AMHA - Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - But, How Could There Be Anyone By His Side?

Without waiting for Zhaozhao's help, the little girl who was hanging on the beam of the hall had already cut the rope on her own.

Falling suddenly from mid-air to the ground, the little girl patted the dirt on her body without crying out in pain and ran to Zhaozhao's side, looking at the figure of the man in black clothes who had flown out.

"Is he dead?"

Seeing that several trees in the yard were broken and there were burnt marks on the broken areas, the little girl let out a cry of admiration.

She was a thin wildcat with slightly sunken cheeks. This made her eyes look brighter and bigger. When she looked at Zhaozhao, her dark eyes were filled with Zhaozhao's figure.

"That's amazing! Which school is sister from? What level of cultivation do you have? Do you have any plans to accept a disciple?"

Zhaozhao hadn't calmed down yet and could only speak after a little while:

"...Just now, you said that this person came to ambush and kill your master? Then where is your master?"

The little girl answered with a clear voice:

"That old man disappeared early in the morning. He has some dementia and a bad memory. He has been missing for three days. But sister, don't worry, he will come back on his own in a few days."

The blood on Zhaozhao's face faded.

"...I'm afraid I won't be able to wait until he gets back."

The little girl tilted her head in confusion and followed her line of sight.

In the house that had been smashed into a hole, the gloomy-looking man in dark clothes stumbled to his feet and looked at Zhaozhao through the dust floating in the air.

"You actually have such a powerful magic weapon."

The man in black clothes wiped the blood that overflowed from the corner of his lips and narrowed his eyes:

"But no matter how powerful the weapon is, you don't think you can pull off such a trick a second time, do you?"

The huge disparity in strength made Zhaozhao's blood freeze.

The little girl hiding behind Zhaozhao stuck her head out and said in a provocative voice:

"Don't be arrogant! My sister will twist off your dog head later and hang it from the beam!"

After saying that, she looked at Zhaozhao with an extremely trusting and expectant look, waiting for her to show off her magical powers and relieve the hatred in her heart.

However-

Zhaozhao took a step back.

The little girl suddenly had a bad feeling.

In addition to the little girl holding her thigh, there was also a little boy hanging from the roof beam behind her.

There are still a dozen wind-controlling talismans, which should be enough.

Zhaozhao took a deep breath, picked up the little girl behind her with one hand, cut the rope with the sharp edge of the umbrella with the other hand, caught the fallen little boy, and climbed out of the window at the back as fast as she could in her life.

"Don't look back! Run!"

The two thrown wind-controlling talismans were stuck behind the two people. Although the incident happened suddenly, the two children thrown out by Zhaozhao did not miss a beat and immediately ran forward hand in hand.

Zhaozhao followed closely behind and ran away.

Although they may not be able to escape by running, if they really insist on fighting, they will definitely die!

However, before Zhaozhao could fly very far on the wind, she heard the sound of someone chasing from behind her.

What made her feel even more strange was that her limbs seemed to have undergone some weird changes.

...It’s those pills she just swallowed in one go!

When Shi Lanyan gave the elixirs to Zhaozhao, she didn’t explain much about them at all, perhaps because these were the most basic elixirs for the early stages of cultivation.

It is only said that at the beginning of cultivation, mortals need to take these elixirs to cleanse their turbid bodies, so that that spiritual energy can flow smoothly in the body.

But Shi Lanyan didn't tell her that this process was so painful!

[—Little girl, although the elixirs are good, they cannot be taken like sugar pills. ]

An old man's kind voice suddenly rang in her mind.

Zhaozhao, who was in so much pain that she almost fell from the clouds, was in a daze, almost thinking that it was a hallucination that was occurring before death.

But the voice quickly said:

[Recite after me—]

[The true Zhiyuan is pure yang energy, Taiyuan merges into one, and the Great Dao is concentric. ]

The old man's voice was like ice water pouring into the mourning platform, sobering up her brain that was about to boil.

Zhaozhao, whose bones were creaking in pain, recited it intermittently and if reciting it once didn’t work, just recite it again. 

If just thinking about it is inexplicable, then break the words into pieces and understand them one by one.

Li Feng, who was chasing behind, narrowed his eyes at the figure of the girl in front, showing some doubts.

With one deep kick and one shallow kick, she was swaying this way and that... Could it be that she didn't even know how to use the Wind Control Talisman?

It's so weird. Are there disciples of Kunwu Immortal Land who are so weak?

But Li Feng didn’t think too deeply. His target was the head of Yunlu Immortal Manor, so he couldn't let these two hostages escape.

Seeing that the power of the Wind Control Talisman was about to be exhausted, the girl's figure flew lower and lower, constantly hitting the branches in the mountain forest. Li Feng finally closed the gap between them with all his strength.

"Hmph, let's see how you can sneak attack this time... ah!"

Li Feng, who was ready to face the Karma Red Lotus Umbrella, did not expect that the person who attacked him this time was not Zhaozhao but the white-haired old man who had sneaked up behind him without his realizing it.

The old man with all white hair and beard had a kind smile but his hands were vicious and Li Feng was hit hard to the ground with one palm.

