The Two Senior Brothers’ Predicament
Liu Su’s voice was clear and cold, yet carried a hint of doubt, as if she might look up at any moment.
Xie Fei’s heart tightened, fearing she would see through his disguise.
He gritted his teeth and quickly placed his hand on Liu Su’s back.
It was a simple action, yet it caused sweat to involuntarily bead on his forehead.
The scene before him was breathtakingly beautiful, yet possessed a sacredness that made him dare not defile it.
He clenched his jaw, silently chanting in his heart: “I’m just looking for the monkey! Don’t think wrong!”
However.
At his touch, Liu Su’s body suddenly stiffened slightly.
As if sensing something.
She instinctively wanted to get up, but quickly relaxed, quietly lying back on the jade stone platform.
Only…
Her jade brush remained motionless.
Her originally focused expression quietly dissipated, a faint blush appearing on her face.
As if her thoughts were disturbed by some emotion.
Xie Fei’s mind was in chaos, he had no time to pay attention to these details.
His mind was a mess, filled with the thought: “How exactly do you give a bath scrub?”
He had never learned this skill, now forced into a corner, he could only grit his teeth and bear it.
He muttered in a low voice: “Forget it!
“Just do it, let’s just muddle through!”
With a hardened heart, his hands began to move cautiously, pretending to massage.
However, he wasn’t stupid.
While moving, he secretly observed the bath attendants nearby.
Some of them had gentle techniques like a spring breeze, others had steady strength like flowing clouds and water.
Xie Fei secretly noted these, trying to imitate them, his movements gradually becoming less stiff.
But just as he was beginning to find his rhythm, a figure suddenly approached.
Liu Ying, wrapped in a large white towel, slowly walked over.
“I say, Susu, since you don’t plan on opening those A-Grade Baths, why are you still claiming to have them?
“Playing coy?”
She sat down beside Liu Su, her tone questioning.
“Sister, this is a business tactic, you wouldn’t understand.”
Although Liu Su tried her best to remain calm, a slight tremor was still present in her voice.
Her voice was soft, but with an unnatural fluctuation, as if she was suppressing something.
Liu Ying was very perceptive, and immediately noticed her younger sister’s abnormality.
She frowned, looking up at Xie Fei, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes.
“When I came in, why didn’t I see you?
“Are you newly arrived? Or…”
Xie Fei’s heart skipped a beat, thinking: “Bad!”
He lowered his head to conceal it: “Yes, just arrived.”
He dared not say more, afraid of attracting Liu Su’s attention and revealing his deception.
Liu Ying narrowed her eyes and asked again: “Then what is your name?”
Xie Fei was startled, his mind racing.
He was about to make up a name to deceive her when he heard Liu Su’s voice: “No need to ask, her skill is poor.”
Her tone was calm, and she beckoned to a woman nearby: “This one, don’t come to the Jade Bath tomorrow.”
The woman quickly stepped forward, whispering: “Yes! Proprietor, I understand!”
She paused, probingly asking: “Should I send her away now?”
Liu Su waved her hand and said indifferently: “Wait until the assessment is over, then announce it together.”
“Yes!” The woman respectfully responded, stepping aside.
Liu Ying then turned to Xie Fei and said: “Alright, you don’t need to bother, go and rest.”
Her tone was casual, with a hint of indifference.
Obviously, she thought Xie Fei was just an unskilled novice.
Xie Fei felt relieved, thinking: “Finally escaped!”
He quickly stopped, lowered his head and quickly left the center of the bath.
After Xie Fei left.
Liu Su let out a long breath, as if she had unloaded a thousand-pound burden, collapsing weakly on the jade stone platform.
Her cheeks still had a faint blush, her gaze somewhat scattered, as if she was lost in some complex emotion.
Liu Ying was stunned, and concernedly asked: “Susu, what’s wrong with you?
“Suddenly feeling listless?”
Liu Su shook her head, her voice almost inaudible: “No… I’m just a little tired.”
She bit her lip, subconsciously wanting to avoid her sister’s gaze.
