AVL Chapter 18

Both Feng Yu and Sheng Jiao were visiting Evil Qi Road for the first time. Carrying their lamps, they wandered around like headless flies, unable to find where Hezhou City was.

 

“I say, Sect Master Sheng…”

 

Feng Yu tidied his long hair that had just been singed by lightning, cautiously maintaining a distance of five steps from Sheng Jiao while still being sharp-tongued: “Aren’t you supposed to be strategizing with everything under your control? How can you not even find the entrance to Hezhou City?”

 

Sheng Jiao said nothing and walked expressionlessly into an antique shop.

 

This place clearly wasn’t Hezhou City. Feng Yu immediately followed cheerfully, planning to watch him hit a wall.

 

The antique shop wasn’t bustling with people like the gambling house in the twenty-first alley. Looking around, the vast shop had very few customers.

 

The shop was quiet, with rows of shelves displaying countless ancient treasures and rare objects that faintly emanated spiritual power.

 

Sheng Jiao walked to the high counter, counted out some spirit stones to buy a jade token, then turned and headed toward the back courtyard.

 

Feng Yu slowly followed.

 

Soon, Sheng Jiao reached the antique shop’s back courtyard and stopped beside a small pond.

 

Though it was still hot summer outside, the back courtyard was bitterly cold with the faint scent of wind and snow.

 

Feng Yu was puzzled when he casually glanced up and suddenly froze—in the center of that small pond sat a peach pit no more than two inches long.

 

Though so small you’d find it tiny even pinching it with your fingers, that peach pit had somehow been carved by a skilled craftsman into an exquisite, lifelike city with streets and alleys, layer upon layer, clearly a city shrunk countless times.

 

Sheng Jiao had no intention of waiting for Feng Yu. He slid the jade token into a groove beside the pond, instantly disappearing and transforming into a stream of light that entered the tiny peach pit.

 

Hezhou City was actually a tiny nuclear boat?!

 

The pond’s lotus leaves swayed as koi fish swam leisurely about. When they swam near the central nuclear boat, they seemed to fear something and quickly swam away.

 

A thin layer of ice had formed on the water surface around the nuclear boat’s edge.

 

The highest level of Hezhou City was a luxurious mansion.

 

Puppets indistinguishable from humans silently carried “Abandoned Immortal Bone,” passing through curtained corridors into an elegant courtyard.

 

It was deep night in Hezhou City. Heavy snow fell from the sky like goose feathers. Below, the multi-layered city’s buildings were arranged in orderly fashion with bright lights, bustling with cultivators who had come for the Xiangwen painting.

 

Standing on the highest pavilion, one could take in all of Hezhou City with a casual downward glance.

 

The carved wooden doors opened left and right. Mechanical wooden wind chimes moved without wind, producing clear, crisp sounds.

 

A person in disheveled red robes sat at the pavilion’s edge, one leg drawn up, lazily leaning against the wooden door while looking down at the people coming and going below.

 

A wooden puppet knelt respectfully behind an ivory screen.

 

“Lord Ying, the Xiezhi Sect people have arrived.”

 

Ying Zhuo said lightly: “Who?”

 

“Sheng Jiao.” The wooden puppet said, “We don’t know if he came because of Guchangsi Temple’s Xiangwen painting or because Hezhou City is privately trading Xiangwen.”

 

Hearing “Sheng Jiao,” Ying Zhuo laughed softly.

 

“Sect Master Sheng commands wind and rain in the Thirteen States, but in this Evil Qi Road…” His eyes showed intertwining threads of red light and black lines, eerie and cold, yet his tone remained calm. “Spiritual level Xiangwen ‘Worthy of Heavenly Dao’—just don’t capsize in the gutter.”

 

The wooden puppet said woodenly: “Does Lord Ying want to extract his Xiangwen?”

 

“A Spiritual level Xiangwen.” Ying Zhuo said with a smile, “Senior Brother would definitely love it.”

 

But no.

 

Sheng Jiao’s Xiangwen was different from all others. “Worthy of Heavenly Dao” not only granted him Xiangwen spiritual roots but also generated that string of 108 Tianyan pearls.

 

Even if the Xiangwen could be extracted, the Tianyan pearls would probably bring down purple-silver heavenly thunder, striking the extractor into charcoal.

