Free Web NovelChapter 48: Chapter 31: Dharma Treasure (Part 2)
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Every month, around the fifteenth, a strange and beautiful sight would appear on Zhao Yue Island’s Island Heart Lake. Neither the lanterns on the shore nor the vast Star River in the heavens could cast their light upon the water. Instead, an interwoven glow of white and purple moonlight claimed the entire lake for itself, making the water seem like flowing moonlight. Painted pleasure boats sailing upon it appeared to be drifting across the moon itself—a truly dreamlike scene.
Today, however, Island Heart Lake was the venue for the Pengxuan Treasure Assembly. All vessels, be they pleasure boats or visiting ships, were forbidden from entering the lake. Only the painted boats of Pengxuan Pavilion, sent to receive guests, glided back and forth across the moonlit water from time to time.
When Xuzhuang arrived at the appointed place by the lake, an attendant of Zhang Ji was already waiting. Seeing Xuzhuang, the attendant hurried forward, bowed, and said, "Mr. Xu, you’ve arrived. The Pavilion Master has been waiting for quite some time."
"Oh?" Xuzhuang said in surprise. "Quickly, take me to see Brother Zhang."
The attendant said, "Please, follow me." He led Xuzhuang along the lakeshore. Before long, they reached a secluded spot where an unremarkable painted boat was moored. The attendant stopped and bowed. "The Pavilion Master is on board. Please."
Xuzhuang gave a slight nod, walked past the attendant, and boarded the boat alone. Through the gently swaying beaded curtain, he could see Zhang Ji leaning against a windowsill, pouring and drinking by himself.
Xuzhuang smiled, pushed aside the beaded curtain, and strode into the cabin, teasing, "Brother Zhang, couldn’t you wait for me before starting to drink alone?"
Zhang Ji turned around and laughed heartily. "Brother Xu, you’re finally here! You kept me waiting for so long, I had to have a drink to ward off the loneliness."
Zhang Ji left the windowsill and sat down with Xuzhuang at the low table in the cabin. He poured Xuzhuang a cup of jade-like liquor. The two men raised their cups, exchanged a smile, and drained them in one go.
Xuzhuang set down his cup and asked, "Brother Zhang, you’ve been busy these past few days. Now that the Treasure Assembly has just begun, how is it you have the time to come here in person?"
Zhang Ji said, "I’ve already made all the necessary arrangements. If I still had to oversee every little thing, it would be far too tiring..."
The two chatted for a while when suddenly, the beaded curtain chimed. They both stopped talking and looked toward the entrance. A graceful figure pushed aside the curtain and glided into the cabin. Her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and a white veil concealed her face, revealing only a pair of beautiful eyes that shimmered like autumn lakes. Her simple, floor-length white dress did nothing to hide her elegance.
Zhang Ji said joyfully, "Fairy Shi, you’ve come!"
So this was Fairy Shi.
In Fairy Shi’s presence, Zhang Ji seemed to lose his usual composure, hurriedly getting up to show her to a seat.
Fairy Shi smiled faintly and replied, "Fellow Daoist Zhang, it’s been a long time." She then walked gracefully to the table and sat down.
Zhang Ji was overjoyed. "A long time indeed, a long time..." Seeing Miss Shi seated, he added, "The Treasure Assembly is about to begin. Since you are both here, I’ll have the boat set off now."
Despite his words, Zhang Ji made no move. He sat back down, picked up the wine pot, and poured the jade-like liquor for both Xuzhuang and Fairy Shi. Just as he was hesitating, wondering how to introduce them, Fairy Shi’s gaze fell naturally upon Xuzhuang. She spoke, "Young Master Xu... it’s been a long time."
Xuzhuang raised an eyebrow. "Miss Shi, a long time indeed."
"Huh?" Zhang Ji asked, puzzled. "You two... do you already know each other?" freewёbnoνel.com
Xuzhuang gave a humorless smile. "An acquaintance? I wouldn’t call it that. An old grudge, on the other hand..."
"What?" Zhang Ji hadn’t expected this. The situation had suddenly veered from his script.
Fairy Shi chuckled softly. "Young Master Xu doesn’t seem to hold me in high regard."
Xuzhuang said flatly, "Should I be expected to greet the person who tried to murder me with a smile?"
Seeing that while they spoke of a grudge, they hadn’t suddenly drawn swords, Zhang Ji had breathed a sigh of relief and was raising his cup for a drink. Hearing this, he nearly spilled his wine and quickly said, "How could that be? Perhaps it was a misunderstanding?"
"Is it?" Xuzhuang said. "I, too, wish it were a misunderstanding. Do you have an explanation, Miss?"
Fairy Shi sighed sorrowfully. "It was my foolishness that nearly cost Young Master Xu his life. It is only natural for you to resent me. Now that the Young Master’s cultivation has reached such a high level, if you wish to seek revenge, I’m afraid I can only offer my neck to your blade."
Hearing this, Zhang Ji quickly interjected, "Fairy Shi, you speak too gravely! What misunderstanding is there between you two? Why not talk it out? If you could take this chance to bury the hatchet, wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?" As he spoke, he didn’t forget to refill their cups.
