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墨書 Inktalez
It was really them; they had come to attack. But what was there for me to fear? My autumn and Luo Dachun had been consumed by the flames (though I didn't truly believe they could die so foolishly)! Hey, ancestors of the Nie Family, shouldn't you show some spirit?
"Qinglong, what exactly do you want to do? Father is gone, yet Ye Liuhui was still killed without hesitation. Father does not acknowledge her as his disciple. And Qinglong, on what grounds do you dare to point fingers at me?"
The voice belonged to a young boy, crisp and pleasant to hear. Zhuque, with her red hair and crimson eyes in a battle stance, slowly emerged from the Gate of Faithfulness, stepping onto the high ground where we stood.
"You beasts! If you have the guts, kill me! Otherwise, I will make sure each of you suffers a fate worse than death!" I shouted with red eyes.
"Qinglong, look at this woman. Does she care for you?" Zhuque sneered as she approached the White Path.
Ren Pingsheng slowly raised his head and said, "On what basis do you think you can command me? Simply because I am stronger than you. If I want you dead tonight, you will not see the light of day."
His aura was so fierce that Zhuque shuddered, her steps faltering.
However, after a moment's pause, Zhuque coldly laughed and said, "Yes, it used to be like that, but things are different now. Qinglong, even if you don't see it, your injuries have weakened you to the point of helplessness. So now, can you really kill me?"
Ren Pingsheng snorted and replied, "Then come and try."
Zhuque raised her left arm, revealing a crossbow that radiated an orange-red glow.
"This is the Blazing Crossbow; at this distance, neither of you will leave behind even bones. Qinglong, we are still from the same sect; why waste energy? Killing this woman would eliminate the Confidant issue for Father—what's wrong with that?"
Ren Pingsheng did not respond to her but turned to me and said, "Don't worry; don't listen to her nonsense. I will protect you. I won't let her harm you."
Zhuque scoffed. "Boring!" She aimed the crossbow at us and prepared to fire.
In that split second, two figures surged forward like a fierce wind. They dashed out from behind the jade statue and the sea of flames with lightning speed, each targeting Ren Pingsheng and Zhuque in a swift assault.
The movements of the two individuals were so swift that I could barely make them out. I only felt a chill in Ren Pingsheng's aura before he drew his curved blade with one hand. Then, everything before me blurred, and I heard a cacophony of clanging sounds in my ears.
When I regained my senses, I realized the man I was leaning against had completely changed his aura.
This familiar presence filled my heart with joy. Nie Qiuyuan's gentle voice rang in my ears: “Zhenzhen, I'm sorry to have worried you.”
I immediately wrapped my arms tightly around him. I knew they would be fine; if they were ambushed and burned to death like this, the plot development would be utterly ridiculous!
They had returned from the illusionary trial, and this brief clash proved one fact: if it were a two-on-two situation, our side held an overwhelming advantage.
Because just at that moment, Nie Qiuyuan had snatched me back from Ren Pingsheng with a speed I couldn't comprehend, while on the other side, Luo Dachun, wielding a short knife, executed the exquisite techniques of Snowfall Villa, shattering the crossbow in Zhuque's hands in an instant.
Once I understood everything and realized both sides had formed a standoff, it seemed our opponents could not pose a threat to us for the time being. I let out a long sigh of relief.
Nie Qiuyuan released me and smiled at me, pulling me behind him for protection. He turned and softly said, “Just now, you single-handedly broke Zhuque's Thunder Array. It was truly impressive and genuinely admirable!”
“Hmm, so you could see that…” I replied in surprise while feeling somewhat resentful. What I did was such a manly thing; dear husband, you admire it? That's quite peculiar.
Although I wanted to ask what had happened while they were standing there like fools, it was clearly not the right time for such questions since both sides were evidently about to clash.
Nie Qiuyuan and Luo Dachun each held their weapons (thankfully, I had casually tossed my retrieved weapon at their feet earlier) and faced off against Ren Pingsheng and Zhuque directly.
“How did you get in here?”
The question posed by Nie Qiuyuan was exactly what I wanted to know.
The reason we managed to enter this underground palace smoothly was that Luo Dachun's blood had dripped into the Hot Spring. After some experimentation, it turned out that Nie Qiuyuan's blood could also summon the “Guide.” In other words, we were able to come in because the “Blood of Life” had been acknowledged.
The method of entry, the Mirror Gate, must have been mastered long ago, as the clue of the Blood of Life was provided to us by Ren Pingsheng.
But where did the Mirror Gate obtain the Blood of Life?
A thought crossed my mind—could it be from Snowfall Villa?
Since Luo Dachun's blood has also been acknowledged, there are many who have inherited the Pure Fox Clan's bloodline from Snowfall Villa. If we simply capture one of them and draw their blood, wouldn’t that allow us to enter?
Yet I felt that this deduction was somewhat off.
The secret place beneath Tengyue Atami was certainly built by the ancestors of the Nie Qiuyuan family. As for the connection between the Nie Family and Snowfall Villa, even Luo Dachun, who currently inherits the villa, is unaware of it, let alone the Mirror Gate. If the Mirror Gate knew about the connection between Snowfall Villa and this place, Nie Qiuyuan would have known long ago, considering how long they were together at the Mirror Gate.
