Now, young Daoist Mingzhang had just finished watching Xiangliu's utterly marvelous and spectacular performance! As for himself, he had been frozen stiff behind the screen, unable to so much as twitch a muscle. Right then, it suddenly dawned on him that this formidable demon calling himself "Xiangliu" was definitely no ordinary entity! This was completely different from what his master Chunyangzi had repeatedly drilled into him before his departure: "All is ready except the east wind; this Xiangliu is not that Xiangliu." Having finally seized an opportunity to descend the mountain and catch a demon, he had run straight into a top-tier Demon King right out of the gate. His own meager Daoist arts were utterly dwarfed by comparison, completely inadequate for the task. Well, this was just great! Not only had he failed to rescue anyone, but he had gotten himself immobilized and forced to watch such R-rated imagery—how utterly humiliating! He had no idea how he was going to face his master upon returning...
Xiangliu was in no particular rush, slowly feeding on his "human blood bag" as he lowered his head to ask Leng Qingqiu, "You dare run away, and even bring a man back? Are you tired of living, or does your father not want to live anymore?"
"Nothing of the sort," Leng Qingqiu said, dizzy and lightheaded from having her blood sucked. "Spare my father. He has never done a bad thing in his life. If you want to eat someone, eat me, but don't toy with me."
"Let me ask you, who is that pretty boy behind the screen?"
"He's my old flame. I was planning to bring him back to meet my father."
"You have quite the heavy taste in men, though he certainly looks delicate and refined."
"I... I... I just happen to type this kind."
"Fine then, I won't tease you anymore. I have matters to attend to today, so I'll take my leave." With a spin, he turned and left the room.
After a moment, young Daoist Mingzhang felt his seals lift, and he stealthily prepared to slip away. The moment he moved, Leng Qingqiu, lying on the bed, spoke up.
"Daoist Ming, you're finally willing to show yourself. Why didn't you save me just now instead of watching me get bullied by Xiangliu?"
Mingzhang's face flushed a deep crimson—it wasn't like he could go around telling people he'd been immobilized by a great demon without losing face! So he retorted loftily, "You female benefactor, you were clearly rendezvous-ing with your lover, yet you dragged me into a demon-hunting mess that turned into such a farce. Since I'm leaving, I won't charge you any silver."
"Didn't you brag before coming that you would uphold justice on behalf of heaven and that Xiangliu was no match for you? How come you're tucking your tail and retreating now that you've hit a snag?"
"I really didn't mean any such thing! My master has more business with me, so I must take my leave." With a Thousand-Mile Escape Talisman, he bolted like a puff of smoke...
"Hahaha, what a bragging, ugly Daoist, an absolute coward!"
Mingzhang's voice-projection talisman drifted down from the sky.
"Old Man Leng is in mortal danger! Hurry and rescue him at the threshing floor behind Leng Family Village!"
Hearing this, Leng Qingqiu was frantic with anxiety! Without another word, she quickly mounted her beloved little donkey and galloped toward the village. Along the way, her mood grew increasingly heavy, filled with endless worry and dread.
Yet fate always seemed to love playing tricks on people. The more worried one was, the easier it was for things to go wrong. Leng Qingqiu stumbled along the way, and even the little donkey seemed to sense its master's nervous tension, its footing becoming somewhat unsteady. But she did not stop, riding on with resolute determination.
Finally, Leng Qingqiu reached the village entrance. When she saw the scene before her, she froze in shock. The once serene and peaceful village had been swallowed by a raging sea of fire, billowing thick smoke and fierce flames. The entire village was utterly unrecognizable, a scene of broken walls and utter devastation everywhere.
Leng Qingqiu's heart ached as if pierced by a knife, and tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. She could not believe what she was seeing; this land she once knew so well had turned to ruins overnight. She had no idea how to face such a tragic spectacle, nor whether the villagers were safe!
Leng Qingqiu prepared to rush in to save people, only to see Xiangliu standing above the sea of fire with a grave expression. He gazed indifferently at the utter devastation, the corpses everywhere, and the raging inferno, before turning and leaving. Leng Qingqiu burst into loud sobs. If Xiangliu were real, there would be nothing strange about this, but why did he burn down the entire village? And what about Old Man Leng? Even though she had obediently allowed him to feed on her and control her, was he still going to kill her father? Anger surged within her. Her eyes turned blue, and her entire body burst forth with a dazzling, multicolored radiance. An intangible power erupted within her, forming spontaneously. Unable to control the primordial strength surging inside her, the entire sea of fire was shaken by a powerful sonic wave and extinguished in a single second. The next instant, completely drained of strength, Leng Qingqiu was caught and pulled into Xiangliu's embrace...
"Why did you slaughter the entire village? My father was in there!" Leng Qingqiu shed a single drop of blood-tear, which turned into a red pearl and fell into Xiangliu's palm.
"I didn't."
"It was obviously you."
"Sometimes, seeing is not necessarily believing."
"I... I..." Before she could finish her sentence, Leng Qingqiu fainted. Her blue pupils slowly faded back to their original black, but her hair turned a silvery-gray, and her delicate facial features became as hauntingly ethereal as a demon's!
At that moment, Xiangliu picked up Leng Qingqiu and flew toward his home in the Undersea World. A giant oyster shell opened, and Xiangliu gently laid Leng Qingqiu down, carefully examining the drop of blood-tear in his palm. This girl was truly the destined one; it seemed she knew nothing of her own lineage. Whoever was playing these games up in the heavens really had a twisted sense of fun! In just a split second, the oyster shell sank into the depths of the sea, weaving through giant, magnificent, and dazzling coral reefs. Xiangliu channeled his energy to heal the injured Leng Qingqiu on the bed. This girl was just like he had been back then—merely the fallout of bored people in high places amusing themselves, perhaps destined never to know who she truly was for her entire life. At that moment, a strange sense of shared empathy stirred within him!
Leng Qingqiu woke up. She opened her eyes to see Xiangliu quietly watching her. In this unfamiliar environment and unknown place, she felt terrified. Thinking of Old Man Leng whose fate remained unknown, tears began to flow, dropping one by one as blood-pearls onto the carpet. She sobbed in despair.
Xiangliu pulled Leng Qingqiu into a tight embrace. "Cry again, and I'll bite you to death right now, and send you and your father to be reunited."
"I did everything you told me to! Why are you treating me like this? I tried so hard, why won't you let me and my father stay?"
"Because I am a demon! I am Xiangliu, the heinous Xiangliu! But I didn't kill your father."
"Then who did?"
"Even if I told you, it's useless. He is not human! He is a god you cannot afford to offend. Leng Qingqiu, from now on you are all alone in this world, so I suppose I'll reluctantly take you in."
"I won't go with you! I want to go home!"
"You can leave then. Off you go!"
Only then did Leng Qingqiu carefully look at the magnificent scenery outside. The giant oyster shell rested deep on the ocean floor, where countless fish of varying colors swam about in schools. The coral was breathtakingly beautiful. At that moment, the Undersea World suddenly soothed her anxious and helpless heart. Xiangliu walked over, holding a plate of fruit.
"Eat your fill, and I'll take you out to see things in a bit."
"It's so beautiful! But I have no heart to enjoy it, and I don't know how to swim."
"I'll teach you. Come here."
Leng Qingqiu was yanked over abruptly as a giant water shield enveloped them in a sphere. Xiangliu pulled her along as they flew outward. Everything was as picturesque as a painting, while Xiangliu remained by her side in silence, quietly guarding her...