'The word 'love'?'
Hei Xiaohu's right hand trembled slightly, the teacup in his palm shattering with a crash.
[Young Master of the Demonic Sect: Lantu is utterly devoted to Hongmao. No matter how I tried to please her before, she remained unmoved. Such steadfast, unwavering affection… how could it possibly be Hongmao's tribulation?]
In the main Hongmao and Lantu dimension, Hei Xiaohu looked at his reflection in the mirror and smiled self-deprecatingly.
Once, he had indeed pursued Lantu like a simp.
Treating her as a substitute for his mother, fawning obsequiously.
But now, after Hattori resolved his inner conflict, he had long since let go of this notion.
However, he had witnessed Lantu's utter devotion to Hongmao with his own eyes.
'How could such a strong, loyal woman cause Hongmao emotional pain?'
[Dark Group Owner: Explaining is useless. See for yourself.]
[Dark Group Owner has sent a memory fragment.]
Hei Xiaohu gently clicked it open, and the scene unfolded before his eyes.
In the forest, the Seven Swords, while chasing the Little Black disguised as Little Phoenix, mistakenly entered the Fountain of Youth, and all suffered calamity.
Hongmao lost all his martial arts, howling at the sky.
The Seven Swords turned into infants, could only cry, their former prowess gone.
And Princess Lantu, with her immortal-like beauty and tender heart, lost all her past memories, washed ashore on Coconut Island by the waves.
'What kind of joke is this?!'
Seeing this, Hei Xiaohu couldn't suppress the indignation in his chest, punching the table.
He had thought Hongmao encountered some invincible enemy.
Stronger than the Demonic Sect, more cunning, with power enough to shake the world.
But who would have thought...
It was just a sparsely-feathered, lecherous-looking black chicken?
This thing caused the Seven Swords, who overthrew the Demonic Sect, to suffer such a calamity?
'No wonder the Group Owner said the heavenly favor in that Hongmao's dimension is extremely unfair to them. How abysmally unlucky do you have to be to run into this kind of misfortune?'
Hei Xiaohu took three deep breaths before dispersing the frustration in his heart.
No wonder he was upset.
He acknowledged Hongmao because the Seven Swords possessed exceptional martial power, intellect, resolute character, and indomitable fighting spirit.
Coupled with each of the seven having their own strengths, complementing and helping each other, they could grow step by step under the crushing pressure of the behemoth Demonic Sect.
But in the 'Brave Return' dimension?
Five of the Seven Swords turned into infants, their skills utterly unusable.
Hongmao lost all his martial arts, Lantu lost all her memories.
The key point: the culprit causing all this wasn't some world-destroying super powerhouse.
It was just a black chicken, a mangy black chicken!
Sigh.
Hei Xiaohu's brows deeply furrowed as he continued watching.
Hongmao raised the Changhong Sword, intending to kill Little Black.
But the chivalrous code in his heart made him finally sigh softly.
He spared the black chicken, taking it with him as he headed towards the Phoenix Dojo on Phoenix Island.
"Hmph, this is indeed something Hongmao would do. Pedantic and stubborn, valuing so-called 'justice' more than his own interests."
Hei Xiaohu snorted coldly, speaking in a low voice.
However, the events that happened next on the road made Hei Xiaohu grit his teeth.
Even as an enemy, he felt immensely frustrated and aggrieved. The teacup in his hand was crushed once more.
"Hongmao, even if you don't kill this black chicken, I will definitely find it in my world, slice it a thousand times, flay it, and scrape its bones!"
In a dense jungle before Phoenix Island.
"Hero Hongmao! I really need to pee! Let me go relieve myself! I promise I'll be back in three minutes!"
Little Black, with its sparse yellow hair, looked obsequiously at Hongmao before him, continuously fawning.
Secretly, its small eyes rolled around, plotting a sinister scheme.
Just moments ago, its keen sense of smell detected the scent of an outsider.
Light footsteps, landing without a trace… definitely a martial artist skilled in Qinggong.
As long as it found that person, begged for help, and turned on Hongmao, it could successfully slip away, and no one would be able to control it anymore.
'Hehe, Hongmao, don't blame me. Blame your own rigidity and naivety, your inability to recognize the dangers of this world.'
Little Black secretly laughed, a sly glint flashing in its eyes.
But when it turned back to face Hongmao, it resumed that pitiful appearance.
Seeing this, Hongmao felt a bit soft-hearted and said gently, "Alright, go quickly and come back soon. I'll wait for you here."
Hongmao waved his hand.
He took down the infant Seven Swords tied to his body, sweat was already pouring down his forehead.
Having lost his martial arts, trekking over mountains and rivers this far, while carrying the deadweight Little Black and the infant Seven Swords, had already exhausted him.
While Little Black was relieving itself, he could just rest for a moment and recover his strength.
However…
'To think I practiced martial arts for decades, once covering a thousand miles in a day without tiring, and now I've been reduced to this state. Sigh, heaven's will is truly unpredictable.'
Hongmao looked at his tired face reflected in a puddle on the ground.
He couldn't help but sigh with grief and lament, endless bitterness welling up in his heart.
But…
Hongmao gritted his teeth, his gaze shifting to the light blue ribbon Lantu left on his chest.
His pained expression gradually smoothed out, revealing a trace of strong spirit.
No matter what, he would persevere.
Lantu was still waiting for him to save her. The Seven Swords could only rely on him to return to their original forms.
He was Hongmao, Master of the Changhong Sword, the hero who overthrew the Demonic Sect.
'What is this little pain?!'
Hongmao forced out a smile and took a deep breath.
'By the count, Little Black should be about done.'
'It's time to rally and continue the journey.'
"Little Bl…"
"Heroine! Phoenix Heroine! It's that sneaky man! He stole four infants! Even I, who acted righteously, was sneak attacked and knocked out by him! He tied me up with despicable means! Heroine, you must uphold justice for us!"
Not far away, a shrill, piercing voice passed through the layers of jungle and reached Hongmao's ears.
'Stealing infants? Sneak attacking others?'
'What kind of vile villain would do such despicable things?!'
Hongmao's heart jolted.
His sense of justice made him feel anxious, wishing he could instantly recover his power and save the people mentioned.
'Wait.'
Hongmao jolted, his pupils contracting sharply.
'One, two, three, four.'
Beside him lay exactly four crying infants.
They were the shrunken Seven Swords.
And the voice of the one claiming to be 'sneak attacked and knocked out' sounded more and more familiar the more he thought about it.
'It's Little Black!'
Hongmao's shoulders trembled slightly. A possibility he originally wouldn't have dared to imagine arose in his heart.
'Could this 'vile villain' be... referring to me?'
'Bold villain! Stealing and abducting infants, sneak attacking a divine beast! Now caught red-handed, surrender quietly!'
Just as Hongmao thought this, a water-blue sword gleam, carrying an extremely sharp and fierce aura, shot towards him swiftly and violently!