Chapter 1750: Kill Them All
Zu An remained silent for a long time, but then said with a nod, “Okay. I can agree, but if I find my own companions along the way, I’ll have to reconsider whether I still want to help you.”
A hint of worry appeared on the beautiful woman’s face, but in the end, she still nodded and said, “Fine. Let’s use a hand clap as a vow!”
She raised her fair white palm as she spoke. Zu An gently clapped her hand with his. He thought, How is this vine monster’s skin even softer than a human’s? It really doesn’t match that impression of Grandmother I had.
The beautiful woman said, “Since we’re already companions, then let’s introduce each other once more. My name is Jing Teng. You haven’t told me your names yet.”
“My name is Zu An, and she’s Qiu Honglei,” Zu An said. He was about to introduce Wei Suo as well, but the latter quickly ran over while salivating.
“I’m Wei Suo, and I’m really happy to meet you! I didn’t expect there to be such a beautiful Grandmother!” Wei Suo exclaimed, maintaining an obsequious smile while rubbing his hands together; he looked as wretched as could be.
Jing Teng just ignored him and looked at Zu An instead, saying, “Then, you should return with me. This place is too shoddy. We can return to Little Ying’s ash altar and leave when it’s daytime again. This world is safer during the day.”
After hearing her talk about how dangerous it was at night, Zu An wasn’t all that interested in traveling through the night anymore. He said, “Okay.”
…
The group quickly entered a jungle. The trees were especially dense, with a layer of faint mist surrounding them. Not even divine sense could reach very far within. From time to time, they heard strange cries. The whole place carried something of a cold and sinister air.
The forest seemed to be a sort of maze in itself. Fortunately, with Jing Teng leading the way, many places that seemed to be dead ends at first suddenly revealed new paths. Her figure was tall and slender, and the view of her back was elegant and wonderful. When she walked, her body swayed back and forth rhythmically, but it didn’t seem flirtatious at all and only gave her an even more graceful aura.
Wei Suo itched inwardly as he watched her. Earlier, if this woman had come to suck out his yang energy, he wouldn’t even have resisted in the slightest! And yet it just had to be that damn Great Sister!
Qiu Honglei secretly said, “Be careful of any treachery.”
Zu An nodded and increased his alertness. He said probingly, “There seems to be a profound formation in place here.” If Xie Daoyun or Yan Xuehen were present, perhaps he would have been able to recognize something. Unfortunately, even though he had dabbled in quite a few areas, he didn’t know anything about formations.
Jing Teng nodded slightly and said, “That’s right. It was arranged to stop those with evil thoughts.”
Zu An was a bit surprised, asking, “You’re also good at formations?”
This woman knew about the daoists’ proverbs, and she was even proficient in formations. What next?
Jing Teng turned around to give him a look. She raised a brow and asked, “Who said a fiend couldn’t know about these things?”
“I guess that’s true,” Zu An said with a chuckle and didn’t continue pressing her.
…
Soon after, they arrived in front of a giant boulder covered in large vines. Jing Teng didn’t stop at all and walked directly toward it. The vines on the boulder shrank back to either side, revealing a spacious cave opening.
Zu An and the others were amazed. This design really was intricate! If Jing Teng hadn’t personally led the way, no outsiders would notice that there was a cave here at all.
As the group followed her inside, the view suddenly opened up. The gloomy, cold, and treacherous atmosphere was completely gone, replaced with a feeling of exuberant life. Even the air seemed to be full of spiritual energy. One after another, they saw several refined gazebos that rested above the water. It was just like the waterway landscape gardens of Zu An’s previous world. It didn’t feel as if they were inside a cave at all.
Qiu Honglei couldn't help but say, “This doesn’t seem like the cave from earlier. Where did you bring us?” She had left behind markings along the way, and yet as soon as she entered, she couldn't sense the trail she had left outside at all.
Jing Teng gave her a look and calmly said, “Don’t worry. This is a hidden paradise I created myself. This is the place I use to rest. There are no dangers.”
Zu An was stunned. He asked, “You can create a space on your own?”
“Is there a problem?” Jing Teng replied with a grin, a proud look appearing on her face. She seemed quite fond of seeing his surprise.
Zu An was completely shocked. This woman was quite strong, but it was far from the level of establishing a world of her own, right? Even someone as powerful as Zhao Han wouldn’t necessarily be able to create a world. The profound runemasters of the academy could only create some small storage sacks, and even those could only store some small dead things and couldn't store a real person. Strictly speaking, this was already a whole pocket world, albeit relatively small in scale! Just what kind of cultivation realm had this woman reached before to allow her to forge such a place?
“Stop believing her boasts,” Mi Li said in his mind. “It’s rumored that ancient immortals could create a paradise to aid in their cultivation, but this woman clearly doesn’t have such skill. It’s probably some immortal treasure she inadvertently stumbled upon, that contained this hidden paradise.”
Zu An asked in surprise, “There really are immortals?”
Mi Li said in annoyance, “Didn’t you already see them in the Fiend races’ Xia secret dungeon? And yet you’re still asking something like that.”
Zu An couldn't help but chuckle. That really was the case. When he was in the secret dungeon, it had felt a bit unreal, so he sometimes felt doubtful.
“Little Ying, bring them to the guest rooms,” Jing Teng said, pausing for a moment. “I’m going to get some rest. Don’t disturb me if you don’t need anything.” She drifted off after speaking. Every single movement she made Wei Suo’s eyes almost pop out of their sockets.
