered that in her previous life, before she was sent to the demon territory as a spy to scout for the righteous path, this nominal master had also used this opening remark.
She had a flash of inspiration. After Elder Xuanling stammered and finished talking about the alliance’s decision, she said, “With my cultivation level, once I enter the Demon Abyss, I’ll be as bright as a lightbulb, instantly attracting the attention of the demon leaders. It’s not appropriate for me to go, right?”
“Yes, the candidates for this mission to the Demon Abyss have been decided. Originally, the Sword Sect, Buddhist Sect, Hundred Flower Sect, and Joyful Union Sect would each send a disciple to form the infiltration team. But they are still young, and the hope and future of their sects. If possible, we hope that someone can escort them—”
“I remember you can change your cultivation level at will. Few in the nine continents have such talent…”
Having said that, the meaning was quite clear.
Su Mingxiu remembered that when she went in her previous life, she didn’t have such good conditions, nor did she have a powerful being to look after her. It was completely up to her whether she lived or died. Now, facing this master, she thought for a moment and extended her hand towards him.
Elder Xuanling: “?”
“Since you want me to do something, shouldn’t the Sword Sect show some sincerity? You don’t want to get something for nothing, do you?”
Xuanling: “??”
Who said that Su Mingxiu treated him differently and was especially respectful! Where was the respect in her profiteering face?!
That night.
In the center of the thirteen islands, like stars guarding the sea, the tallest and most precipitous one was lit by bonfires, like fireflies on a summer night, gathering a patch of light on the sea.
Su Mingxiu stood with her sword, looking at the three people walking towards her. They were the leader of the Sword Sect, the chief disciple of the Joyful Union Sect… and the new Senior Sister of the Hundred Flower Sect.
Her gaze swept past Huaxuan at the end, as if she didn’t see the complicated emotions in the other person’s eyes. She naturally looked at Elder Xuanling, who was coming towards them.
He was here to see them off, and also gave them a few strangely shaped bottles emitting a faint fragrance, “These are divine objects that the sect specifically borrowed from the Buddhist Sect and the Black Miao Tribe to ensure your safety. When you return, we will remove them for you.”
After receiving the bottles, Su Mingxiu immediately knew what was inside without even opening them—
Gu.
This was a treatment she didn’t have in her previous life.
Thinking of this, the corners of her lips curved into a slight arc, as if amused. The righteous sects never cared about the fall of a talented Golden Core or Nascent Soul cultivator.
What they needed to be wary of was the possibility of a young ancestor with terrifying talent, who had reached the Great Ascension stage and might have Tribulation Transcendence cultivation and demigod power at any time, abandoning the Great Path and joining the Demon Abyss.
It went without saying who this gu was meant to guard against.
Xiao Xingwei beside her had already introduced the gu into his bloodline without hesitation. Xuan Chan of the Joyful Union Sect, although her face was pale and she was particularly disgusted by this thing, after seeing his actions, she also closed her eyes, sacrificed for love, and introduced the gu into her body.
After her former Second Senior Sister, Huaxuan, had also done all this, everyone’s eyes fell on her. She pretended not to see, shook the bottle, looked left and right, and asked curiously, “Since each sect is sending one person, why don’t I see anyone from the Buddhist Sect?”
“The Buddhist Sect cultivates Zen. Monks don’t tell lies, and they will help you in other ways.”
Su Mingxiu withdrew her gaze and didn’t speak anymore, letting the porcelain bottle open. A spider the size of her little fingernail crawled out and burrowed into her flesh and blood.
Seeing her like this, Xuanling’s heart calmed down a little. But when he spoke next, he tried not to look at her.
Their spiritual power was lowered, and the other three used pills and spirit-binding formations. Not only did they disguise their strength, but they also put on makeup and disguised themselves just in case before setting off.
The small infiltration team was taken to land. Compared to the islands of the Thirteen Schools, where they needed to sail to the dangerous Sea’s Edge and fall into the whirlpool from the high seas in the midst of a storm, this small path was much safer.
Apart from the formation that could only be activated by demons, there was no safer place—at least it seemed that way.
Because in the next second, after a flash of black and red light, Su Mingxiu and the others who entered the formation knew why the demon had revealed this location this time. Because they… had fallen into the demon’s trading market.
Demons of all shapes and sizes, with different horns on their heads, looked over at them. Seeing these cultivators appearing in the teleportation formation, the spiritual light emanating from their bodies was brighter than the moon in the night sky.
The four surrounded people: “…”
Xiao Xingwei’s scalp went numb. Just as he was about to draw his Tai’e Sword, he saw Su Mingxiu, who was leading the way, raise her hands without hesitation, completely abandoning the demeanor of a righteous cultivator, and directly giving up resistance.
Several bull-headed demons rushed over from all directions, tied her up tightly with monster tendons, and then looked at Xiao Xingwei and the others, who were preparing to resist, with fierce eyes.
A moment later—
In the demon trading market, four freshly baked two-legged sheep, with delicate skin and tender flesh, were on display.
Whether they were used for alchemy or simply eaten whole, the news spread like wildfire. The surrounding demons, their eyes shining, were already fighting over the bidding price.
Xuan Chan, who had originally planned to condemn her, smelled the strong scent of blood in the air, looked at the woman who was sitting there smiling, adding fuel to the fire, and causing a river of blood to flow without even lifting a finger. She shrank her neck and didn’t say anything.
In less than fifteen minutes.
In the highest Black Stone Dock of the Demon Abyss, fresh news was presented on the table. The person sitting behind the long table was dressed in the black and red robes of the Demon Lord. Blood lines extended from the fingertips hanging by her side. With a casual hook of her pale fingers, the person kneeling in front of the table, who was speaking, suddenly choked, the veins in his throat bulging, his whole body convulsing, unable to utter another word as he died.
“Drag him away.”
The person behind the table gave a light command, watching as two demonesses silently stepped forward, trembling as they collected the corpse. Because they were afraid that her demonic power would kill them as well, they disappeared very quickly.
…The one hundred and thirty-fourth spy sent by the Heavenly Demon.
The person thought so, listlessly picking up the demon image stone recording the scene on top. She saw the noisy scene of the demon market and originally wanted to know what kind of righteous cultivators could cause such a commotion. A moment later, her gaze focused on a very familiar figure.
She tried to find familiar traces in the other person’s eyes. But the contours of those eyes seemed to have been altered by a clumsy craftsman’s hand, and the curves were not so perfect, like a flawed replica.
Sui Yihuan withdrew her gaze, summoned someone over, and pointed at the few people in the image, “These people are too restless. They are probably spies sent by the righteous path. Just in case, bring them to Black Stone City.”
After a pause.
She pointed at the proper-looking woman in the center, “Especially this one—”
“Keep a close watch on her, don’t let her escape. She looks like a cunning one.”
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