In the next second, Xiangliu suddenly bared his sharp, terrifying fangs. At the same time, his long fingernails extended rapidly, glinting with a chilling, hair-raising light. It was an utterly horrific sight. Terrified, Leng Qingqiu trembled uncontrollably. She clutched the Little Fox in her arms, her eyes wide with fear, and as her mouth fell open, she let out a wail and burst into tears. Her sobbing echoed through the silent night, sounding profoundly miserable and wretched.
"Wah... you’re too scary! If you want to eat someone, eat me! Let the Little Fox go; it didn’t offend you!" A white Mingzhu fell to the ground...
Xiangliu’s eyes suddenly reverted to blue. Helpless, he said, "All you do is cry, as if you’ve suffered some great grievance. Who is whose master? You don’t listen to me, and yet you think you have a reason to cry."
"I want to go home first. Take me back. I’ll pack my things, then I’ll head out with you."
"Fine. If you try to pull any more tricks, I will skin this beast alive immediately."
Mingzhang, currently in the form of the Little Fox, was so frightened that he ducked into Leng Qingqiu’s arms. The young Daoist who had once exorcised demons and warded off evil was now completely at the mercy of another, manipulated at every turn by Xiangliu. Was this truly the fated disaster he was destined to meet?
Leng Qingqiu held the Little Fox and followed obediently behind Xiangliu. The bright red finger marks on her neck burned with pain, but she had no time to tend to them.
After leaving the town, they traveled day and night, sleeping in the open and going hungry. Several times, Leng Qingqiu woke up from hunger; only the Little Fox occasionally brought her wild berries to help her stave off the starvation. Passing the mountain ahead, they reached Baiyun Temple. The Little Fox tugged at the corner of Leng Qingqiu's clothes, trying to steer her toward the temple.
"Lord Xiangliu, are you thirsty? Why don't we stop at Baiyun Temple for a drink of water?"
"What kind of game are you trying to play now?"
"You are so powerful; you surely wouldn't deign to look at those stubborn Daoists, right?"
"Of course I don't fear them. Are you trying to use reverse psychology on me?"
"Not at all."
"But I do have an old friend in the temple I need to see."
"You really are incredible to have friends everywhere. Heh heh heh." In her heart, she thought it was a rare stroke of fate for a demon to be friends with a Daoist.
They set off at once. The Little Fox ran ahead, looking back every so often, familiar with the path. Xiangliu wondered what exactly the boy Mingzhang was plotting. Could it be another scheme concocted by Daoist Chunyang?
The grand gate of Baiyun Temple was inscribed with the golden characters for "Blessed Land of Caves and Heavens." Many Daoists bustled about, and the incense smoke was thick. Passing through the main gate, they reached a massive altar crowded with people. Xiangliu and Leng Qingqiu followed the Little Fox all the way to the inner hall.
"Long time no see! You’ve come at just the right time." A Daoist with the hair of a crane and the face of a child, exuding an ethereal air and wearing golden Daoist robes with a lotus crown, walked out. Mingzhang followed closely behind, dressed in white Daoist robes.
"Old Daoist Chunyang, my arrival is just a trap you laid out, isn't it? This Little Fox is your guide, after all!" Xiangliu pointed at Mingzhang and sneered.
"If you knew everything, why dare you come, little demon Xiangliu?" With that, he summoned his magic artifact, the Chunyang Sword. The sword’s energy tore through the air, flying straight toward Xiangliu...
Xiangliu summoned the White-Feathered Golden-Crowned Eagle and rode it into the clouds. The Chunyang Sword pursued them closely. Chunyangzi and Xiangliu clashed in the clouds; suddenly, storm clouds gathered, and lightning and thunder roared...
The young Daoist Mingzhang pulled Leng Qingqiu toward the inner hall.
"Follow me. Master is subduing a demon. Let’s hide quickly so we don't interfere with his casting."
"Will Xiangliu die?"