“Understood!” Little Ying replied with a bow, then said to Zu An’s group with a smile, “Please follow me.” She first got Wei Suo settled, but then she turned to Zu An and Qiu Honglei and asked, “Should I arrange for one room or two rooms?”
Qiu Honglei’s face reddened. She said, “Two rooms are fine, but they have to be next to each other.”
Zu An couldn't help but laugh. This Qiu Honglei had been all flirtatious when she was a courtesan queen, and she even had the charm skills of the Devil Sect, and yet she was all embarrassed now.
When she heard what Qiu Honglei said, Little Ying’s eyes lit up. She had an even brighter smile on her face as she replied, “Okay!”
Qiu Honglei was quickly given a room, then Little Ying brought Zu An to the room next door. After sorting out everything for him, her face suddenly reddened. She said quietly, “Young master, the night is long and you might be lonely alone. I can service the young master… Don’t worry. I won’t absorb your yang energy.”
Zu An chuckled in embarrassment and said, “There’s no need. Thank you for your good intentions.”
Little Ying bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. She said, “The young master must think that I’m a fickle woman. Actually, it’s because the young master was willing to bring me to my hometown that I felt really grateful, so I wanted to repay the young master in any way possible.”
Zu An quickly helped her to her feet and said, “That isn’t too difficult. The lady doesn’t need to go so far.”
“It might not be too difficult for the young master, but for me, it’s a miracle that will change everything…” Little Ying said as she gave the next door a look. A bashful expression appeared on her face as she continued, “Young master doesn’t need to worry about your female companion. I can remain completely quiet.”
Zu An was speechless.
…
After tossing and turning for a while longer, he finally managed to send her away after reasoning in every way possible. He sighed in relief. People all said that being a playboy was hard, but being a gentleman wasn’t so easy either!
Suddenly, the Tai’e Sword appeared. With an audible vibration, a beautiful figure clad in red appeared. She had beautiful eyes and red lips, glowing with high spirits. It was none other than Mi Li. She looked at Zu An with amusement and asked, “Why did you turn her down? That female ghost is pretty cute. You’ve played with foxes and snakes or whatever, so your tastes are definitely out there. What’s the big deal with messing with the dead too?”
Zu An started sweating nervously, saying, “I’m not that kind of fickle person…”
Mi Li harrumphed. “When you’re fickle, you aren’t a person? Whatever. You’re probably just too embarrassed because of your little girlfriend next door.”
Zu An said impatiently, “I actually feel even more embarrassed when you’re always off to the side monitoring me.”
Mi Li was stunned, but then she said with a smile, “Don’t worry. I’ve lived for so, so long already. Those romantic affairs are no different from the mating of pets. Why would it make me feel anything?”
Zu An was speechless. Why are you randomly cursing people when we’re just having a normal conversation?
Mi Li stretched lazily, fully revealing every part of her wonderful figure. She said, “I was getting bored from staying in the sword all day. I’ll be taking the bed today. Just treat it as respect for your master.”
Then, she lay down straight on the bed with a pleased expression. This cave paradise was actually nourishing for her soul.
Zu An was stunned, asking, “Then where will I sleep?”
“You can come and sleep with me if you want…” Mi Li said, turning to one side while propping her head up with one hand. Even though she was smiling, the look in her eyes was full of danger.
“Forget it…” Zu An replied, thinking, This woman really has some weird tastes. What does she have to say these teasing things for?
“Master empress, you’re wise and knowledgeable. What do you think about this world?” he eventually asked. He figured that since there was nothing to do anyway, he could at least consult her a bit.
“What is there to see? Isn’t it just some ghosts?” Mi Li replied with a yawn. “But that woman’s proverbs seemed a bit interesting. They seem to contain countless permutations. Normally, they aren’t things someone of her level should be able to grasp. That woman has many secrets about her.”
“That’s what I thought too. There’s also this hidden paradise,” Zu An said, then added bitterly, “But she won’t tell me even if I ask.”
“You aren’t that close yet, so why would she tell you?” Mi Li replied with a laugh. “That’s why you should do your best to gain her trust as early as possible and obtain all of her secrets. You’ll definitely gain a ton of benefits.”
Zu An said in annoyance, “She was already betrayed once before, so how could she so easily trust someone again?”
“Isn’t that your strong suit, though?” Mi Li replied curiously. “She’s a woman, and you’ve always had skill against women. Just take her and subdue her!”
“Aren’t you a woman too? I haven’t even subdued you yet,” Zu An said, rolling his eyes.
Mi Li’s expression turned cold and she retorted, “Oh? You were actually having thoughts about your master? As expected, you were a disgrace to the ancestors.” Even though her voice was cold, she wasn’t that angry. She clearly knew he was joking.
“Yes, yes, yes, I am a disgrace to the ancestors,” Zu An replied absent-mindedly. He recalled the excitement on her face and said, “Master empress, why do I feel as if you care more about these things than even me?” He felt that was even starting to become a bit weird.
“But of course. I’m so bored spending every day in this state. I need something for my amusement, right?” Mi Li replied matter-of-factly.
Zu An was speechless.
…
Meanwhile, in a dusky place that didn’t seem like either the mortal realm or the underworld, but rather somewhere in between the two…
On a giant throne made of endless bones, there was a cloud of black fog that changed endlessly. All manner of powerful ghosts kneeled down below it. A ghost said respectfully, “Guide of the Yellow Springs greets the ruler of all ghosts respectfully. May I humbly ask why we have been summoned?”
“I sensed that woman’s aura earlier. Seize her for me. Apart from her, everyone at her side is to be killed!” a malevolent voice replied from within the black fog.