Liu Ying frowned and muttered: “Oh! In the future, for these novices, let them practice more before going on stage.”
She thought her sister was just tired because of the novice’s poor skills, so she didn’t think much of it.
…
Over here.
Xie Fei, taking advantage of the fact that everyone’s attention was still on the central bath, quietly retreated to the side.
Then, with quick eyes and quick hands, he slipped into the compartment where the Demon Monkey’s aura was located.
He pushed open the curtain and stepped inside.
And was stunned again.
The compartment was another world!
From the outside, it was just a small room, but the inside was spacious like a hall, capable of accommodating hundreds of people.
The walls were engraved with complex inscriptions, and the flowing spiritual light faintly revealed the aura of space fluctuations.
Xie Fei narrowed his eyes and thought: “This place actually has a chain formation containing spatial changes!
“What a grand scale!”
While surprised, he didn’t forget the main task, and his spiritual sense quickly swept across the surroundings, quickly locking onto a corner.
There was an iron cage.
Inside the cage was the Demon Monkey he had bought!
The monkey was curled up in the cage, its eyes bright, its fur shimmering with a faint golden light, seemingly anxiously looking around.
“Huh? Why is it in a cage?”
Xie Fei frowned, a hint of doubt rising in his heart.
The Demon Monkey was able to escape from his hands, its bloodline ability was extraordinary, how could it be trapped in this small cage?
He walked forward and examined it carefully.
He found that the cage was engraved with fine inscriptions, faintly emitting a power of confinement, clearly not an ordinary object.
But this wasn’t the time to investigate.
Xie Fei decisively waved his hand, taking the cage and the monkey with him: “Let’s leave first.”
He turned and flashed, his figure like a specter, swiftly leaving the Jade Bath.
Only after he was far away from the grand courtyard, in a quiet alley, did Xie Fei stop and resume his original appearance.
He let out a long breath, patted his chest, and thought: “I haven’t been exposed…”
His gaze turned to the cage.
A hint of anticipation flashed in his eyes.
“Now let me see, what kind of creature you are, monkey.”
Fate Golden Eyes, activate!
…
【Name: None（Demon）】
【Gender: Male】
【Lifespan: 3/999】
【Realm: None】
【Special Ability: Evasion Technique（Bloodline Ability）】
【Fate Aura: Gold】
【Golden Legend…】
【Recent Needs: Wants to break free from the control of human cultivators—For freedom! Love freedom! Long live freedom! I will never coexist peacefully with humans!!!】
…
“It’s actually a Gold Fate!”
A hint of surprise flashed in Xie Fei’s eyes.
What surprised him even more was that this time, there was additional information on 【Special Ability】.
Xie Fei narrowed his eyes and thought to himself: “This monkey is indeed extraordinary…”
But surprise aside, he wouldn’t invest in it.
At least according to the current needs, he would simply ignore it.
“Will never coexist peacefully with humans” was already mentioned, so should he really let it go?
…
At the same time.
In the B-Grade compartment of the Jade Bath.
When Liu Ying, Liu Su, and the others returned to the compartment.
They heard Zhou Hongxian suddenly shout: “Where’s my monkey?!”
Her eyes widened as she stared at the corner where the cage had been.
The monkey she had picked up on the road, along with the cage, had vanished into thin air!
Liu Ying glanced at the empty corner and casually waved her hand: “Forget it, it was just something you picked up anyway.”
Her tone was light, clearly not taking the matter seriously.
“How can that be? That cage is my Magical Treasure!”
Zhou Hongxian stomped her feet anxiously, searching around the compartment.
She lifted the curtains, checking every corner.
She didn’t even let go of the cracks in the inscriptions on the floor.
But let alone the monkey, not even a single monkey hair could be found.
Liu Su stood by and watched quietly, a thoughtful gleam flashing in her eyes, but she remained silent.
Seeing Zhou Hongxian’s anxiety, Liu Ying stepped forward to comfort her: “Forget it, if you really like monkeys, we’ll buy another one later.”
She paused and said, “That Magical Treasure, only the imprisonment formation on it is worth some Spirit Stones, just forget about it.”
