Chapter 347: Return
Tn: I'm changing Tao to Dao from here on.
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Luo Wusheng, who had just been stunned by his Junior Sister's teasing words, now fully snapped back to reality.
Although he couldn't use his spiritual energy at the moment, the spiritual awareness that he has as someone in the Void Infant realm and his instinct for danger quickly allowed him to realize what was happening.
The space they were in—an overlapping realm between the present world and the ancient demon eye—had begun to tremble violently.
Occasionally, pitch-black rifts tore through the void around them, exuding a dangerous aura.
But what made Luo Wusheng truly uneasy was beneath their feet.
From beneath the red-leafed ancient tree on this mountain peak—which bore a striking resemblance to Xiaofeng Mountain in the outside world—an ancient and terrifying aura seemed to be awakening.
"…Junior Sister."
"Mm."
Luo Wusheng called out with a grim expression, and Bai Xiaoyao responded just as seriously.
"Did that book you read mention… whether such overlapping secret realms might both store peerless Artifacts and seal away peerless beings?"
Taking a deep breath, he continued,
"And also, this space's tremors…"
"…The tremors might indicate that the time limit for this space has expired. But normally, such vibrations wouldn't cause space rifts to appear…" Bai Xiaoyao replied, her tone cautious. "As for the possibility you brought up—no, the book didn't mention it. But it's not impossible. Artifacts with rule-bending properties are indeed among the best candidates for being used as the core of sealing formations."
Her answer made Luo Wusheng's scalp go numb.
If that really was the case, then could he just toss the causal thread back in…?
No, that was no longer an option.
The red string, once used, had already bound itself completely to him and Bai Xiaoyao. At least until that so-called "Predestined Effect" was fulfilled—or failed—he couldn't remove it.
So what now?
Luo Wusheng's thoughts raced. Then, gritting his teeth, he took out a crimson seed that he'd long prepared.
"Senior Brother, this is…"
"The Ancient Phoenix Essence, a resurrection Artifact that I obtained by chance!"
Bai Xiaoyao's thoughts froze when she heard that familiar name.
She quickly recalled that before a certain chicken Netherkin had died, it had been muttering something about the Ancient Phoenix Essence.
So this was Senior Brother's resurrection Artifact?
There was no time for explanation. Luo Wusheng, already moving, raised the small seed in his hand. Using his precise bodily control as a cultivator, he aimed for the hollow in the ancient tree trunk.
(It has to be here—this is the spot that white-haired loli told me to plant the Phoenix Essence!)
If that's the case, maybe this thing could do something unique in a situation like this.
With meticulous control, the crimson seed slowly floated toward the hollow in the tree, the very same place where the causal thread had once rested.
As the Phoenix Essence left his hand, Luo Wusheng swiftly scooped up the still-slumbering Sword Fairy leaning against the tree. The sword mark on her forehead was starting to dim.
Now holding both beauties once again, he watched the blood-red seed draw a graceful arc through the air and land smoothly into the hollow without resistance.
The Phoenix Essence bounced lightly once inside the tree hole, spinning dizzily in place for a second, then began to float gently in the air.
Just like how the causal thread had once done.
The tremors of the space… stopped.
Whew.
With a peerless beauty in each arm, Luo Wusheng let out a deep breath of relief.
But in the very next instant, an icy chill enveloped his entire body. In a single moment, all the hairs on his skin stood on end as an indescribable terror spread through his soul.
In his dazed eyes, a pair of long, narrow, indifferent golden eyes seemed to appear.
Those eyes stared at him for a long time…
Time seemed to stretch endlessly at that moment.
By the time those golden eyes finally closed, Luo Wusheng's mind had become a blank void.
He lost consciousness.
...
Time passed.
What woke Luo Wusheng was the first ray of sunlight shining through the window in the morning.
"An unfamiliar ceiling…"
The scene reflected in his hazy, just-awakened eyes made him instinctively mutter this line.
"You're awake?"
A cool, familiar female voice came from above.
Luo Wusheng's gaze instinctively shifted toward the direction of the voice.
Hmm, a stunning beauty.
At such a close distance, even the loose robes she wore couldn't conceal her perfectly proportioned figure. Her breathtakingly beautiful face was exquisitely crafted, showcasing a serene and elegant aura like an orchid blooming in a secluded valley.
Suddenly wide awake, Luo Wusheng sat up on the bed.
"Your Majes—Fellow Daoist Yanyao?"
He quickly corrected himself, nearly blurting out the wrong title.
It was mainly because he recognized the Daoist robe she wore, and noticed the large character "道" (Dao) written on the wall of the room.
Otherwise, with that identical face, Luo Wusheng truly would have believed he was suddenly meeting the Empress herself.
After all, he distinctly remembered being invited for an audience with the young empress.
And just as he sat up, memories began to flood back into his mind like a tidal wave.
"…'Your Majes—'?"
Ji Yanyao frowned slightly, sensing something odd.
But seeing Luo Wusheng's expression slowly shift into a trace of panic as he started glancing around, she decided to set aside her previous question and changed the topic:
"If you're looking for the two young girls who were with you… hmm, your Junior Sister is recovering from her injuries in the Immortal Life Pool. The other girl is in the next room and hasn't woken up yet."
Luo Wusheng froze. His spiritual sense instinctively spread out, and sure enough, he detected Little Yuli's aura in the adjacent room.
His thoughts gradually calmed.
Collecting his thoughts, Luo Wusheng gave a simple bow while sitting on the bed.
"Um… may I ask, Fellow Daoist Yanyao, where exactly is this place?"
"This is a residence of the Daoist Artifact Pavillion within the Royal City. My sect's disciples and I, who are participating in the Human Immortal List, have been staying here."
That answer left Luo Wusheng stunned.
The Royal City? He was back in the Royal City?
Before he could ask further, the leading figure of the Daoist Sect before him began to explain.
Luo Wusheng listened quietly to her calm voice.
Everything he hadn't known was now beginning to fall into place within a logical timeline in his mind.
(So, she means… she happened to visit Qifeng City yesterday, but didn't make it in time for my battle with the chicken Netherkin?)
Then, after giving healing pills to help the heavily injured Nascent Soul cultivators from Sword Province, she happened to discover the three of them falling out of a spatial rift…
Well, more precisely, the only conscious one— Bai Xiaoyao— was supporting both him and Little Yuli as they emerged from the void, right in front of the group on the mountain.
Also, it seemed that Bai Xiaoyao herself, who was already injured, had encountered something while leaving the space, making her condition even worse.
In the end, everyone was brought back here by Ji Yanyao and settled in. His Junior Sister, upon hearing the situation, didn't object.
As he listened to the young woman calmly recount everything, Luo Wusheng stroked his chin, lost in thought about something.
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Note: Link to the character Illustration:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lkIcPnCxeyuyZA4Kkb621dPC05UvWjhD
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