 

Ying Zhuo sighed: “What a pity.”

 

The wooden puppet thought for a moment, then said: “The Young Immortal Lord also just arrived at Hezhou City.”

 

Ying Zhuo, who had been casual all along, suddenly contracted his pupils.

 

With a “bang,” powerful spiritual energy surged from his body, directly shaking the priceless screen until it fell like snow.

 

The wooden puppet was also swept by the force, nearly shattering half its wooden body.

 

Ying Zhuo suddenly stood and strode forward, his disheveled red robe falling to the ground with his movement, revealing his right hand carved from wood.

 

“Senior Brother came…” Ying Zhuo couldn’t help but laugh, his gaze nearly obsessively mad as he whispered: “Senior Brother finally came.”

 

He was about to go outside when he suddenly seemed to remember something.

 

“Who else?”

 

The wooden puppet, probably damaged in its mechanisms, spoke intermittently: “Heng Yudu, Feng Yu.”

 

Ying Zhuo frowned: “Those Zhuxing Zhai people again.”

 

Back at Tianyan Academy, the entire Zhuxing Zhai would intentionally or unintentionally prevent him from seeing Senior Brother.

 

Six years later, those bastards were still like lingering ghosts.

 

“Go.” Ying Zhuo waved his hand, countless puppet strings emerging from his meridians and drilling into the wooden puppet’s body, instantly repairing the nearly dismantled puppet. “Take people to block Sheng Jiao.”

 

The wooden puppet assessed Sheng Jiao’s spiritual power and said seriously: “Even if everyone in Hezhou City attacked, we probably couldn’t stop him.”

 

“Just delay him for a moment.” Ying Zhuo’s tone became gentle again. He turned back to pick up the red robe, carefully putting it on. “As long as I bring Senior Brother over, no one can take him from my side.”

 

In that instant, Ying Zhuo’s gaze carried an almost pathological and sinister obsession.

 

The wooden puppet couldn’t understand complex human emotions, obediently agreed, and left.

 

“Senior Brother.”

 

Ying Zhuo trembled all over as if finally about to obtain a lost and recovered treasure. He returned to the window, looking down at the dense crowd below, wishing he could grow eight pairs of eyes to find Xi Jianlan.

 

A gust of snowy wind blew over, causing several paintings on the nearby wall to sway slightly. The faintly writhing “tree roots” above were all Xiangwen paintings.

 

What was even more chilling was the signatures at the bottom of those paintings.

 

—Every single one bore the surname Xi.

 

“I knew Senior Brother would definitely come for the Xi family’s Xiangwen.” Ying Zhuo stroked the paintings, his pupils flashing with crimson demonic energy as he murmured to the void.

 

“Come, come to my side.”

 

“Never leave again.”

 

***

 

A snowflake fell on Xi Jianlan’s neck, making him shiver from the cold as if a chill was constantly creeping up his neck.

 

Xi Jianlan turned his head and sneezed, his thin body trembling slightly.

 

It was snowing in Hezhou City.

 

Heavy snow fell like goose feathers. The pedestrians on the road could protect themselves with spiritual power and didn’t mind the snow, but Xi Jianlan hugged his arms and shivered.

 

Heng Yudu handed him his cloak, frowning as he surveyed their surroundings.

 

Xi Jianlan wrapped the cloak around himself with trembling hands, catching sight of Heng Yudu’s tightly furrowed brow and asking curiously: “You don’t like this place?”

 

When they first arrived at Evil Qi Road and the gambling house, this otherworldly young master had found everything fascinating, his usually dignified and calm eyes showing curiosity at seeing novel things.

 

Here in Hezhou City, even Xi Jianlan found it exquisite and magical, but Heng Yudu looked disgusted, as if he wanted to carry him away.

 

Heng Yudu said lightly: “No, isn’t it quite nice?”

 

Xi Jianlan pushed him toward where Hezhou City sold paintings, chuckling: “Your brow is furrowed into two dots. It’d be strange if you actually liked it.”

 

Heng Yudu held a paper packet of crispy fish, casually pinching off a piece to eat: “You wouldn’t understand even if I told you.”

