When Li Guanyu and Li Guanhang arrived, the courtyard was in shambles. The jade flower stood eerily in the center, with no one knowing what had just happened.
Xing Shuishui and He Liansheng lay unconscious on the ground. As the flower dispersed, red threads wrapped around both their wrists, connecting to the Jade Flower King’s veins.
Seeing this, Li Guanhang drew his sword toward the Jade Flower King. A barrier instantly rose from the ground, blocking them both.
Li Guanyu sensed the barrier-maker’s high cultivation level and said, “Guanhang, don’t act rashly.”
After sending a message talisman to consult their master, his expression turned grave: “They’ve fallen into the Crimson Dream. If the red threads disappear, those trapped in the dream will never wake up.”
Li Guanhang’s face changed: “How could this be… is this demon flower really that sinister?”
Among the world’s mysterious arts, the Crimson Dream rivaled even the Mirror in power! No one had ever woken from it before.
His face darkened. Someone had clearly set this trap to prevent their interference. If the Sect Master learned his only direct disciple had fallen into the Crimson Dream, who knew what punishment awaited.
This commotion naturally attracted many white-robed figures. In an instant, they were surrounded. Under those robes were demons.
“Casting the Crimson Dream requires immense power. The Flower King won’t recover quickly. At this point, we can only trust in He Lian. He’s been gifted since childhood – perhaps he can break this dream.”
Li Guanyu took out his Demon-Subduing Pagoda, his gaze fierce: “Let’s deal with these demons first.”
He cast a pitying glance at Xing Shuishui’s pale face on the ground.
What a shame for this mortal girl to be caught up in this.
…
The very girl they pitied wasn’t doing well. Xing Shuishui wasn’t sure if she was hallucinating – her head spun. Only when she became slightly more clear-headed did she notice the red thread on her wrist.
Then she understood – this wasn’t a hallucination, but the Crimson Dream!
That Jade Flower King could actually cast dreams through flowers.
She felt quite unlucky. These past few days she’d been so careful, all for He Liansheng’s broken Demon-Subduing Pagoda. Now she hadn’t even seen a shadow of the pagoda, but had fallen into a dream and needed to find a way out.
“Little Nine. Little Nine.” Someone was calling her name.
Hearing this familiar voice, Xing Shuishui whirled around.
In the carriage, Xue Zhangxin looked at her worriedly, gently patting her back as if to comfort her: “Little Nine, are you feeling better? We’ll reach Luodan Kingdom soon.”
Sister?
She froze.
Luodan Kingdom… Sister… wasn’t this from several hundred years ago? Xing Shuishui repeated three times to herself that this was fake.
This Crimson Dream had actually taken her to the past!
Leaning against the window, her dizziness hadn’t subsided.
After the massacre of the Tu family, the mountain ceased to exist.
The Guan family manor was renamed to Lihuo Manor, and after much discussion, Sister became the manor lord.
That night of the massacre, Mu Ziyu disappeared. Sister feared something had happened to him and, hearing his hometown was in Luodan Kingdom, came here searching for him.
Back then, Xing Shuishui couldn’t understand – first, why Sister needed to personally search for that sickly man, and second, where that dead Mu Ziyu had run off to when he’d promised to marry Sister.
But regardless of her understanding, she still accompanied Sister.
Luodan Kingdom was celebrating the Lantern Festival, decorated with lights and colors everywhere.
News of Xing Shuishui massacring the Guan family and snubbing Lingshan had spread far. The kingdom’s ruler naturally knew and dared not slight them. Learning of their coming, he invited Sister to celebrate the festival at the Luodan palace.
Many famous demons were also invited, including Mirror Wudou’s direct disciple Du Dizhu.
Looking at the approaching city, Xing Shuishui wondered if leaving with Sister now might prevent all the coming tragedies.
But this was just within the Crimson Dream. Before finding a way to break the dream, she dared not act rashly.
Sister seemed unable to see the red thread on her wrist, and asked again: “Little Nine, feeling better now? I just asked the old man to drive slower so it won’t be so bumpy.”
Xing Shuishui paused, then said playfully: “I know Sister treats me best, much better than Mu Ziyu.”
Xue Zhangxin smiled helplessly and patted her head.
The carriage entered the city. Luodan Kingdom from hundreds of years ago had no jade flowers lining the streets, just ordinary street scenes. But now during the festival, incense wafted from upper floors, red lanterns hung high, roofs rose in varying heights, and crowds packed the streets.
When Xing Shuishui first saw the jade flower in the forest, she actually felt somewhat familiar, as if she’d seen it in Luodan Kingdom centuries ago, but had forgotten after so long without thinking about it.
Perhaps she could find answers about the jade flowers in her past life memories.
No rush to break the dream.
It was still early after entering the city. She and Sister found a teahouse to sit and have snacks. Perhaps celebrating the festival, the teahouse was also crowded. Xing Shuishui sat by the window eating dates while Sister turned to chat with others, asking about Mu Ziyu.
The surrounding voices were noisy, seeming to discuss something.
“Have you heard? General Fu Qi is returning triumphant today!”