Then, she turned to her sister: “Susu, the anti-theft measures of your Jade Bath need to be strengthened.
“A thief just slipped in so easily without a sound?
“Fortunately, there aren’t any valuables here.”
Liu Su nodded slightly, her tone calm: “Sister is right, I will add a few more formations.”
Her voice was normal, but there was a hint of absentmindedness.
Zhou Hongxian slumped against the wall, sighing dejectedly: “That cage was what I was preparing for…
“Oh, forget it.”
At this time, Liu Ying asked: “Hongxian, are you coming back to Everflow Sword Sect with me tomorrow?”
Zhou Hongxian shook her head: “I’ve already gone to see it, I won’t go with you this time.
“I still have to go to the Hundred Thousand Demon Mountains.”
“To the Hundred Thousand Demon Mountains? What for?” Liu Ying curiously asked.
“To catch chickens.”
…
Everflow Sword Sect.
In Xie Fei’s residence.
He placed the Demon Monkey and the cage beside him, his brow furrowed.
For the past few days.
He had been waiting for the Ninth Shujun to appear.
But Liu Ying had already returned to the sect, yet that girl was nowhere to be seen.
He had wanted to send the monkey directly to the sixth floor of the Sword Pavilion.
But it wasn’t easy to take it there.
To put it into the System Space, it had to be his own “pet.”
This monkey was for the Ninth Shujun, Xie Fei naturally wouldn’t act recklessly.
If he used the 《Supreme Void Demon Subduing Divine Chapter》 to “subdue” it, then the investment settlement wouldn’t be successful, which would be bad.
“Forget it, if she doesn’t come today, I’ll go to the sixth floor tonight to check the situation and call her out.”
After making his decision.
Xie Fei remembered his apprentices.
He didn’t know how things were going with the Demon Star, ten days had passed, and Qing Yao hadn’t returned.
As for Yuan Li, he had learned some future information from Zhou Hongxian, so he wasn’t too worried about this second apprentice.
“What about Long Qiye and Lin Fan?”
Xie Fei muttered to himself.
These two apprentices had been out on an experience for some time, but they hadn’t sent back any news.
He leaned back in his chair, his gaze distant.
After a moment.
He suddenly chuckled self-deprecatingly: “Am I really getting old? Why do I feel a bit of the fondness for grandchildren?”
…
Southern Border.
On a desolate mountain path.
Long Qiye and Lin Fan, two junior brothers, were concealing their auras, slowly following a scholar-like man.
The scholar was wearing a blue robe, carrying a large book box, his pace light and quick, as if he was in a hurry.
“Junior brother, are you sure this scholar is haunted by a Little Ghost?”
Long Qiye asked through sound transmission, his eyes flashing with unconcealed excitement.
Lin Fan nodded, transmitting his voice: “Senior brother, my Uncle Ding Peng specializes in Ghost Dao.
“I stayed in Liuge City for a few days, and I’m somewhat familiar with Ghost Qi.
“Don’t worry, senior brother.
“The scholar’s Ghost Qi is getting stronger, the Little Ghost must be nearby!”
He tightened his grip on his long sword, his tone firm, his eyes also burning with fighting spirit.
When they were still at Everflow Sword Sect, they both vowed to slay demons and exorcise ghosts, bringing peace back to the world.
But after descending the mountain, reality gave them a blow to the head.
The Southern Border seemed very peaceful, without a trace of demons.
They had visited several towns, but didn’t see a single ghost.
Out of helplessness.
The two had to do some small acts of justice.
For example, eliminating a few bandit dens, punishing a few evil and wealthy merchants…
In doing so, they had accumulated a lot of praise from the people, and their reputation had spread.
Many people called them, one “Seven Nights Hero,” the other “Lin Swordsman.”
But this was far from their aspirations!
Seeing their ideals difficult to achieve, the two felt somewhat disheartened.
Until yesterday!
They met this scholar in a small town!
Lin Fan saw the clue at a glance, concluding that he was being haunted by a Little Ghost.
This discovery made the two brothers excited.
Finally, finally had a chance to show their skills!