 

Xi Jianlan was about to retort when Heng Yudu extended his hand: “Give it to me.”

 

“What?”

 

“Abandoned Immortal Bone.”

 

Xi Jianlan choked, saying righteously: “I bought the ‘Abandoned Immortal Bone.'”

 

Heng Yudu said lightly: “I paid for the spirit stones.”

 

“Then I’ll just pay you back later.” Xi Jianlan pouted. “How are you as stingy and petty as Sheng Jiao?”

 

Heng Yudu said: “I don’t trust you.”

 

Xi Jianlan immediately wanted to write him an IOU with a bloody handprint to show his determination never to default on debts, but heard Heng Yudu add: “…You act erratically. Who knows how dangerous this Hezhou City trip will be? I’m worried that if you’re pushed to desperation, you’ll use the ‘Abandoned Immortal Bone’ without regard for consequences.”

 

Xi Jianlan was stunned.

 

“Abandoned Immortal Bone” could give someone temporary Xiangwen and tremendous spiritual power, but the more you used, the greater the aftereffects.

 

If Xi Jianlan had used that entire piece of “Abandoned Immortal Bone” on himself earlier, his barely surviving life would probably be gone immediately.

 

After a while, Xi Jianlan came to his senses and continued with his playful grin: “You think I’d harm myself for some little girl I’ve barely known? Don’t be silly. She’s just a poor little fool. Why would I…”

 

Heng Yudu calmly interrupted: “You would.”

 

Xi Jianlan’s words stopped abruptly, and the smile disappeared from his face.

 

The snow fell heavy as blankets. Xi Jianlan stood under the flickering candlelight, seeming even more fragile than the glass around Heng Yudu.

 

He was silent for so long that a thin layer of snow accumulated on his shoulders before he suddenly said something incomprehensible.

 

“Aren’t you suspicious whether my Xiangwen was destroyed by myself or extracted by the Qu family?”

 

Heng Yudu didn’t know why he suddenly jumped topics but still replied: “Yes. The Tianyan Academy elders sent me to bring you back this time, planning to use ‘Restore the Gentleman’ to search your soul and see what your Xiangwen was and how it was lost.”

 

Xi Jianlan smiled: “Those old immortals…”

 

Heng Yudu: “Ahem.”

 

Only then did Xi Jianlan remember that Heng Yudu was now Tianyan Academy’s director, so he graciously changed his words: “Those elders who are half-buried in the earth are still thinking about this?”

 

“Someone broke into the Qu family’s Tianyan spiritual vein and killed several high-cultivation elders, apparently searching for your Xiangwen…” Heng Yudu hesitated, then said gently: “You…”

 

Xi Jianlan smiled, leaning down to let his disheveled long hair fall straight down. He gently brushed it aside with his hand, revealing his slender neck.

 

Heng Yudu glanced over, his pupils contracting sharply as he gripped the armrest tightly.

 

On Xi Jianlan’s elegant neck was a dark red wound that seemed like it would never heal.

 

After letting Heng Yudu see it, he languidly and gracefully swept his long hair behind him, covering the hideous scar, speaking as casually as if discussing someone else’s affairs.

 

“I awakened my Spiritual level Xiangwen together with Sheng Jiao, you, and Rang Chen, and we were classmates for four years.

 

“Six years have passed. Sheng Jiao is the high-ranking Sect Master of Xiezhi Sect; you’re the director of Tianyan Academy; Rang Chen’s vow of silence was broken and his cultivation destroyed, but in six years he’s probably returned to the Spirit Transformation realm.

 

“The twelve Spiritual level Xiangwen of the Thirteen States are all outstanding, becoming great powers at young ages.

 

“And what about me?”

 

Heng Yudu didn’t know what to say for a moment: “Jianlan…”

 

“At that time, my family was destroyed and my great revenge unresolved. Even if tortured to death, I would never voluntarily destroy my Xiangwen.” Xi Jianlan showed no sadness in his eyes, even smiling with interest. “The Qu family is now trapped by their own schemes, throwing dirty water on me to clean themselves completely. How could it be so easy?”

 

If Xi Jianlan had been boastfully lying or crying tragically, Heng Yudu would probably have watched coldly, or even directly dragged him to Tianyan Academy for the elders to deal with.