Thus, Luo Dachun's blood being able to open the path to the secret place was entirely a coincidence. Then, with the Nie Family already annihilated, isn’t it only through Nie Qiuyuan that Rong Fu could obtain the Blood of Life?
When did he acquire Nie Qiuyuan's blood?
"Why were we able to come in? Isn’t that quite easy?" Ren Pingsheng smiled slightly, his long fingers pointing at Zhuque. "Isn’t it because he is here?"
The key to entering Hot Sea for the Mirror Gate turned out to be Zhuque? Could it be that Zhuque developed a mechanism to pry open the Gate of Courage?
I was secretly astonished, but Nie Qiuyuan’s expression suddenly changed, seemingly shocked by this revelation.
"Xuanwu, you really are clever," Ren Pingsheng said with a smile as he glanced at Qiu before turning his gaze back to me. "Ah Ying, can you guess why Dark King took Xuanwu while my father just happened to take Zhuque when he was still in swaddling clothes? Do you think my efforts in passing on information to you all are so useless?"
It was better not to mention this matter; bringing it up made me furious.
"Efforts? Is it really such an effort for you? Brother Jiu is still lying on the bed, uncertain between life and death. Do you truly never care about human lives?"
"Brother Jiu?" Ren Pingsheng sneered, "Why should I care about his life?"
I huffed and turned my head away. "You are impossible!"
Despite my words, my mind was racing. This was all so strange.
I noticed that although Zhuque's pale face showed no expression, his crimson eyes were coldly fixed on Ren Pingsheng, revealing a hint of murderous intent. Yes, it was about the information he had conveyed to us. He had done it so secretly and without a trace. Wasn't it to keep it hidden from Rong Fu?
But why was it coming out in front of Zhuque now? Zhuque was definitely Rong Fu's loyal dog. Was Ren Pingsheng digging his own grave by doing this?
Moreover, what did Ren Pingsheng mean just now? The message he relayed to us was "Blood of Life," intended to inform us of how to enter the secret realm. So then, the key for the Mirror Gate people to enter Ruteng Rehai lay with Zhuque? Could it be that...
Could it be that the "Blood of Life" they used to enter the secret realm did not come from Nie Qiuyuan, but rather that Zhuque also possessed this "Blood of Life," which had been deemed as belonging to their side by this mysterious family?
I scrutinized Zhuque carefully. After more than two years apart, he had grown taller, no longer resembling the boy who had pretended to be called Hongxi when I first met him. His complexion remained pale, and during battles, his long hair and eyes would turn crimson, revealing sharp fangs when he opened his mouth.
At that time, Nie Qiuyuan, who was still known as Night Phantom, told me that Zhuque had been raised by Rong Fu and even took on Rong Fu's surname, with his real name being Rong Buxian—he was the closest one to Rong Fu. However, he had been fed rare medicinal substances while growing up, resulting in extraordinary intelligence and immense strength but also a change in his constitution that required him to consume human blood to survive.
In other words, Zhuque had been turned into a monster by Rong Fu through drugs.
However, if Rong Fu's other identity was Fu Zhifeng, the master of the Medicine King Pavilion, then it would not be surprising at all that such a thing could be accomplished.
So, had Zhuque's appearance also changed because of these drugs?
When I first met him, I thought he looked very delicate and somewhat familiar. But I hadn't realized one thing: that familiarity stemmed from him looking a bit like someone I knew.
Now that Zhuque had grown up, that familiar trace became increasingly obvious; there was a slight resemblance between his features and those of Nie Qiuyuan.
Is this... going to be a big deal?
"It seems that Ah Ying has figured it out," Ren Pingsheng said, seemingly watching me closely, chuckling softly. "What would it feel like if you were to turn against your own kin?"
"You deliberately lured me here?" The crisp voice of Zhuque rang out with a chill, though her words were directed at Ren Pingsheng.
"And what of it?" Ren Pingsheng replied with a smile still playing on his lips. "I brought you here to meet your clan's elder brother. It has been so long; don't you miss him?"
Zhuque snorted and said, "Indeed, Father should have always kept an eye on you! He treated you well, yet you are so ungrateful, with such a wolfish ambition!"
Ren Pingsheng burst into hearty laughter.
"Treated me well? You really are a foolish child. Look at yourself—neither human nor ghost—and yet you understand what it means to be treated well!"
After saying this, Ren Pingsheng's laughter faded, and he subtly gestured toward Nie Qiuyuan. His demeanor was naturally gentle and deceptive, and this expression carried a hint of mockery that made one momentarily feel as if he were an ally.
"Xuanwu, this is a grand gift I present to you. Are you not going to thank me? I have two pieces of good news for you. First, if Father is not mistaken, this fellow is your cousin from your paternal uncle's side. With such close blood ties, shouldn't you catch up properly? The second piece of news is that if the information Zhuque carries in her arms is correct, the Blood of Life will be needed to open the final important secret door. So, if this fellow belongs to you, Father won't be able to open that door." (To be continued...)
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