"You still have the heart to care for that monster? A demon is a demon, and a human is a human. Once Xiangliu is captured, I will beg my master to remove your Restriction, and you can resume your path of cultivation."
"Okay... but I can't stop my tears from falling!" A pearl fell to the ground.
"Are you a Jiao-people?"
"I am half-human, half-Jiao. My mother was of the Jiao-people and my father was human, but I am now without parents."
"Don't cry. I was an orphan too. Master took me in; I will beg him to take you as his disciple as well."
"But I am a half-human, half-Jiao with no aptitude for the path. Will your master take me?"
"He definitely will. I'll take you to my room. Master will be back in a while."
In that brief time, Xiangliu had already been driven by Chunyangzi to the Mount Wudang training ground. The pure Daoist energy here was immense, and Xiangliu began to lose ground.
"Old Daoist Chunyang, you are ruthless!" Xiangliu was covered in blood, severely wounded and with nowhere to flee. He was forced to unleash the Five Poisons Curse.
"I will turn your disciples and grandchildren into dust!"
"Wait! I will let you go—just spare them!"
"False mercy, pure hypocrisy! If we fight a few more rounds, you won't gain anything. Keep yourself and Mingzhang away from Leng Qingqiu, or I will raze Baiyun Temple to the ground and slaughter Mount Wudang!" Xiangliu rode the White-Feathered Golden-Crowned Eagle and flew away...
Chunyangzi clutched his chest, spat out blood, and hurriedly flew his sword back to Baiyun Temple. Truly, he was an Ancient Great Demon with overwhelming power and endless schemes; he had let him escape again.
"Master, you’ve returned! Are you injured? Eat a Golden Core to recover. Let me help you into the hall." The young Daoist Mingzhang immediately helped his master inside to heal.
"Mingzhang, you must send that little girl surnamed Leng down the mountain immediately. The grudge with Xiangliu is now set in stone. To avoid a catastrophe, let her go back to find Xiangliu."
"Master, Leng Qingqiu is an orphan—she is so pitiful! Please take her into the sect and let her earn a living here!"
"The Heavenly Dao has its own arrangements. Do not act recklessly."
"Understood, Master."
Leng Qingqiu had intended to bring them tea, but she heard these words just as she reached the door. A chill washed over her heart, as if a basin of ice water had been poured over her. She felt lost and heartbroken; she hadn't realized she was so unwelcome, that her existence was unnecessary.
Leng Qingqiu stood silently in place, her eyes filled with despair. She thought, "Since you don't need me, why should I stay here and invite humiliation? At worst, I will return to my hut and live my life alone." She gritted her teeth and turned to leave, her back looking profoundly lonely. She decided that from now on, she would never rely on others again; she would learn to be independent and self-reliant, living by her own strength. Although the road ahead might be difficult, she believed that as long as she persisted, she would find her own happiness and worth.
She headed straight for the mountain gate and left Baiyun Temple quietly. *If they won't have me here, there will be a place that will.* However, as soon as she stepped out, she was grabbed by the neck by Xiangliu. "You were hoping I’d be beaten to ashes by that old Daoist, weren't you? Sorry to disappoint you!"
His fingers suddenly turned long and sharp, transforming into vicious claws. He did not hesitate to drive his nails deep into the spot over Leng Qingqiu’s heart—his movements swift and ruthless.
As the nails pierced her, a drop of heart’s blood, bright as a gemstone, floated out like a brilliant Mingzhu. The drop of blood traced a beautiful arc through the air and landed on Xiangliu’s lips.
Xiangliu opened his mouth and drank the blood. In an instant, a surge of immense power rose within him. His wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and his previously weakened body instantly became vibrant and full of life.
He felt his strength return in an instant, his entire being surging with vitality. A look of firm resolve flickered in his eyes, as if he had regained the power of life itself.
Leng Qingqiu fainted from the pain. Her vision went black, and she collapsed into Xiangliu’s arms. "I'm taking you home." Xiangliu swept her up into his arms and vanished from the gate in an instant...