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墨書 Inktalez
Jun Chong allowed me to push him down to the ground, exposing his chest skin due to my tugging. A clear smile slowly curved at the corners of his mouth, and his bright eyes were fixed on me, yet they remained inscrutable.
"Speak up! Do you have any idea? This is serious. If the Demon Realm invades the Underworld and releases the Demon King, it will truly be dangerous."
I was almost frantic, while he appeared completely calm. With a swift motion, he pulled me into his embrace, holding me tightly and not allowing me to move. He gazed at the white clouds in the sky, enjoying the cool breeze, and said lightly, "If he’s released, then so be it. We can just fight again. I managed to defeat him once back then; I can do it again now."
Hearing him say that made it impossible for me to voice my complaints. His tone was light and carried a hint of jest, but I knew he was confident in what he said.
With that thought, I felt reassured and opened my arms to embrace him. "Have you ever regretted it?"
"Regarding you, I have never regretted anything."
Those six words struck my heart like a hammer, sending waves of sweetness through me.
"Anxin, for me, I would rather be scorned by the world than lose you! So even knowing that last night's wedding was fake, I had to treat it as if it were real. Not to mention that praying with intent to marry you—just the fact that he harbored such feelings means I cannot let him off easily!"
"Jun Chong, I heard from Xiao You and Elder Rong from the Demon Realm that the Demon King's power is waning. But didn’t you say before that as the seal weakens, his power would grow stronger? How could this be?"
Jun Chong shook his head, frowning unusually. "Logically speaking, yes, as the seal weakens, his power should increase. However, when cracks appeared on the Forbidden Tower, the news from Rong Zhi indeed indicated that his power is diminishing. That old ghost isn’t one to give up easily; after two thousand years without cultivation, it's unlikely he would regress even with the seal's restrictions."
"What could be causing this?" I speculated. "Perhaps there’s something in the Forbidden Tower absorbing his power?"
Jun Chong’s narrowed eyes slightly widened in surprise before he lowered them again, falling into deep thought. I bit my lip and chose not to disturb him.
After a long while, seeing that Jun Chong still hadn’t spoken, I suddenly remembered something important. I quickly got up from him and grabbed his hand to pull him up.
"Jun Chong, can you help me save a child?"
"Child?" Jun Chong looked up at me and finally said, "Is he the son of Qi Zhi?"
I was taken aback, stunned. "You know?"
Jun Chong nodded. "I am well aware of what that old demon king is plotting. Qi Zhi is a formidable opponent."
"So you haven't explained anything for so long? Just to compete with him?"
I found it hard to accept this.
The greatest pain comes from losing a loved one, yet he had said nothing all this time.
"This has nothing to do with his son. I will have my own battle with Qi Zhi."
I was taken aback, releasing his hand and lowering my head in silence.
Jun Chong sat up from the grass, his left hand resting on his bent left knee, while his right hand supported him on his right thigh, exuding a bold and commanding presence.
"The forbidden area is where the demon king cultivates. His aura is present; Demon wouldn’t find it strange. That’s why Qi Zhi has been unaware that his son has been trapped there for so long."
I felt a surge of anger. "Is it really okay to keep them apart for so long, making that child suffer so much?"
To my surprise, Jun Chong's gaze suddenly turned cold, radiating a fierce aura that made me think danger was near. Yet he said, "I only prevented them from seeing each other, but what he brought me was nearly losing you completely! So what if he suffers a bit?"
My anger always flared up quickly but faded just as fast. As I gradually learned everything, I became increasingly aware of how important my place was in his heart—greater than anything else, the only one.
"Jun Chong, I know you mean well, but I have a feeling that child is a hope. We need to rescue him."
"Since it's your wish, let the Reaper owe me a favor. It's not a bad idea to think about it. But let's put this matter aside for now; we have more important things to do."
"Where are we going?"
"Back to the Underworld."
Jun Chong whistled, and Qiongqi immediately appeared beside us. He picked me up and flew towards the direction of the Underworld.
As we entered the skies above the Underworld, I saw that the once beautiful realm was now shrouded in a layer of hazy shadows, resembling a gloomy rainy day. The brilliance of sunny days was gone, replaced by a lack of sunlight and vitality.
Many injured souls leaned helplessly in corners, struggling to survive. Numerous spirits drifted in the air above the Underworld, transforming into wisps of black smoke.
I gazed at the once beautiful world where I had lived, albeit briefly but profoundly. Seeing it reduced to this state weighed heavily on my heart.
The Demons repeatedly attacked, seizing cities. Except for Lianchi, the Six Guardians each led their Death God Corps to resist them, determined to save the residents of the Underworld, even if their efforts seemed insignificant.
Qiongqi flew towards the Underworld Palace but veered off in another direction as we got closer.
"Jun Chong, where are we going?"
"We're going to find the Golden-Clad Reaper; it's time for them to take action."
I thought the Golden-Clad Reaper would reside in a mysterious place like the enigmatic dwellers or live like ordinary people in a city, or perhaps be worshipped like a king.
But when my feet touched the ground, I realized that the so-called Golden-Clad Reaper was actually a series of stone sculptures standing quietly among the mountains, concealed by green foliage.
If one didn't know better, they would simply think they were statues.
“Phoenix Feather.”
With the two words summoned by Jun Chong, the Phoenix Feather appeared out of thin air, a feather-like object surrounded by a halo, shimmering in a light golden hue.
