Chapter 225: Reaping the Spoils, A Spirit in the Immortal Realm
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The crisp sound of footsteps echoed on the deserted street.
A mysterious woman emerged from the shadows, her movements graceful and seductive, yet also regal and imposing, her aura shrouded in the darkness.
She flicked her fingers, and the broken fan that had fallen earlier flew into her hand.
With a flash of light, a pale blue flame ignited, repairing the damaged fan, restoring its intricate floral embroidery and red tassels. It was once again a beautiful and elegant accessory.
“That unlucky demon. He just had to run into that scholar.”
The mysterious woman looked down at Fan Qi’s ashes, a mocking smile on her lips. “That Luo Xing title must have gone to his head. So arrogant and impulsive, attacking without even knowing his opponent’s true strength… What a waste of his Crimson Demon cultivation.
Decades of hard work, reduced to ashes in an instant. How pathetic. And now, someone else will reap the benefits.”
She flicked her fingers again, and wisps of gray mist converged towards her.
The mist coalesced into a small orb, which she pressed against her chest, absorbing it into her body.
“…So Prince Pei has ambitions of his own, hoping to carve out a piece of this chaotic world for himself.”
She savored the remnants of Fan Qi’s memories, her eyes narrowing, a satisfied smile on her face. “Although he was a fool, his Yin energy is quite pure. It will be useful for patching up this makeshift body.”
“And as for this—”
She glanced down at her feet and tapped the ground, creating ripples of energy.
A strange vessel, about the size of a water pitcher, emerged from the ground beside her, covered in mysterious inscriptions and intricate cracks. A chilling aura emanated from it, the temperature plummeting, frost forming on the surrounding surfaces.
“An interesting idea, to create chaos and harvest Yin energy before the New Year. But it seems he failed. He even tried to destroy the Human Soul Repository in his final moments, but he died too quickly, only releasing a small amount of Yin energy.”
She chuckled and waved her hand, storing the Human Soul Repository in her sleeve.
“This matter is settled. Now…”
She turned and looked in the direction Lin Tianlu had gone, a playful smile on her lips. “I have to keep my promise and play with you, scholar. I won’t be satisfied until I’ve made you suffer for humiliating me.”
She looked down at her own body, a thoughtful expression on her face.
Her short silver skirt, adorned with small jewels, barely concealed her voluptuous figure, its luxurious and revealing design accentuating her curves, her every movement seductive and alluring, her skin shimmering in the moonlight.
“Fashion has certainly changed in the past thousand years. This outfit might attract too much attention.”
She recalled the clothing she had seen these past few days and tapped her chest lightly.
With a flash of light, her silver dress transformed into an elegant and dignified robe, like a court lady’s attire, its long skirt reaching the ground, a jade belt cinched around her waist.
“This is more appropriate.”
She smiled, her movements graceful and refined, a delicate fan in her hand, her demeanor like that of a noble lady.
But her eyes sparkled with mischief as she moved through the deserted streets, her figure blurring like a phantom.
“The New Year is still a while away. I need to find some entertainment… Hmm?”
She suddenly stopped, her eyes widening in surprise as she looked towards the distance.
Invisible to ordinary eyes, but clear to her, a massive amount of Yin energy was converging towards a single point, forming a swirling vortex, like a pillar of light reaching for the sky.
“That’s not something an ordinary demon or ghost could do. Could it be… that fox I saw at the inn?”
She frowned, her hand touching the Human Soul Repository hidden in her sleeve. “There was something strange about her, as if she was on the verge of a breakthrough. And now, with the Yin energy released from the damaged Repository, it’s all flowing towards her. What a lucky coincidence.”
After a moment of thought, she decided not to interfere.
“It’s pointless. With that scholar there, I would only be humiliating myself.”
Her eyes flickered, and a playful smile returned to her lips. “I’ll just go ahead and prepare a little surprise for them.”
With that, she turned and vanished into the night.
…
Meanwhile, Lin Tianlu had just returned to the inn.
“What—”
He looked up at the torrent of Yin energy erupting from the inn, his eyes wide with surprise.
Sensing the familiar aura, he instantly teleported to the source, appearing in their room.
“Senior!”
Hua Shuya, her sword drawn, was struggling against the powerful Yin wind that filled the room. Seeing Lin Tianlu, she said urgently, “Miss Yun Yue… there’s something wrong with her. Her Yin energy is surging uncontrollably.”
“It seems to be a sign of a breakthrough, Sister Yun.”
Mao Ruoyu was also there, using her Yin techniques to stabilize the energy, preventing it from spreading.
Her expression was serious. “But this breakthrough is… quite unusual.”
Lin Tianlu asked, “Did she say anything before this happened?”
“No, she was asleep.”
“I understand.”
Lin Tianlu touched his chest, sensing a faint connection.
It seemed there was a link between him and Yun Yue.
Hua Shuya’s eyes flickered, and she said with a strange expression, “Senior, Miss Xuanling just spoke to me. She said that Miss Yun Yue has a deep connection with you and that you should try to help her.”
“How?”
“She doesn’t know. Perhaps you’ll understand when you get closer.”
Lin Tianlu’s lips twitched.
Such a vague answer was typical of that girl.
But Yu Xuanling wouldn’t lie to him. It was worth a try.
