野荷塘

Xi pinched her dad’s sleeve . She felt really wronged . “Mother suffered a minor injury . She was worried about the miasma affecting her so she didn’t dare come with me . ”

“How willful of you!” He yanked his sleeve away from her grasp . “No fear of the miasma at all! Leave here immediately!”

Xi had overstepped . She looked at Brother Yan and saw he wasn’t paying attention to her at all . Her throat tightened and she couldn’t speak .

Unexpectedly it was Fu Rongjun who interrupted the silence . He walked to Xi and stuck one hand out between them, creating a space for himself to step in .

Like a skilled diplomat he said, “The enchantment circle will protect all those inside from the miasma . There is no need to drive your daughter away so soon . Taoist priest, please do not blame her . She was simply worried about your well-being and was eager to see you . ”

Fu Rongjun turned around and looked at Xi after he finished speaking . The bright shining way she gazed at him melted his heart . His eyes softened and he unconsciously smiled . The warmth showed through despite his ash smeared face making Xi very grateful someone was on her side .

Xi’s father had nothing more to say after Fu Rongjun spoke .

Shen Li crouched in front of the sleeping girl and studied her face . Her lips were nearly black and there were distinct glowing bluish-green lines crisscrossing under her fair skin . They pulsed and gave the impression there were bugs underneath .

“Was the epidemic caused by the miasma?”

Yan glanced at Shen Li, unhappy she would disturb the woman’s sleep .

In a rude tone she continued . “What? You don’t know? What are you doing with her then? Let someone else who knows what they’re doing take care of things . ” She turned to Xing Zhi . “I’ll have to trouble high god . ”

Xing Zhi sighed at her behavior . He understood it was her way of getting justice for Xi . No matter the situation Shen Li would always be Shen Li . She couldn’t bear to see someone suffering unfairly and not doing something about it . However she felt about something, whether she liked it or not, would rise to the surface and show in her behavior .

With these thoughts in his heart Xing Zhi walked over to the sleeping woman . After observing her carefully he read her pulse . “I will see the other patients now . ”

His expression was heavy . He circled around the temple checking people before returning . With knitted brow he turned to Fu Rongjun and asked, “Your Highness has been here several days now . Can you tell me which direction has the greatest miasma density . ”

Fu Rongjun thought about it before replying . “The west side of the city . The southwest is particularly lethal . ”

Xing Zhi muttered something to himself . “If I’m not wrong the miasma isn’t flowing into the city from the outside, but rather is flowing out of the city to the surrounding area, and has been doing so for quite some time . ”

This surprised everyone within earshot . The Taoist was the first to disagree . “That’s impossible . I live a secluded life in the mountains but do come to the city to buy supplies . I was here last month and noticed the miasma clinging to the outside of the city walls . There was no miasma beyond the walls and inside the city then . ”

“The sickness here isn’t an epidemic caused by disease, but the result of blood flow crossing the wrong way . It’s symptomatic of too much miasma inhalation . ” He pulled his sleeve up and showed his arm . Faint bluish-green marks were visible . “I was careless several days ago and allowed the miasma to enter my body . Once inside it will remain for some time . These are the marks of its presence . ”

Shen Li recognized they were the wounds from the time he was ambushed by the yao shou in the Ruins . Xing Zhi hadn’t said anything about them so she hadn’t realized his wounds hadn’t healed fully .

“This kind of mark, aside from being injured by beings that emit miasma, can also be found in those who inhale the miasma all year long . Physical symptoms appear once it reaches a certain concentration level in the bloodstream . ”

Xing Zhi pulled his sleeve back down . “The disappearance of immortal beings, the mysterious immortal sect, the profusion of miasma, the answer may lay in the western part of the city . ”

Shen Li’s main concern was the Demon realm . It was possible the cause could implicate her people so she wanted to resolve everything as soon as possible . “Let’s going to the west side . ” To Fu Rongjun she said, “Guard this place well . ”

...

The miasma grew increasingly heavy and toxic as she approached the west side of the city . Despite taking precautions against it, Shen Li could barely move . She spoke to Xing Zhi beside her . “If the culprit is from the Demon realm then I will ask you to allow me to deal with that person . ”

Xing Zhi was silent as he considered her request .

She didn’t think there would be an issue with it so his reply was unexpected .

“That won’t be possible . This matter involves too many land gods . Heaven will want to investigate . ”

Shen Li nearly missed a step at his words . She turned around and looked at him . He still had the same faint smile he usually wore but is eyes were resolute . In that moment Shen Li saw the real Xing Zhi . He was normally carefree, but when it came to heavenly matters he would wasn’t going to budge .

“That’s fine . ” Shen Li nodded . “It can be a joint investigation,” was her compromise .