 

But the problem was that Heng Yudu was soft-hearted and completely defenseless against Xi Jianlan’s method of describing tragic experiences in a light tone.

 

Heng Yudu felt so sorry for him that he couldn’t even eat his crispy fish.

 

Xi Jianlan successfully changed the subject, quietly hiding the “Abandoned Immortal Bone.” Taking advantage of Heng Yudu not being able to see his expression, he smiled triumphantly.

 

But before he could finish being pleased, a familiar sound suddenly reached his ears…

 

“What are you laughing about?”

 

Xi Jianlan immediately stopped smiling and pretended to look pensively to the side.

 

Feng Yu held his ghost blade, looking at him suspiciously, not knowing how long he’d been listening.

 

Xi Jianlan thought ‘This is bad.’

 

Heng Yudu turned around, puzzled: “Feng Yu? Who was laughing?”

 

Xi Jianlan hurriedly went forward to put his arm around his good brother’s shoulder, grabbing a crispy fish from Heng Yudu’s arms to stuff into Feng Yu’s babbling mouth: “Quick, try this crispy fish. It’s even better than the ones at our Zhuxing Zhai.”

 

Feng Yu chewed a few times: “Oh oh oh, really good.”

 

Only then did Xi Jianlan breathe a sigh of relief: “How are you here? Where’s that Xiezhi Sect sir?”

 

Feng Yu said casually: “What sir? That’s not…”

 

Heng Yudu suddenly raised his hand, forcibly pulling Feng Yu over to sit on his wheelchair armrest, pinching a crispy fish to stuff in Feng Yu’s mouth: “Tasty, right? Eat more.”

 

Feng Yu: “Oh oh oh!”

 

Feng Yu held the paper packet of crispy fish, crunching away carelessly.

 

Taking advantage of Xi Jianlan having no spiritual power, Heng Yudu boldly transmitted his voice to Feng Yu right under his nose: “Weren’t you following Sheng Jiao? Where is he?”

 

Feng Yu didn’t understand why he needed to transmit secretly behind Xi Jianlan’s back, but Heng Yudu was always clever and had his reasons for everything, so he transmitted back: “Lost him. He looked like he was going to slaughter Ying Qiao’er.”

 

Heng Yudu frowned: “Sheng Jiao never acts impulsively. Ying Zhuo must be connected to Xi Qingfeng’s Xiangwen painting.”

 

Just then, a pale thunder light flashed across the sky, seeming to merge with the snow light.

 

The brilliance was gone in an instant.

 

The jade slips around Heng Yudu seemed to sense something, suddenly transforming into birds and flying around him continuously.

 

“Exchange for Bright Moon” had sensed the spiritual power of another Spiritual level Xiangwen.

 

Heng Yudu’s expression became serious.

 

Sheng Jiao was fighting someone?

 

In this tiny Hezhou City, someone actually forced him to use his Tianyan pearls?!

 

Heng Yudu lightly touched the glass bird, saying in a low voice: “Go.”

 

The fragile glass bird suddenly flew into the sky, heading toward the direction of the other Spiritual level Xiangwen through the heavy snow.

 

Feng Yu finished the crispy fish and looked around at the vast city, saying carelessly: “Qiao’er’s name really lives up to its reputation. He can carve a city out of such a tiny peach pit and even integrate mustard seed space into it. Truly worthy of being the genius everyone at Lixiang Zhai admires.”

 

Xi Jianlan was lazily looking left and right when he heard this and was stunned, saying in confusion: “Qiao’er?”

 

Heng Yudu silently stared at his toes.

 

“Huh? You don’t know? This Hezhou City is Ying Qiao’er’s territory.” Feng Yu was even more surprised than him.

 

“I don’t have a rhinoceros horn lamp, so how would I know this Hezhou City is his?” Xi Jianlan frowned. “Besides, Qiao’er is so obedient—how could he be in a place like Evil Qi Road?”

 

Hearing the word “obedient,” both Heng Yudu and Feng Yu fell silent.

 

Xi Jianlan: “What’s wrong?”

 

Feng Yu really couldn’t hold back and cursed: “Ying Qiao’er obedient my ass. Back then he… did that thing and got one hand destroyed by Sheng Jiao. I still remember it.”