“Ruoyu, Shuya, stay here. I’ll take a look.”
He cautiously approached Yun Yue.
The concentration of Yin energy in the room was increasing rapidly, forming shimmering threads that crisscrossed the air, like a spiderweb, transforming the room into a mystical and dangerous realm. An ordinary person would have been consumed by this power.
But Lin Tianlu was unaffected. He brushed the threads aside and walked towards the bed, looking down at the white fox curled up on the mattress.
She seemed to be sleeping peacefully.
If it weren’t for the chaotic energy swirling around her, he wouldn’t have noticed anything unusual.
Lin Tianlu reached out and touched Yun Yue’s fur.
A blinding light erupted, and the surrounding Yin energy dissipated instantly.
…
A gentle breeze caressed his face, soft and warm.
“This is…”
Lin Tianlu opened his eyes. The mist before him cleared, revealing a serene and peaceful forest.
But the refreshing spiritual energy filling the air told him that he was inside his own personal space, the ethereal Mount Taiyi… or rather, its foothills.
He turned to see the towering peak of Mount Taiyi in the distance, its slopes covered in lush greenery, a timeless and beautiful landscape.
“It’s been a while since I visited the foot of Mount Taiyi. The scenery is still as beautiful as ever.”
Lush plants and trees grew everywhere, their leaves vibrant and green. A vast lake shimmered in the distance, its surface shrouded in mist, a dreamlike paradise.
“But Yun Yue, she’s… Hmm?”
Lin Tianlu’s brow furrowed as he looked towards the center of the lake.
A slender figure was sitting on a small island, her back to him, a thin, translucent veil draped over her body, swaying gently in the breeze.
The woman slowly turned around.
Lin Tianlu’s eyes widened in surprise as he saw her face.
Her beauty was ethereal and otherworldly, almost unreal. Her short, silver hair framed her delicate features, accentuating her crimson eyes.
And her attire was similar to the robes worn by Mao Ruoyu and the others in their transformed states, a black and gold dress that clung to her curves, revealing her smooth shoulders and ample bosom, a golden pendant hanging between her breasts, its ribbons barely concealing her cleavage. A sheer, watery fabric covered her legs, tied at her waist.
Despite her seated position, she exuded an aura of grace and otherworldly beauty.
Their eyes met, and Lin Tianlu’s gaze narrowed.
She shared a resemblance with Yun Yue, but her features were more delicate and youthful, like a younger sister, her figure equally alluring.
But most importantly, the aura emanating from her…
“Tianlu.”
The silver-haired woman’s voice was soft and ethereal. “Do you recognize me?”
Lin Tianlu sighed softly and walked towards the lake.
“You’re Yun Yue.”
He couldn’t mistake that aura.
Although her appearance, her voice, and even her demeanor had changed, the Yin energy surrounding her was undoubtedly hers.
And looking around, he recognized the clear lake, the small island… This was the same place he had visited in the Netherworld!
“I’m glad you recognize me.”
Yun Yue nodded slightly, her beautiful face devoid of emotion, only a chilling calmness. “But I can’t trust you yet.”
“What do you mean?”
Lin Tianlu stepped onto the water, crossing the lake in a single stride, landing on the small island.
Yun Yue looked up at him, her red eyes calm and unreadable.
“I gained some insights during my visit to the Lunar Valley. My cultivation has improved, and I’m on the verge of a breakthrough. But you took half of my soul. If I want to break through… no, if I want to truly submit to you, this is my only chance.”
Half of her soul?
Lin Tianlu pondered her words.
When they escaped from the Netherworld, he had indeed used the power of the immortal mountain to extract a large portion of her soul, both as punishment and to sever her connection to that realm.
But it seemed to have had an unexpected side effect.
“What exactly—”
“A demon’s bloodline and a Yin soul, although they can merge to form a demon-ghost hybrid, they’re also opposing forces, difficult to reconcile. And during a breakthrough, this conflict intensifies.”
Yun Yue touched her chest, her voice calm. “I am formed from the convergence of Yin souls.”
“And this ‘submission’ you mentioned…”
“You already have half of my soul. Now, the other half awaits you.” Yun Yue lowered her eyes, her voice soft. “If you absorb me completely into your immortal mountain, I will truly submit to you. My demon bloodline and my Yin soul will become one, and I, the Azure Fox, will be your loyal servant for all eternity.”
“…”
Lin Tianlu walked towards her, his expression thoughtful.
Yun Yue glanced at him. “Is something wrong?”
“Why would you even consider such a thing?”
Her face remained calm. “You’re the only man I’ve ever acknowledged. It’s only natural for me to submit to you.”
“You’ve never mentioned this before. Why now? Does this ‘submission’ have something to do with your breakthrough?”
“Yes.”
To Lin Tianlu’s surprise, Yun Yue nodded.
“Submission is necessary.”
“Explain yourself, Yun Yue. If I can help, I will. But don’t ever mention being my ‘servant’ again.” Lin Tianlu’s voice was firm. “Such words are an insult to our bond.”
“I…” A flicker of emotion finally appeared in Yun Yue’s eyes.
But she suddenly looked away.
A fox had silently descended from the sky, landing on the opposite side of the lake.
“‘She’s’ here.”
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