Boom!

A deep pit was directly smashed into the ground of the bamboo forest!

Li Feng gritted his teeth: "You are indeed Jue Ming-zi..."

"Hahaha." The old man laughed briefly, twirling his beard and looking down at Li Feng on the ground, "Did this young man recognize the wrong person? The old man is the Master of Yunlu Immortal Manor,  Daoist Mingjue and not some kind of medicinal herb.” {He switched the two characters around, Jue Ming-zi is also the name of the herb Chinese senna.}

"Whether you admit it or not, you must go back with me to save people today! Otherwise, don't blame me for slaughtering your sect!"

Daoist Mingjue looked at Li Feng who was struggling to get up from the pit and then turned to look at Zhaozhao who had just landed.

"Have you recovered, little girl?"

This was the voice that helped her in her mind just now.

Zhaozhao, who seemed to have shed a layer of skin all over her body, nodded weakly. The eight extraordinary meridians had been washed away and she had already experienced the feeling of the so-called “dao energy” running through her body.

This old man should be the head of Yunlu Immortal Manor.

Very good.

With the Sect Leader here, she should be safe no matter what...

"Well, now that you have calmed down, let me invite you to go ahead little girl."

Zhaozhao: ?

Facing Zhaozhao's extremely surprised gaze, Mingjue Daoist thought for a while, suddenly realized something and stepped forward to heal Zhaozhao's injuries.

A ghostly green spiritual power enveloped her whole body and the remaining pain caused by just breaking through the meridians was healed one by one.

Daoist Mingjue smiled with satisfaction: "Okay, now you can go ahead."

Zhaozhao: ???

Zhaozhao: "You mean attack him? I can't do anything to him! I'm a mortal!"

"Just because you were a mortal just now, it doesn't mean you are a mortal now," Mingjue Daoist looked at Zhaozhao kindly. "You can succeed in building a foundation so quickly. Little girl, you have great talent, so there is no need to be modest."

"...But you are the leader of the sect!"

Zhaozhao looked at the man in dark clothes who was staring at them with a cannibalistic gaze and her scalp almost exploded.

Daoist Mingjue with white beard and white hair could still laugh out loud at this time.

"I'm sorry, our Yunlu Immortal Manor cultivates the ‘Shennong’ Dao/Way. We are only good at healing, not fighting. We usually focus on those who value peace." {Shennong is a Chinese God known as the “Divine Farmer” who is associated with farming and medicine.}

"……"

This is not right!

How could Yunlu Immortal Manor be cultivating Shennong Dao!

Zhaozhao's mind was racing at this moment and the scenes in her head passed by quickly.

But no matter how she recalled it, the Yunlu Immortal Manor where Fairy Yao Ling lived should be a sect that practiced swordsmanship!

What exactly went wrong?

"Little girl, I can't hold on for long."

Daoist Mingjue activated his spiritual power and countless vines sprouted from the ground, trapping Li Feng in it like a cage.

But just as he said, the cultivators of the Shennong Dao were no good at fighting and the vines were gradually torn apart. It wouldn’t take more than a stick of incense for the man inside to break free.

But Zhaozhao’s brain was extremely chaotic at this moment and was completely unable to calmly respond to the enemy.

"Calm down… let me think about it… think about it…” 

There should be nothing wrong with that prophetic dream.

This leader should also be the real leader.

Before executing Daoist Lord Tianshu, Fairy Yao Ling had cried tears of blood and accused Daoist Tianshu of killing her whole family.

She also said that she had been practicing diligently over the years, going deep into the secret realm and risking her life in order to learn magical methods. Along with the hard work of her companions, and even at the cost of their lives, she was able to strengthen the sect and build the strength to fight him.

The appearance of a cultivator can remain unchanged for a long time so no matter how Zhaozhao recalled it, she could not tell how old Yao Ling was when she killed Xie Lanshu in her dream.

"Master, may I ask if your Yunlu Immortal Manor... has a female disciple named Yao Ling?"

Master Mingjue smiled and replied:

"Of course."

Zhaozhao's eyes lit up with hope.

"That's the little girl you saved just now."

Zhaozhao: "..."

If it weren't for the inopportune timing, Zhaozhao really wanted to pass out. 

God, are you kidding me?

If that little girl is really the destined daughter who is destined to kill Daoist Tianshu, how many years will it take!

A century?

Or a thousand years?

Will she survive until then?

"Little girl, he is really going to rush out soon. If you don't do something, we will all die soon."

Zhaozhao was about to cry but had no tears. As she spoke, she raised the Karma Red Lotus Umbrella in her  hand:

"I don't want to die either, but I'm really just a mortal, what can I do to him..."

Even Zhaozhao herself didn’t realize at first. 

It was a completely different feeling from when she opened the umbrella for the first time. Zhaozhao just waved it gently and, in an instant, she felt the spiritual energy in her body flowing towards the umbrella along her meridians, as if being attracted.

At the same time, Li Feng finally broke through the last line of defense.

"Even a mere vine wants to trap my demon clan, you underestimate me too much—"

Boom!

