After sending the message, there was no response for a long time.
“National Teacher, it’s me, Xu Qi’an. I’ve encountered a life-and-death crisis in the Southern Marches, and desperately need your help.”
Xu Qi’an hastily put on a pitiful act.
The protective talisman lay quietly in his palm, showing no reaction at all, as if Luo Yuheng was out of touch.
No, for Luo Yuheng, in this situation, it ought to be me who’s lost contact while fooling around in the Southern Marches… Xu Qi’an joked to himself.
“National Teacher, I am your Xu Lang!”
There still wasn’t any reply from Luo Yuheng.
It seems I really can’t reach her! Xu Qi’an was finally certain he had lost contact with his little aunt.
Firstly, perhaps the distance between me and the National Teacher has exceeded the talisman’s transmission range. In simple terms—there’s no signal!
After all, strictly speaking, the talisman was merely a Daoist voice transmission spell, and couldn’t compare to the professional voice transmission devices made by the Sitianjian.
Secondly, Luo Yuheng is probably still in seclusion, and with the heavenly tribulation drawing ever closer, stockpiling power is paramount. If she’s in seclusion, it’s normal I can’t reach her. I can only wait for her to finish her ordeal and come to me herself when her karmic fire is near its limit.
Thinking of this, Xu Qi’an felt a little guilty. The heavenly tribulation threatened Luo Yuheng’s very life, she had to devote everything to it. It just didn’t sit right to use her as a tool at such a time.
Finally, there’s a chance Luo Yuheng is still mortified after her social death and feels too embarrassed to contact me.
That was unlikely. Given his auntie’s character and skills, she ought to be able to endure a little social humiliation.
Even Li Lingsu still has the face to keep living, what does my little aunt’s social embarrassment count for? … He thought this with some sheepishness.
Yeji, in gauzy robes, hugged Xu Qi’an from behind, her pointed chin resting on his shoulder, and spoke softly:
“Xu Lang, why are you holding a talisman?”
Trying to reach your big sister… Xu Qi’an replied, “I wanted to ask the National Teacher to help us deal with al-Asura, but it seems she’s in seclusion, or perhaps the Southern Marches are simply too far from the capital, and the message can’t get through.”
Yeji frowned. “Then what should we do?”
Xu Qi’an was a bit surprised she hadn’t asked how he could even get Luo Yuheng’s help, before realising this was Fuxiang’s tactfulness.
She never probed into his matters with other women, nor did she delve too deeply into his secrets.
“Don’t worry, I have another candidate.”
Xu Qi’an beckoned to the screen, and an Earth Book fragment flew from his pocket into his palm.
He put the protective talisman back into the Earth Book fragment, then took out the voice-transmitting conch.
The Jianzheng had said this conch could contact Sun Xuanji from anywhere in Jiuzhou. It was an extremely precious transmission tool of the Sitianjian.
As he held the conch, Xu Qi’an hesitated, thought it over, and put it away, turned round, pressed Fuxiang down at the edge of the bath, made her hold onto the bath, and lifted her hips.
“Let’s have another little moment together. I’ll contact him afterwards.”
Xu Qi’an had already developed psychological trauma from Senior Brother Sun. Heaven forbid that after sending the transmission, Senior Brother Sun suddenly appeared while he was still bathing.
He squeezed Fuxiang’s little waist…
This body was still a delicate blossom experiencing passion for the first time, and as she had only just recovered from serious wounds, she was still a bit frail. Xu Qi’an didn’t torment her for long, stopping after a mere taste.
“Senior Senior Brother Sun, I’m at the edge of the Hundred Thousand Mountains in the Southern Marches…”
He gave a brief account of the situation.
“Aight!”
Sun Xuanji responded concisely.
“Xu Lang, I’ll fetch the remains of Master Shenshu. Wait for me here, I will return before nightfall.”
Yeji had dressed herself neatly, in a plain undershirt and skirt with a light green jacket. This set, which suited Fuxiang’s scholarly and refined air, would normally make her look like a well-bred lady.
Yet when worn by Yeji, it was instead tinged with a hint of improper temptation.
Her true form was bewitchingly seductive. Though the fox clan was famous for its charms, the air of sultriness around her, ever-eager to seduce, only made her look all the more provocative the more properly she dressed.
