Free Web NovelChapter 332: Chapter 331: Ye Ruyan Severely Injured
After the New Year’s Great Rite, the weather grew warmer with each passing day.
Bai Fei and Gu Zhao discussed the Dao with the old Daoists for several days before preparing to take their leave.
The ones most reluctant to see her go were not the many old Daoists of Daluo Palace, but the few Guardian Star Officials within.
Bai Fei was a Spirit Monarch with several thousand years of Dao Practice. Besides discussing the Dao with the Daoists, she also occasionally gave pointers to the many Fairy guardians in Daluo Palace. Not to mention Huang Yuan and Bi Yingying, who had the highest cultivation, the rest also gained a great deal.
"Jiangyang Prefecture and Changping Prefecture are separated only by a river. If you have any free time, younger brother, you can come visit me in Jiangbei," Bai Fei said to Gu Zhao. "If anything comes up, you can also send someone to White Spirit Mountain to find me."
"Thank you for your care, older sister." Gu Zhao naturally agreed.
Bai Fei paused for a moment, then reminded him, "Don’t go to Mo Lake to fight the Ink Flood Dragon."
"Hm?" Gu Zhao raised an eyebrow, though he wasn’t surprised that Bai Fei knew he planned to move against the Ink Flood Dragon.
Never mind that Li Qingshuang had already guessed it; even the local Demons and Ghosts of Jiangzhou could see that there was only room for one of them, Daluo Palace or the Ink Flood Dragon.
Bai Fei looked at Gu Zhao. "After the Ink Flood Dragon eats someone, it sleeps for two or three years. I originally thought you wouldn’t make a move so quickly, but after these past few days, I’ve realized how fast your cultivation is progressing. I’m afraid you won’t be able to resist taking the initiative."
Gu Zhao smiled. "Actually, it won’t be that soon."
Bai Fei shook her head and chuckled, then her smile faded. In a serious voice, she said, "The Ink Flood Dragon secludes itself at the bottom of Mo Lake, but it has actually refined the waters of the Eight Hundred Li Mo Lake into its Lifebound Magical Treasure. If you fight it in Mo Lake, it will have every geographical advantage."
"Oh?" This time, Gu Zhao was genuinely surprised. This was a piece of information from Bai Fei that he truly hadn’t known before.
"How does it compare to the Nether Fire Sect of Black Rock Mountain?" Gu Zhao asked.
Bai Fei shook her head with a light laugh. "Although the Netherfire Sect Leader cultivates a Demon Technique, he is not a true Celestial Demon, nor is he channeling one. If his nether fire were to enter Mo Lake, it would simply be extinguished by the water."
Gu Zhao understood. ’If the Eight Hundred Li Mo Lake were to stir up monstrous waves, it really would be difficult to deal with,’ he thought.
Bai Fei gave Gu Zhao a deep look. "You can send people to investigate in Pingjiang Prefecture. If the Ink Flood Dragon emerges again, come find me on White Spirit Mountain."
A flicker of understanding crossed Gu Zhao’s eyes. "Older sister, you’re going to help me?"
Bai Fei smiled charmingly. "I can’t let you call me ’older sister’ for nothing."
Gu Zhao wasn’t modest. "With you taking action, older sister, wouldn’t it be a sure thing?"
Bai Fei smiled faintly, then with a light flick of her sleeve, she transformed into a streak of light and flew straight to the north.
Li Qingshuang also left with Bai Fei, but she wasn’t returning to White Spirit Mountain. Instead, she headed west toward Qianshan Prefecture, and even farther west to Shanzhou.
Bai Fei was merely the Mountain Master of White Spirit Mountain, but Li Qingshuang, in addition to her origins there, also served the Spirit Court. Therefore, she had to shoulder the Spirit Court’s duties of patrolling the world and gathering intelligence.
...
They had taken down the Nether Fire Sect, interacted with Chaoyang Island, Silent God Mountain, and White Spirit Mountain, and he had even unexpectedly become sworn brother to the Mountain Master of White Spirit Mountain. Daluo Palace’s battle to make a name for itself in this world was thus perfectly concluded.
Although no blows were exchanged in this battle, its perils were no less than if they had been. At the very least, they were still no match for Ancestor Mie Yang of Silent God Mountain.
Fortunately, however, their backing was strong enough. Furthermore, there seemed to be some sort of connection between the two worlds, so both Chaoyang Island and White Spirit Mountain stood on his side. This made Ancestor Mie Yang not only wary, but even harbor a sliver of inexplicable anticipation.
Thus, Daluo Palace successfully established a presence in Yongzhou, opening Daluo Temples in both He Yan Mansion and Shide Prefecture, and coexisting peacefully with Chaoyang Island and Silent God Mountain.