Li Feng's eyes widened. He couldn't believe that he, a mighty demon warrior, was unexpectedly attacked for the second time by a cultivator who had just established a foundation!

And he was actually knocked unconscious by an umbrella!

Simply...not obeying...martial ethics...

The rest of the words were stuck in his throat.

The demon fell to the ground and fainted completely.

After confirming that the other party had really fainted, Daoist Mingjue quickly tied him up with a fairy rope.

The two children who had been hiding deep in the forest finally poked their heads out.

The little boy asked timidly: "Is he dead?"

The little girl replied: "Idiot, if he was dead, he would be buried. If he’s being tied up, he’s definitely alive."

"Then... what if he wakes up?"

"What are you afraid of! This powerful sister will knock him out again!"

After hearing what the two children said, Master Mingjue smiled.

Looking back, a wrinkled face showed sincere gratitude.

"It's all thanks to you today little girl, otherwise our sect would be in really dire straits."

He stared at the girl who was still a little dazed and asked:

"May I ask where you come from and where you are going?"

Zhaozhao stared blankly at the old man in front of her.

Her mind had not yet calmed down from the battle and she didn't know what to say.

The old man still looked at her quietly with his eyes that seemed to be able to tolerate everything.

After a long time, Daoist Mingjue said with a bit of a smile:

"If you have nowhere to go—"

"Want to come to my old sect to have a rest?"

*

The moon shone on the golden roof.

The Thirty-Third Palace was still and silent.

In the empty hall with dancing gauze, spices mixed with bergamot and agarwood were burning in the corner. The candles of thousands of lamps were crackling and burning, reflecting the cold outline of the person meditating beside it.

There was a furrow between his eyebrows and he seemed to be caught in a nightmare.

It was dark.

Ice cold.

He was unable to breathe.

—Is it the turn of the Zhongli family’s child?

—How pitiful, so pitiful.

—It hurts so much. Please help us, please help us.

—They are all liars! Kill them!

Inescapable, endless.

Wandering ghost-like existences were constantly hovering in the depths of his sea of ​​consciousness. Ever since he was born, they had been entangled with him like a gangrene attached to his bones.

He had long been accustomed to these layers of gibbering voices but he had been away from the cultivation world for so long that he had almost forgotten this monthly routine of torture.

The sound was louder than before.

He wondered if it has been too long since he heard these sounds that caused this torture, which he thought he was accustomed to, to become a little unbearable.

The consciousness keeps diving downwards, trying to find a pure place.

—Daojun, pick up your sword.

—Daojun, Kunwu will depend on you for thousands of years to come.

—Daojun! Don't hesitate! Don’t be indecisive!

Not here, not there.

The exiled consciousness sank in thousands of years, and finally saw a ray of light in the darkness.

There!

—Xie Lanshu!

The girl's sweet voice cut through the gloomy darkness and all the murmurs disappeared instantly.

—Xie Lanshu, how come I like you so much?

Such sweet, charming words.

As the consciousness of Daoist Tianshu, he looked at the memory belonging to Xie Lanshu with an almost cold mentality.

—Why do you always seem to have so many things on your mind?

—Lanshu, how can I make you smile more?

The sleeves of the incense-stained robe enveloped the girl like wings. The girl in his arms pressed her pointed chin against his chest and rubbed him affectionately.

—Is this enough?

—But isn’t this just me one-sidedly taking advantage?

Daojun Tianshu heard a muffled chuckle coming from his chest.

Such kind and heartfelt laughter was as unfamiliar as if it were the first time he heard it in his life.

—Zhaozhao.

—Zhaozhao.

He kept chanting this name, his blood boiling with desire, and it seemed as if he was sinking into the undulating weak water.

The open paper door blew the fallen flowers and the soft petals were crushed into wrinkles. On a spring night that was so chaotic that he didn’t know what night it was, the intertwined breaths stretched into an almost eternal moment.

—That’s good.

He whispered.

—Just like this, always stay with me.

His empty body was filled with memories or love.

His consciousness was lost here and he didn't know how long it took before he fell asleep unconsciously.

When he woke up again, someone was at the door, reporting:

"Lord Daoist, someone from Lingshan came and said that there was a vision in the sky last night and asked to see the Lord Daoist."

"I understand."

The paper door was pulled open suddenly and Daojun Tianshu frowned.

The disciple saw that the Daojun had a disapproving look on his face. He didn't know what he had done wrong, so he whispered:

"Does Daojun have any other instructions...?"

"Keep your voice down." He didn't blame him, just lowered his voice, "Don't make any noise otherwise you will wake-"

The rest of the words came to an abrupt end.

Don't make any noise...

Wake what?

The disciple quietly raised his eyes and saw Daoist Master Tianshu holding the corner of the quilt, as if he was trying to tuck someone in.

But, how could there be anyone by his side?

*

The author has something to say:

Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated the nutrient solution between 2023-07-16 11:00:00~2023-07-17 10:00:00~

Thanks to the little angels who irrigate the nutrient solution: 12 bottles of Guo Pixiu; 5 bottles of amuroberry; 1 bottle of Stars and Shishizi;

Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!

*

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