Lin’an’s languid allure and Fuxiang’s striking beauty were two entirely different temperaments.
The former was a subtle, inner charm, the latter was pure enchantress.
Once Xu Qi’an nodded, Fuxiang flitted away.
…
At dusk, while Xu Qi’an was meditating cross-legged in the cave, he sensed something, left the cave, and came to the valley.
He was first drawn by bursts of loud singing, and saw Miao Youfang holding a wine jug, singing and dancing with the bird yao Hongying, the two linking arms as they spun round in circles.
Miao Youfang bellowed bawdy tunes from the local brothels, while Hongying sang folk songs typical of the Southern Marches.
Several yao women danced gracefully around them.
Protector Qingmu and Protector White Ape sat to one side, watching. The latter bore a bruised and battered face, clearly the result of a savage beating.
Behind everyone stood a man in plain white arcanist robes: average height, average features, average temperament, he was so unremarkable that nobody had noticed his arrival.
Sensing Xu Qi’an’s emergence, everyone looked over at once, and the music and dancing stopped.
“Senior Brother Sun!”
Xu Qi’an called out.
Everyone turned their heads with odd expressions, all unaware that someone had suddenly appeared behind them.
Sun Xuanji nodded, light surging at his feet, and he flashed before Xu Qi’an.
“Why didn’t you come in, Senior Brother?” Xu Qi’an smiled eagerly.
Senior Brother Sun was an ideal helper: powerful, and taciturn.
The White Ape unconsciously scrutinised this stranger, his bright blue eyes seeing into his heart, and spoke slowly:
“My heart tells me: ‘I just happened to travel south to Qingzhou to offer teacher my aid, so I detoured this way. The journey is far and I’m exhausted. I was just resting.’”
Xu Qi’an could distinctly see Senior Brother Sun’s face freeze.
“This is Protector Yuan, who possesses the innate divine power to see into people’s hearts, and has also practised the Buddhist heart-reading technique, an extraordinary talent.”
Xu Qi’an immediately introduced Sun Xuanji. As he spoke, a thought occurred to him. He continued:
“Protector Yuan, please accompany me inside.”
To serve as my interpreter…
Sun Xuanji glanced back, giving Protector Yuan a deep look, then followed Xu Qi’an into the cavern.
Protector Qingmu reminded him:
“He’s a beyond-mortal arcanist, so be careful what you say, all right?”
Protector Yuan looked back at Protector Qingmu:
“But Protector Qingmu’s heart tells me: ‘Damn ape, you’d better keep running your mouth and see if you get skinned and dismembered.’”
Protector Qingmu’s face flushed suddenly, gripping his vine staff tight, then loosening it, back and forth.
Hongying pretended not to hear and urged:
“Go on in now, don’t keep Silver Gong Xu waiting.”
Protector Yuan nodded and entered the stone cave.
“This Protector is quite an interesting character…”
Miao Youfang had witnessed everything just now and looked towards Protector Hongying.
Because he had been singing and dancing merrily earlier, without any other thoughts in his mind, Miao Youfang had managed to avoid any social death and did not experience the terror or madness of Protector Yuan.
Protector Hongying sighed,
“Protector Yuan had been enslaved in a Buddhist monastery since childhood. Later, as he grew older, his innate abilities gradually awakened, and he also accidentally learnt the heart-reading technique from the Buddhists. From then on, he’s never been able to control his powers.”
Miao Youfang suddenly understood, “Then how did he end up with us?”
Within a short couple hours, he had already become family with the Yao of the Southern Marches.
Protector Hongying curled his lips, “Later, even the monks at the monastery could not tolerate him any more, so they expelled him from the sect and left him to fend for himself.”
Goodness! Miao Youfang secretly vowed that, when facing Protector Yuan, he must keep his mind as clear as a mirror, unstained by a speck of dust.
Protector Hongying glanced at him, “Protector Yuan is fourth rank, but his innate abilities are even stronger. Unless they deliberately restrain their thoughts, even beyond-mortal experts would have their inner thoughts read by him. In the fourth rank, aside from the Daoists and Warlocks, almost no system can block Protector Yuan’s abilities.”