The next steps were for the many old Daoists to continue roaming the world, Eradicating Evil and Accumulating Merit. Then, at the right moment, they would eliminate that Ink Flood Dragon. After that, Daluo Palace would have virtually no external threats left.
Gu Zhao: ୧꒰•̀ᴗ•́꒱୨
Gu Zhao had spent the past few days hosting Bai Fei, so he hadn’t crossed over. However, Taoist Ming Chong, who was holding down the fort in the modern world, hadn’t contacted him, which meant nothing major had happened.
Now that he had handled matters on this side, Gu Zhao prepared to return to the modern world for the New Year.
But before he could leave, Bi Jingjing arrived at his door, carrying a heavily injured Ye Ruyan.
"What happened?" Gu Zhao asked.
When he had seen her a month ago, Ye Ruyan had been a high-spirited, naturally bewitching beauty. But now, her Demon Power was unstable, her face was as pale as paper, and her eyes were tightly shut, on the verge of unconsciousness.
"She forced herself to reach Green Water Pool before passing out. I tried to save her and found that her Origin was severely damaged. Moreover, a wisp of Yin Qi is coiled around her Divine Soul. Her opponent’s Dao Practice is higher than mine; I can’t expel it." Bi Jingjing explained the situation in a few short sentences.
Gu Zhao reached for the gourd at his waist, produced a Purple Cloud Ginseng Pill, and handed it to Bi Jingjing. "Help her take this."
"Thank you, Brother Gu!" Bi Jingjing hurriedly took the elixir and placed it in Ye Ruyan’s mouth.
The main ingredient of this Purple Cloud Ginseng Pill was a wisp from Purple Cloud Monarch’s ginseng beard, along with two Thousand-Year Ginsengs he had brought. It replenished qi and essence, capable of saving anyone who wasn’t critically injured and on the brink of death.
Ye Ruyan swallowed the elixir, and as its medicinal power activated within her, it agitated the wisp of Yin Qi coiled around her Divine Soul, causing her pale face to take on a bluish-black tinge.
Gu Zhao naturally sensed this Yin Qi as well. It was indeed profound, agile, and stubbornly powerful; even the Purple Cloud Ginseng Pill was helpless against it.
However, the Spirit Pill’s medicinal power managed to suppress the Yin Qi for the time being. Ye Ruyan’s Divine Soul stirred, and she finally woke up.
"Thank you, Sister Jingjing. Thank you, Gu Palace Master."
Ye Ruyan’s last memory before falling unconscious was of reaching Green Water Pool. Waking up to see Gu Zhao first, she naturally knew that Bi Jingjing had brought her to Daluo Palace for help.
"Who was your attacker?" Bi Jingjing asked immediately.
"It’s Old Ghost Lan of Spring Lime Mountain in Celestial Spring Prefecture," Ye Ruyan said hatefully.
Bi Jingjing was startled to hear this. "How did you end up fighting him? I don’t recall you having any grudges against him."
"But his favorite pastime is abducting women for Absorbing Yin and Nourishing Yang," Ye Ruyan said, sitting up.
Bi Jingjing looked incredulous. "I thought he always targeted mortal women. Did he come after you?"
"He was looking for a mortal woman," Ye Ruyan said. "It just so happened to be my friend."
Although Ye Ruyan cultivated on Wuya Ridge, she didn’t completely shun the mortal world. She often traveled to Celestial Spring Prefecture and Bai Shi Prefecture, north and south of Wuya Ridge, to relax, which was how she had befriended Bi Jingjing from Bai Shi Prefecture.
It was the same in Celestial Spring Prefecture, only her friend there wasn’t one of the Demons and Ghosts, but a famous opera singer.
This time, when Ye Ruyan went to Celestial Spring Prefecture to find her and listen to her sing, she happened to run into Old Ghost Lan, who had taken a liking to the singer and moved to abduct her.
Ye Ruyan stopped Old Ghost Lan, hoping he would spare the woman out of respect for her. However, not only did Old Ghost Lan refuse to give her face, he decided to abduct her as well.
Thus, a great battle broke out between them. Ye Ruyan was no match for him and fled after being heavily injured.
Sensing Old Ghost Lan’s aura hot on her heels, Ye Ruyan didn’t dare return to her own cave abode. Her only choice was to flee all the way to Green Water Pool in Bai Shi Prefecture to ask Bi Jingjing for help. The protective array at Green Water Pool would have been enough to stop the old ghost.
But when she woke up, she was in Daluo Palace.
Of course, finding herself in Daluo Palace made Ye Ruyan feel even more relieved.