“General Fu Qi! I saw him once! Such a young talent with divine looks, achieving so many military feats at such a young age. My father keeps wanting me to marry him. What do you think – which family’s daughter will His Highness choose for him at tonight’s palace banquet?”
“The Third Princess, probably. I heard the Third Princess has long admired him.”
Xing Shuishui listened to the gossip while eating dates, thinking it wasn’t much different from TV dramas. When Xue Zhangxin wasn’t paying attention for a moment, half a bowl of dates disappeared. She patted Xing Shuishui’s arm: “Little Nine, save some appetite, there’ll be plenty to eat at the palace banquet later.”
Xing Shuishui obediently nodded, but hid the bowl with her sleeve and snuck two more dates.
Just then, the teahouse erupted in commotion again. Xing Shuishui thought that General Fu Qi had arrived.
But she heard a crisp crash of a bowl breaking.
Then someone stood up, immediately cursing: “Where’s my jade? Huh? Want to see for yourself what ugly thing you brought? Don’t forget, your king had to personally invite me to condescend to attend your mortal Lantern Festival. I demanded jade, not river rocks. You’re just tiny Luodan Kingdom, yet you dare offend my Wuxiang Mountain?”
He also spotted Xing Shuishui, pointing: “See that little girl? That barely qualifies as jade. If your eyes are useless, I can help eat them.”
That familiar voice – who else but that dog Du Dizhu?
Xing Shuishui paused for a moment, gripping Qitong. Perhaps because she’d hunted him for over a hundred years later, even now in the dream, seeing his face made her want to chop him up.
Really.
Before Xue Zhangxin could react, Du Dizhu had noticed her. This ancient demon couldn’t take his eyes off Sister once he saw her, squinting: “Oh? There’s even such a person…”
“How about this – give this person to me as a concubine, and I’ll forgive you. Moreover, as long as I live, I can bless your Luodan with a thousand years of peace.”
Xing Shuishui exploded instantly, standing with her blade: “Old beast, such big words.”
Du Dizhu saw through her cultivation level at a glance: “A hundred-year-old peach demon?”
He dismissed her: “Little sister, today’s world isn’t suitable for weak demons to survive. If you meet Lingshan people, they’ll throw both sisters straight into the Demon-Subduing Pagoda. Having Wuxiang Mountain’s protection is your honor.”
“Dying by my blade would be your honor.”
Xing Shuishui dismissed him too, smiling: “Who lives, who dies – try and find out.”
Xue Zhangxin worriedly tugged at her clothes: “Little Nine, we’re all guests here. Better not cause trouble.”
Xing Shuishui told her not to worry, throwing a date aimed at Du Dizhu’s forehead. Du Dizhu dodged, already wanting to teach her a lesson. He casually struck out with palm force, but Qitong’s blazing fire easily dissolved it, shocking everyone’s faces.
He narrowed his eyes: “You’re the one who killed Guan Zi?”
Xing Shuishui flashed before him: “Now I can be the one who kills you too.”
Du Dizhu clicked his tongue: “I thought it was some old demon hag, didn’t expect a little girl.”
Xing Shuishui truly angered. Seeing Du Dizhu smile and flip out the window, she followed with her blade. But her lightness skill seemed poor – even riding qi, she felt she might fall any moment.
Du Dizhu naturally noticed this too.
He struck out palm force at Xing Shuishui’s side: “You have terrifying blazing fire but your cultivation and basics can’t keep up. You’re nothing special after all.”
The qi flow disrupted, Xing Shuishui momentarily lost balance and fell from midair. She hated Du Dizhu to death but couldn’t stabilize her lightness skill in her flailing. Xue Zhangxin stood anxiously by the window: “Little Nine!”
But just then, Qitong emitted intense killing intent.
Blazing fire covered it like a fire snake.
Xing Shuishui’s eyes widened. She still remembered after killing Guan Zi, the system said its existence and the blazing fire’s both violated this world’s order. Unless needed for the mission, it wouldn’t speak again. After so long, she’d almost forgotten its existence.
Now Qitong blade suddenly reacted – why?
No time to think more. An arrow shot through, striking rows of lanterns. People gasped, screamed, blushed.
The arrow pinned Xing Shuishui to a wooden board. Though awkward, at least she didn’t fall onto the street.
“General Fu Qi is here! Ahhhhh! So handsome!”
“Truly the number one archer – what a divine arrow! I never thought I’d witness General Fu Qi’s grace in my lifetime. Even I, a grown man, want to marry him!”
“Such amazing archery, truly as stunning as the rumors say.”
Hearing talk of this person, Xing Shuishui raised her eyes.
That young man on horseback hadn’t lowered his bow. His bearing was striking, his silver armor reflecting firelight. A grey hawk perched on his shoulder, his headband fluttering, his features holding hints of unstoppable coldness.
As Xing Shuishui sized him up, the young man also observed her – invasive and untamed.
He was in the prime of his youth.
His tone was fierce: “Fighting is forbidden in the city. Are you seeking death?”
“…”
This mortal had quite the nerve.
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