“As soon as the Phoenix Feather emerges, the Golden-Clad Reaper takes its place.”
A thunderous sound erupted, accompanied by tremors in the ground. The statues suddenly cracked open from the outside, small stones cascading down, growing in number and size until, with a loud bang, a force burst forth from within, shattering the stone sculptures completely.
Dust filled the mountain air, and I instinctively covered my nose, hiding behind Jun Chong.
Beneath the golden reaper armor were graceful figures, their black hair standing tall. Each of them wielded a sword at their side and held a towering scythe in their left hand.
It was then that I realized the so-called Golden-Clad Reapers were all women, each exuding an impressive aura reminiscent of Su Yi from years past—true heroines.
“Who has summoned us?”
“It is I.”
I was pushed forward a step by Jun Chong. After all, the Golden-Clad Reapers only obeyed the one who possessed the Phoenix Feather, and although I was not the Queen of the Underworld, I was still a woman. A queen could not be a man, so it was inappropriate for Jun Chong to speak now.
“Now that the demon realm is attacking and the underworld is in peril, I need you—”
“Offer your blood.” Before I could finish my sentence, I was interrupted by the woman at the center, their leader. Her voice was cold and devoid of emotion. “Offer your blood to the Phoenix Feather so we can verify if you are truly its holder.”
At her words, I felt a chill run through me. I had only married the former king of the underworld; after all, it wasn’t during Jun Chong's reign that we wed. Would this even matter?
I glanced at Jun Chong with concern, but he remained calm, placing his hand on my shoulder and giving it a reassuring pat. “Don’t be afraid.”
Just two simple words filled me with confidence. Jun Chong never fought battles without assurance, so I needed to have faith as well.
I wanted to reach for the Qilin Hairpin to cut my finger, but I realized there was nothing in my hair. Suddenly, my scalp tingled, and I nearly exploded with frustration.
Where had the Qilin Hairpin gone?
I distinctly remembered wearing it when I donned my ceremonial attire; how could it be missing now? I had worn the Qilin Hairpin while rushing around before, and it had never fallen from my hair, except that one time I encountered the Necromancer.
But now my head felt completely bare; it was indeed gone, and I had no clue where it might have fallen.
My heart raced like a thousand ants crawling over me, and I inexplicably recalled Su Yi's curse, wrapping around my heart like a haunting specter that refused to dissipate.
"What's wrong?"
Jun Chong noticed my distress and asked me softly. I gritted my teeth and finally shook my head. Right now, securing the Golden-Clad Reaper's help was the most important thing; I could look for the Qilin Hairpin later.
Taking a deep breath, I extended my finger toward Jun Chong. He smiled wryly and effortlessly sliced through my fingertip. Red blood flowed out, and I moved toward the Phoenix Feather floating beside me.
As the red droplets fell, the pale golden light flickered like fluttering butterfly wings before ultimately losing its luster. The Phoenix Feather drifted down to the ground like a feather itself.
I was taken aback. Was my blood ineffective? Had Jun Chong made a mistake? What should we do now? Losing the Golden-Clad Reaper would mean greater losses for us; how could we make up for that?
In an instant, too many questions flooded my mind. Just as I felt overwhelmed, Jun Chong's hand on me tightened slightly. When I looked up, I fell into his deep black eyes and saw a hint of amusement.
Jun Chong subtly gestured for me to look at the Phoenix Feather.
I turned my head in surprise, eyes widening in astonishment.
The once lifeless Phoenix Feather began to unfurl, transforming from one plume into two, then four, and finally eight. As the feathers multiplied in pairs, they created an illusion of countless wings, each feather vividly alive. Red blood radiated from the center, sparkling like Yin Hong, and as the feathers spread, intricate red patterns were traced.
The entire Phoenix Feather resembled a blooming feather flower, breathtaking in its beauty.
"Phoenix Feather has appeared, as commanded by my lord." The woman suddenly knelt before me, and the Golden-Clad Reapers beside her followed suit, solemnly performing the rites of the underworld. "Golden-Clad Reaper pledges eternal loyalty!"
Even on the way back with Jun Chong, I was still in shock. I tugged at Jun Chong's sleeve and urgently asked, "Quickly tell me, why am I not the Queen of the Underworld? My blood is useful too!"
"You silly." Jun Chong tapped my forehead and smiled. "Your blood is transformed from the Guardian Pearl, a rare treasure in the mortal realm. Don't say it's just a mere Phoenix Feather; even a Soul Stone can be awakened by your blood."
As Qiongqi carried us forward, I felt a chill at the mention of Soul Stone and quickly asked, "Is the Soul Stone the artifact used to create the Soul-Calling Bell and Soul Bell?"
Jun Chong casually nodded. "Legend has it that if a wish-maker sacrifices their life force as payment, they can make a wish upon it that will come true—one person, one soul, and only one chance. That's why when the Soul Stone was left in the mortal realm and taken by Su Yi, I didn't try to retrieve it. If a Soul Stone exists, there will always be infatuated lovers foolish enough to give their lives to reclaim their beloved."
"And what about you? When I died back then, why didn't you think of using the Soul Stone?"
"You fool. While I wanted to go with you so badly, I thought it better to wait than to dissipate into nothingness. Because only by waiting can I meet an even more wonderful you."
The city ahead grew closer as Jun Chong's icy hand intertwined with mine, our fingers tightly bound.
"Anxin, even if the Qilin Hairpin breaks, you must live well."
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