 

Xi Jianlan frowned: “What destroyed hand?”

 

Heng Yudu said in a low voice: “Enough, let’s not mention the past.”

 

Seeing the two acting so strangely, Xi Jianlan felt annoyed at being excluded: “Why do you both have this expression every time Ying Qiao’er is mentioned? Is there something I can’t know?”

 

“Nothing.” Feng Yu said faintly, “You’re fine like this. Fools live longer.”

 

Xi Jianlan: “…”

 

The three of them talked back and forth until they finally reached the place selling paintings—it was actually an exquisite painted boat.

 

Who knows how Ying Zhuo did it, but he managed to carve an even more delicate small boat within Hezhou City.

 

Perhaps news of the Xiangwen trading had already spread to Evil Qi Road. The painted boat was guarded everywhere by wooden puppets, forbidding anyone from entering.

 

Xi Jianlan observed for a while, using the pitiful spiritual power in his body to vaguely sense that “Third Watch Snow” seemed to be in the painted boat—fortunately, the Xiangwen hadn’t been sold.

 

A blessing in disguise.

 

Xi Jianlan breathed a sigh of relief and sneakily said to Heng Yudu: “Use Exchange for Bright Moon to make those people let us through.”

 

Heng Yudu shook his head: “Exchange for Bright Moon doesn’t work on puppets.”

 

Xi Jianlan looked at him with disdain: “Then what use are you?”

 

With that, he flicked his sleeve and actually walked forward directly.

 

Heng Yudu and Feng Yu watched silently, planning to see how he would swindle his way through.

 

Xi Jianlan walked methodically up the steps, trying to slip into the painted boat as if nothing was wrong, but the wooden puppets still coldly and ruthlessly blocked him.

 

“You dare block me?” Xi Jianlan said lightly.

 

The wooden puppet’s face was wooden as it directly drew a sharp sword with a “swish,” indicating it was blocking him specifically.

 

“Unrelated persons are not allowed to approach casually.”

 

“If you don’t want to be dismantled into firewood, go call your master to speak with me.” Xi Jianlan smiled calmly, spouting nonsense: “Your master has been unable to obtain me and has deep-rooted feelings for me. If you hurt me, you’ll have no good fruit to eat.”

 

Wooden puppet: “?”

 

Heng Yudu: “…”

 

Feng Yu: “………..”

 

The wooden puppet stared at him blankly for a while, apparently shocked by this statement.

 

After a while, it finally reacted, turning around and using both hands and feet to find Ying Zhuo.

 

Xi Jianlan strolled back, saying lazily: “Done. When Qiao’er gets the message, he’ll come over. Only idiots don’t use the back door—hm? Why do you both look so strange?”

 

Heng Yudu and Feng Yu looked at each other, not knowing what to say for a moment.

 

After a while, Feng Yu said strangely: “How do you know… that Ying Qiao’er can’t obtain you?”

 

“Of course I was lying to them.” Xi Jianlan looked at him pitifully, as if saying “You actually believe such lies?”

 

Feng Yu: “………..”

 

Heng Yudu: “…”

 

Both their expressions became even stranger.

 

Xi Jianlan was still boasting when he suddenly felt an itch on his little finger. He uncomfortably raised his hand to wave it, and casually glancing with his peripheral vision, he vaguely noticed something was wrong.

 

Without him realizing it, a phantom red rope had flown from the distance and silently wound around him several times, as if marking its territory.

 

The end of the red rope was touching his little finger like a dragonfly skimming water.

 

Xi Jianlan was confused: “What is this thing?”

 

Feng Yu had been angered by Xi Jianlan’s look of viewing an idiot earlier. Hearing this, he sneered: “You…”

 

Heng Yudu sensed trouble and immediately tried to use “Exchange for Bright Moon” to make Feng Yu shut up.

 

But Feng Yu’s fast mouth was babbling away. Before “Exchange for Bright Moon” could be activated, he had already spoken without thinking.

 

“…You’ve already said your heart is not cold stone and you’ve developed feelings over time, yet you still can’t recognize Sect Master Sheng’s loving aura?”

 

Xi Jianlan was stunned.

 

##

 

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