"You jest, Fellow Daoist," Fairy Shi said. "For a grudge born of an attempt on one’s life, how could I dare beg for forgiveness with just a few words?" freewebnovel.cσ๓
"This...!" Hearing her words, Zhang Ji grew anxious and turned to Xuzhuang, but the words caught in his throat, and he couldn’t get them out.
’That’s right,’ he thought. ’If it’s truly a blood feud, what right do I have to mediate? But they are both my friends. How can I bear to see them come to blows?’ For a moment, he couldn’t help but regret introducing them.
Xuzhuang saw Zhang Ji’s expression and frowned slightly. He had anticipated something like this, but when it came down to it, he still felt put in a difficult position. After all, his friendship with Zhang Ji was not trivial. Since he’d been staying at Pengxuan Pavilion, Zhang Ji had been an excellent host and had done his best to introduce him to friends.
Xuzhuang fell silent for a moment, then asked coolly, "Before you came, you must have already known that the one seeking you was me, correct?"
Fairy Shi replied calmly, "That is correct."
Xuzhuang sneered, "Oh! So you still came to see me. Are you perhaps looking for a fight?"
"That is not my intention at all," Fairy Shi said unhurriedly. "In fact, I feel deep regret for my past foolishness. I heard from Fellow Daoist Zhang that you were seeking me for a favor. I thought that if I could help resolve your troubles, I might be able to use this opportunity to reconcile with you."
"That would be wonderful! Wonderful!" Zhang Ji said hastily. "Brother Xu...?"
Xuzhuang thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "Very well. Since that is your intention, I won’t make things difficult for Brother Zhang. If you can resolve my troubles, we can let bygones be bygones."
Zhang Ji was overjoyed at his words and quickly raised his cup to toast Xuzhuang, but Xuzhuang merely smiled and said nothing.
Seeing this, a cryptic smile appeared in Fairy Shi’s eyes. She suddenly raised a slender finger and lifted her veil, revealing her face. Her cheeks were like fresh lychees, her nose as smooth as fine jade. She wore no gold or jade ornaments, not even a touch of makeup. She was like a lotus rising from clear water, or a camellia kissed by dew—pure, beautiful... and completely unlike a Demoness of the Demon Dao!
It was also the first time Xuzhuang had seen this Demoness’s face, and he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of surprise, though it vanished in an instant.
’A beautiful face is but a skull, makeup but white bones.’ To Xuzhuang, even a beauty like a Celestial Immortal was no different.
Having removed her veil, Fairy Shi raised her cup with both hands. Only then did Xuzhuang lift his own.
Zhang Ji was already ecstatic. He downed his liquor in one gulp. Fairy Shi raised her cup in a gesture, then took a delicate sip from behind her sleeve. Xuzhuang then finished the wine in his cup. After the three set their cups down, Fairy Shi said softly, "I am overjoyed to have earned your forgiveness, Young Master. I wonder, what is the trouble that worries you? If I can truly be of assistance, I will certainly do my utmost."
Xuzhuang said flatly, "To be frank, I am currently being troubled by an otherworldly evil demon. It has begun to threaten my cultivation, so I wish to borrow your aid, Miss Shi, to eliminate this problem."
Hearing this, both she and Zhang Ji were somewhat taken aback. Fairy Shi said in surprise, "Your esteemed sect is a great power of the mystic arts, an orthodox branch of the Taoist School, and you are experts at exorcising demons and dispelling evil. A demon that even someone of your cultivation level, Young Master Xu, finds difficult to handle must be no ordinary fiend. Please explain in detail, otherwise I won’t know if I can be of help."
Xuzhuang considered for a moment before relating the details of how he had become entangled with the ’Great Freedom Profound Monarch Six Marvelous Jade Muddy Heavenly Son’. He omitted the cause and effect, but he did carefully state the Celestial Demon’s true name.
Fairy Shi’s expression showed understanding. "I see. The varieties of Celestial Demons are infinite, and their numbers are endless. However, most are muddle-headed, knowing only how to fight and kill. Those who have awakened to a true name are already rare. If, as you say, it possesses such a grand title, it must be a terrifyingly powerful archfiend that has slaughtered and devoured countless living beings, one that fancies itself a Demon Lord of the heavens. Such a ’True Demon’ is bizarre and cunning, its Magic boundless. Even a Primordial Spirit True Man would have to be cautious when facing one."
"Oh?" Xuzhuang asked. "Then do you have a way to deal with it, Miss?"
"Naturally," Fairy Shi said with a faint smile. Without any needless mystery, she made a plucking motion with her slender hand, and a Jade Pendant with a missing corner appeared in it. The pendant was translucent white and carved with the image of a three-headed, six-armed deity.
The woman seemed genuinely intent on helping. Without further ado, she handed the Jade Pendant directly to Xuzhuang and said with a smile, "This treasure should be able to resolve your troubles, Young Master."
"Oh?" Xuzhuang, of course, would not blindly trust her words. He took the Jade Pendant and examined it with extreme caution. Suddenly, his eyes widened in shock. "This is... a Dharma treasure?!"