To that, Xing Zhi did not reply . By then they had reached the area and the miasma was intense . Breathing was nearly impossible . Even Shen Li, as accustomed as she was from living in the Demon realm, felt unwell, never mind ordinary mortals in the mortal world .

She scanned the city wall but couldn’t see where the miasma could have originated . All she felt was the overpowering heaviness it emitted . “We’ve reached the west walls, but there’s nothing here . ”

Xing Zhi reached over and pulled a strand of her hair . Although it didn’t hurt, it was a strange thing for him to do . “What?” she asked .

He smiled at her question as he nimbly shaped her hair into a butterfly . “I’ll show you the trick . ” Xing Zhi released her hair and it fluttered lazily through the air, having changed into a white butterfly . It soared through the miasma cleaving a trail of clear air in its wake .

A red door, much like the one they encountered when rescuing the immortals held captive in the cave on the outskirts of the city, emerged from the wall .

“See? Now it’s here . ”

Shen Li shot him a side glance . “Next time pull your own hair . ” She materialized her spear as she stepped to the door . There was no doubt in her mind it had to lead to Fusheng Men’s headquarters . She wasn’t the least hesitant or polite, kicking the door intending to open it with one swift kick .

Though the panels shook, it remained firmly closed . Shen Li was about to try again, this time with qi in her kick, but before she could a loud “Thwomp!” sounded and the double doors opened wide . The miasma released hit her square in the face .

White butterflies, matching the one from earlier, shot past her ear . No longer erratic, they flew with intent and great speed to the door . Like before, they dissipated the miasma in their wake .

Shen Li went in ahead and stepped into a grand hall, fitting of an imperial palace . It was hard to believe the door hidden behind magic camouflage could lead to such a beautiful place .

There wasn’t much time to admire as the moment she stepped through black clad figures emerged from the walls like ravenous monsters intent on killing their prey . Shen Li cut every one of them down with her spear, severing their heads cleanly and easily . Her face was a blank mask as she fought, not heeding the blood splattering around or the drops dripping from her spear .

She would not forgive anyone who slandered or dishonored the Demon realm .

She mercilessly killed everyone in her path . When she couldn’t continue straight anymore and faced a fork in the hall, she grabbed one of the men and indifferently hit his chest hard, aggressively ramming qi into his body and rupturing his internal organs . He stood dying in front of her .

In a voice that sounded like it came from hell she demanded, “Where is your master?”

The man was truly frightened and was shaking all over . “Right... right . ”

“Where does the left go?”

“The land gods . ”

Shen Li released him, but before he could even turn to run away she grabbed his hair and threw him against the wall like a rag doll . Just like that his life was snuffed out .

Xing Zhi came up behind Shen Li just as she did this . His brow furrowed . “Killing with such bloodthirst is not good, even if the other is an enemy . ”

The blood that ran down her spear had already stained her hands red . She coldly looked at Xing Zhi . “Don’t bother preaching . The left path leads to the imprisoned immortals . High god will have to go down that path alone . I intend to capture the culprit behind this . I only hope that high god is willing to do a joint investigation of the matter . The Demon realm is innocent . Please do not let the heavenly immortals run away with unjustified speculation . ”

This made Xing Zhi wrinkle his brow . Shen Li turned and took the rightward path .

He stared at the path she took for some time before turning and taking the left path .

. . .

The frequency of attacks increased dramatically as Shen Li neared the final room . Once there she forced it open with her spear . Light poured out of what appeared be to the main hall of a temple .

She looked around from the doorway before entering . Though it seemed empty she still proceeded inside cautiously .

Not a single of the black garbed guards were in sight . The silence was only broken when the ground shook . Shen Li had to readjust her footing as she looked upwards .

Three massively brawny men dropped out of thin air from above . They surrounded Shen Li in a triangle formation . She stared at them, assessing . They looked sinister with sharp wolf-like fangs and red eyes that lent them an air of savageness, making them resemble animals more than men .

They roared at her, covering her with spittle and a raw metallic smell .

Shen Li was outwardly calm but her heart had been rocked . She had never met such opponents before . They were like men transformed into beasts .

At first the four stared at each other in a stalemate with neither party making a move . Finally one rushed forward . Shen Li lifted her spear and pointed it directly at his eye . Instead of avoiding her attack he continued forward and grabbed the blade of her spear . He used brute force to pull the spear out of Shen Li’s grasp . His hand was sliced open and gushing blood, yet he didn’t seem to notice . He roared and tried to bite her neck .

Shen Li stared in shock . She liked fighting, but even she had never seen someone use so much brute force . She successfully defended against the bite but her back was left open . Taking advantage of the opening another man attacked . The blow landed hard and forced to her into a roll . She barely had time to catch her breath and summon her spear back to her hand .

The formation broke and the three men where now between her and the door . She was effectively trapped inside .

These three were proving difficult to handle...