Inside the stone cave, Xu Qi’an explained the situation in detail to Sun Xuanji, then asked,
“What do you think, Senior Senior Brother Sun?”
Sun Xuanji said nothing. Xu Qi’an glanced at Protector Yuan. The latter understood, and his clear azure gaze fixed on Sun Xuanji. He said,
“This Senior Senior Brother Sun’s heart tells me: you deal with al-Asura, I will dismantle the formation. I’m not doing anything that’s going to get me killed!”
Sun Xuanji grew anxious at once, repeatedly saying, “Then, then…”
Xu Qi’an exhaled, finishing the sentence for him, “There’s no need to say the rest.”
Protector White Ape nodded.
Xu Qi’an continued, “No problem. Leave al-Asura to me, I’ll try my best to hold him back. Senior Senior Brother Sun, you deal with breaking the grand formation of Zen Masters.”
From his point of view, this was the most reasonable arrangement: let the Arcanist break the array, as it was his field of expertise.
Let a martial artist deal with a Vajra, also professional, clashing sabres, to see whose was tougher!
With the main business quickly settled, Xu Qi’an asked, “Didn’t Senior Senior Brother Sun say just now that he’s going to Qingzhou to assist the Jianzheng?”
Sun Xuanji stood with his hands behind his back, silent.
Protector Yuan said, “The Yunzhou rebel clique has already launched a full assault on Qingzhou. Teacher and eldest senior brother, along with the Agaruka Bodhisattva, are duelling. The Great Feng lacks beyond-mortal experts, I was going to assist in the battle.”
Xu Qi’an felt his heart sink.
“Wouldn’t this delay the opportunity for victory?”
Sun Xuanji shook his head. Protector Yuan said,
“The deeper the sabre is hidden, the more the enemy fears it, there will be no accidents in the short term. Moreover, the Yunzhou rebels are waiting for the Western Region’s Buddhist army to strike. The more tumult we cause on this side, the better we can tie down the enemy.”
That’s true. The Yunzhou rebels drawing in the Buddhist sect is certainly not just about Agaruka Bodhisattva, the Western Region’s army is also an additional force… If I can pin down the army of the Western Regions, the pressure on the court will lessen greatly… Xu Qi’an nodded slowly.
At this moment, he saw Protector Yuan’s azure eyes fixed on him and quickly waved his hand,
“There’s no need to say out loud what I’m thinking.”
Protector Yuan nodded, after all, he did not want to have another run-in with Silver Gong Xu’s ‘mosquito slap’.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor. Yeji returned, carrying a massive chest on her back.
Bang!
She placed the chest on the ground, producing a heavy muffled thud.
Everyone’s gaze was immediately drawn to the chest. It was pitch black with a metallic sheen, the surface densely inscribed with Buddhist script, apparently some kind of sealing formation.
“This was personally inscribed by Mistress, the Buddhist Sect’s sealing array used to suppress the severed limb of Master Shenshu. Every ten years, a huge number of living beings must be sacrificed, or it will break through the seal.”
Yeji, with a hint of anxiety, added, “If the seal is removed now and mistress is not here, it will be very difficult to seal it again.”
Protector Yuan glanced at Sun Xuanji and said,
“This Senior Senior Brother Sun’s heart tells me: ha, this Buddhist formation is crude and rubbish. Just wait until I show you my skills, you’ll be amazed.”
The corner of Sun Xuanji’s mouth twitched violently.
So behind Senior Senior Brother Sun’s honest appearance, he also has a flamboyant heart. As expected, showing off and freeloading are human nature… Xu Qi’an stifled his laughter.
“Ahem!”
He gave a forceful cough and said, “Open it.”
Yeji nodded, took out an emerald green key, bent over, and inserted it into the keyhole.
Click!
With the sound of the lock bolt disengaging, a terrible and powerful aura flooded the entire stone cave.
Protector Yuan collapsed to the ground on the spot, shaking all over.
Yeji hurriedly backed away, her pretty face drained of colour.
Sun Xuanji and Xu Qi’an remained unperturbed, both gazing at the chest’s contents.
How many memories does this Master Shenshu have, and what is his personality like? If possible, perhaps introduce this limb to the severed hand in the Stupa tower… Xu Qi’an mused to himself.
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