“Although it’s just a Little Ghost, it’s not a human after all!”
Long Qiye grinned, his eyes filled with fighting spirit: “Junior brother, when it appears later, we must perform well, don’t lose face for Master!”
Lin Fan nodded heavily, transmitting his voice: “Senior brother, don’t worry!”
The two held their breath, continuing to follow along the mountain path, waiting for the Little Ghost to appear.
The sky grew darker.
The crimson sunset was gradually swallowed by the night.
This place was far from any villages, a desolate wilderness with only a winding official road, exuding a sense of loneliness.
The scholar in front tightened the straps of his book box, his steps hurried, as if he was feeling uneasy in this cold environment.
He glanced around, his gaze falling on a dilapidated pavilion by the roadside.
After hesitating for a moment, he quickly entered.
The pavilion was old and dilapidated, with half a cobweb hanging from the faded vermilion lacquer pillars, rustling in the wind, dropping years of incense ash and dust.
The ground in the center of the pavilion seemed to have rotted long ago, leaving only a broken wooden carving, vaguely showing half a blurry face.
The scholar took out a fire stick from his book box and tremblingly lit a lantern he carried with him.
The dim light barely dispelled some of the darkness.
But the moment he lowered his head to put away the fire stick, the old tree outside the pavilion suddenly rustled.
The sound wasn’t like the rustling of wind blowing through leaves, but more like someone throwing a handful of copper coins on a stone slab, harsh and eerie.
The scholar suddenly stiffened, looking up.
But he saw that a demonic wind had suddenly blown up on the official road!
Mist surged, shrouding the world in a greyish-white haze.
“Woo…” In the low wind, there was a faint sound of crying, chilling to the bone.
The scholar’s back felt cold, and he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye, a mass of green light appearing out of thin air in the center of the fog.
Floating faintly, like ghost fire, flickering.
“Senior brother! The Little Ghost is here!”
In the distance, Lin Fan whispered, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.
Long Qiye narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice: “I see!”
He stared at the mass of light, his muscles tense, ready to strike at any moment.
Outside the pavilion.
The green light gradually solidified, revealing a figure.
From afar, the figure was wearing a lotus-colored skirt, swaying lightly, as if being carried by the wind in mid-air.
But as she approached, the scholar finally saw clearly…
It wasn’t a skirt at all, it was countless vines hanging down from her waist!
The tip of each vine was burning with a thumbnail-sized phosphorous fire, flickering faintly in the mist, extremely eerie.
“Young Master…”
A mournful voice floated over, seeming near and far, carrying a soul-stirring demonic power.
The scholar’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his face pale, his fingers tightly clutching the strap of the book box, his knuckles white from the force.
He wanted to retreat, but found that the vermilion pillar behind him had moved to the side.
This step had cornered him, leaving him with nowhere to retreat!
At this critical moment.
A loud shout rang out like thunder: “How dare you!”
Whoosh!
A sharp sword light pierced the night.
Sword Qi like a rainbow, instantly tearing through the surrounding mist, directly targeting the eerie figure.
“Ah!”
The Female Ghost let out a shrill scream, her vines thrashing, her phosphorous fire scattering.
Following that.
Another figure charged out like a tiger descending a mountain.
This person was surrounded by golden light, like the sun in the sky.
Wherever he passed, the mist melted like snow and ice, receding.
Long Qiye strode forward, punching out.
The fist wind howled, directly knocking the screaming Female Ghost unconscious.
The vines drooped softly, the phosphorous fire extinguished.
“Junior brother! Got her!”
Long Qiye grabbed the Female Ghost’s neck, turning his head and shouting back.
With his appearance, the demonic wind around the pavilion stopped, and the mist dissipated.
Heaven and earth were restored to clarity.
Moonlight poured down, illuminating the dilapidated pavilion with a touch of serenity.
Lin Fan arrived with his sword sheathed, his gaze sweeping over the Female Ghost, frowning: “Senior brother, there must be a big figure behind this Little Ghost!
“She has a powerful aura, it’s clearly a secret method used to control her!”
He pointed to a dark red seal on the Female Ghost’s waist, faintly emitting a cold wave.
Long Qiye nodded, whispering: “That’s right, we have to be careful. This Female Ghost may be weak, but the person behind her might be a tough nut to crack!”
He threw the Female Ghost to the ground, spitting out Qi and Blood, transforming into a crimson chain to bind her tightly.
Only then did the scholar, who had been cowering in the corner of the pavilion, finally come to his senses.
He let out a long breath, his face relaxing slightly.
Then he quickly straightened up, bowed to the two, and said respectfully: “I am Li Caichen, thank you two righteous men for saving me!”
His voice still trembled slightly, clearly not yet fully recovered from the fright.
“Haha! You’re welcome!”
Long Qiye grinned, waving his hand, his face full of heroism.
Along the way, he and Lin Fan had received countless thanks from the people.
But every time they heard such gratitude, they still felt comfortable in their hearts, their youthful spirit fully displayed.
Lin Fan glanced at the scholar and snorted: “You scholar, you’re quite full of formalities.”
All the way, he had naturally seen through Li Caichen’s character.
The surrounding mist had long since dissipated, leaving only a faint night wind, carrying a touch of coldness.
Lin Fan glanced at the Female Ghost on the ground and turned to Long Qiye: “Senior brother, wake up this Little Ghost and ask her where her lair is.
“The person behind her who dares to control her must not be a small character!”
Long Qiye grinned and nodded: “Good! Leave it to me!”
He raised his hand and slapped the Female Ghost’s face.
This slap was imbued with intense Qi and Blood power, like the sun breaking through the clouds, carrying a wave of heat.
The Female Ghost’s body swayed violently.
The vines trembled, making a “sizzling” sound, as if they were almost destroyed by this power.
“Cough cough…”
The Female Ghost painfully opened her eyes, filled with terror and fear.
She struggled to raise her head and said in a hoarse voice: “Who… who are you?
“Do you know that I am a servant of the Mountain Lord!
“This scholar is someone the Mountain Lord wants, you have offended the Mountain Lord, you will have no good days ahead!”
Her voice was sharp, with a hint of bravado.
Long Qiye, on hearing this, instead burst into laughter, his eyes flashing with playful light: “Mountain Lord? What a big name!”
He stared into the Female Ghost’s eyes and said slowly: “Come, tell us about this Mountain Lord’s background.
“If you don’t…”
He paused, his fists clenched, making a “creaking” sound.
Qi and Blood power surged like a tide, faintly revealing a sense of pressure.
“I have plenty of ways to make you talk!”
Long Qiye possessed the 《Tiger Demon Bone Tempering Fist》 and the 《Ox Demon Great Strength Fist》, two great body-tempering divine skills.
His Qi and Blood were as vigorous as a furnace, a natural nemesis of demons and evil spirits.
As soon as his fighting spirit was released, the air around him seemed to stagnate.
The temperature in the pavilion suddenly rose, causing the Female Ghost’s vines to curl slightly, as if fearing this masculine energy.
The Female Ghost was shocked by this imposing manner, a hint of fear flashing in her eyes, her body involuntarily shivering.
She gritted her teeth, seeming to weigh the pros and cons.
Finally, she tremblingly spoke: “The Mountain Lord… is the Old Monster Yinshan that people talk about, a thousand-year-old locust tree that has cultivated into a spirit…”
The Female Ghost spoke with a hint of unwillingness, but dared not meet Long Qiye’s gaze.
Long Qiye and Lin Fan exchanged glances, a hint of seriousness in their eyes.
A thousand-year-old tree demon is no small character, being able to cultivate to this level, it must have some skills.
As they listened to the Female Ghost’s account, they secretly analyzed its truthfulness.
At this time.
Li Caichen, the scholar who had been silent, couldn’t help but speak, his voice carrying a hint of doubt: “That girl, you are…?”
Li Caichen, the scholar, couldn’t help but ask: “That girl, you are…?”
The Female Ghost was startled, a complex expression flashing in her eyes.
She whispered: “This lowly one… my real name is Liu Xiaoqian…”