vncnus Chapter 102 On Tongtian Peak, in the Western Great Swamp
Chapter 102 On Tongtian Peak, in the Western Great Swamp
Chapter 102 On Tongtian Peak, in the Western Great Swamp
Inside the temporary quarters of the disciples of Dazhu Peak on Tongtian Peak.
Zhang Xiaofan slowly woke up, and as he opened his eyes, he saw a series of faces filled with concern.
"Xiao Fan! You're finally awake! You scared me to death!" Tian Ling'er's eyes were still red. When she saw him open his eyes, she was both happy and angry. She reached out and pinched his arm lightly.
"Senior Sister, I'm alright." Zhang Xiaofan, still feeling a bit weak, sat up, first giving Tian Ling'er a reassuring smile, then turning his gaze to his master and mistress sitting at the table not far away, asking with a slightly bewildered look, "Master, Mistress, what happened to me?"
Tian Buyi crossed his arms, his face dark, and snorted without saying a word. Su Ru gently patted her husband's arm and said softly to Zhang Xiaofan, "You were exhausted and passed out on the stage earlier and were brought back. How are you feeling now?"
Is there anything else that's bothering you?
"Unconscious—" Zhang Xiaofan recalled for a moment, a look of self-reproach on his face: "I'm sorry, Master's wife, I didn't win."
"Silly child," Su Ru walked to the bedside and gently stroked the top of his head, "As long as you're alright, what does winning or losing matter?"
"Hmph!" Tian Buyi couldn't hold back any longer, letting out a heavy snort and saying in a deep voice, "What do you mean you didn't win! Anyone with eyes could see that Seventh Brother had the upper hand! But that old Cangsong—cough cough, Senior Brother Cangsong insisted on arguing, and for some reason, the Sect Leader gave in to him, which allowed that brat Qi Hao to get away with it for nothing! Outrageous!"
"Alright, alright," Su Ru turned around and glared at Tian Buyi, "Xiao Fan just woke up, why are you telling him all this? If you're angry, take it out on someone else, what kind of skill is it to yell at a child?"
"I was just feeling sorry for the seventh brother—" Tian Buyi's momentum immediately diminished after being glared at by his wife. He muttered a few words and then shut his mouth in a huff.
After calming her husband down, Su Ru turned to Zhang Xiaofan and said gently, "Xiaofan, when you were unconscious, Lu Xueqi, the junior disciple of Xiaozhu Peak, was very worried and asked Ling'er to pass on a message. If you see her tomorrow, remember to let her know you're safe and sound, so she won't keep worrying about you."
Zhang Xiaofan nodded and replied earnestly, "Don't worry, Master's wife, I understand."
"Idiot, how dare you answer that? Let's see how you get out of this mess!" Hearing Zhang Xiaofan say this, Tian Buyi couldn't help but show a gloating expression. He put his hands behind his back, waiting for his wife to make a move so he could crack a joke and help his clueless disciple out of the predicament.
As expected, Su Ru raised an eyebrow slightly, leaned forward a little, and wore a half-smile on her face: "Oh, I didn't expect our Xiao Fan to be so likable. It's only been a few days, and even Xue Qi, with her aloof personality, has started to show concern for others?"
Zhang Xiaofan was taken aback, seemingly not understanding the deeper meaning in his master's wife's words. He paused for a moment, then earnestly corrected her, "Master's wife, you're wrong. Senior Sister Xueqi isn't aloof; she's just under too much pressure."
"Huh?" Su Ru was taken aback by his answer.
Zhang Xiaofan continued earnestly, "Uncle Shuiyue is so good to Senior Sister Xueqi, so good that she doesn't know how to repay her. She can only work hard to cultivate herself and become the best version of herself, the one that best meets Uncle Shuiyue's expectations. It's not that she doesn't like to talk, but she has too many things on her mind and feels a heavy burden on her shoulders. Over time, she has become less talkative and doesn't like to laugh with others. In fact, she is quite lonely, but she just pretends not to say it. I just happened to know what Senior Sister was thinking, so I talked to her a few more times."
As she listened to these words, Su Ru felt as if something had gently poked her heart, causing a bittersweet ripple of emotion.
She couldn't help but reach out and gently cup Zhang Xiaofan's cheeks, her eyes filled with heartache: "Silly child! How could you children think like this? As your master and mistress, we don't expect anything in return from you. We only hope that you are safe and happy. I never thought that you would suffer all these years."
"It wasn't bitter, Master's wife." Zhang Xiaofan shook his head, a clean and pure smile blooming on his face: "These days on Dazhu Peak have been the happiest time of my life."
"————" Tian Buyi, who was standing to the side, was dumbfounded. He had never thought that words could be said like that.
He knew his wife's temperament all too well. She was usually gentle and kind, but when she got serious, her stubbornness would be so strong that she would beat even the sect leader without hesitation.
Unexpectedly, his usually honest and simple seventh disciple, with just a few words, not only avoided getting into trouble, but also softened his wife's heart and made her feel sorry for him. Has this kid become wise?
Time flies, and half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.
After the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament, Zhang Xiaofan was naturally not involved in the next few matches. Song Daren, Du Bishu, and Tian Ling'er were also eliminated in the round of sixteen to eight. It can be said that the Dazhu Peak lineage was completely defeated.
So, for the past two weeks, Zhang Xiaofan and Tian Ling'er have often accompanied Lu Xueqi. The three of them have been touring the mountains and rivers, enjoying the clouds and sunsets on Tongtian Peak. They have been living a very leisurely life, which has made many of their fellow disciples envious. In just a few days, they have visited almost all the scenic spots on Tongtian Peak.
The most surprising thing was the attitude of Master Shuiyue, the head of Xiaozhu Peak.
As everyone knows, because of Tian Buyi, Master Shuiyue dislikes the entire Dazhu Peak. Logically speaking, she should have separated the couple long ago. However, in the past half month, she has not only failed to explicitly stop the two from getting close, but according to the rumors circulating within Xiaozhu Peak, she has not even said a word to Lu Xueqi that they are not allowed to associate with each other.
When this news spread, everyone in the Qingyun Sect was amazed by Zhang Xiaofan's extraordinary talent. This disciple of Dazhu Peak had managed to win over not only Lu Xueqi herself, but also her mother-in-law in just three days.
But that wasn't all. In the finals, Lu Xueqi faced Qi Hao as if she were seeking revenge for someone. Every move she made was extremely fierce. In the end, she even used the Divine Sword Thunder Control Technique, one of the four great techniques of the Qingyun Sect. Although she was ultimately defeated by Qi Hao, such a story will surely be passed down in the legends of the Qingyun Sect.
It's worth mentioning that Cangsong Daoist, who was expected to be detrimental to Zhang Xiaofan, has not made any move in the past two weeks.
According to the images secretly transmitted by Zhongli, inside the Jade Purity Palace, Cangsong's gaze towards Zhang Xiaofan was complex and unfathomable, containing reminiscence, relief, and satisfaction, but not a trace of killing intent could be found. It was unclear whose shadow Zhang Xiaofan he was taking as a reflection.
The Great Swamp of the West.
After a half-month trek, traversing nearly half of China, Russell finally arrived at the outer edge of the Death Swamp.
"Roar!" The Black Water Serpent beneath Russell's feet let out a low roar, as if urging Russell to hurry up and not waste time here.
Russell looked up and saw that beyond the thick, almost tangible gray curtain of miasma, the outline of an unimaginably enormous tree was faintly visible. Its trunk seemed to pierce through heaven and earth, and its crown disappeared into the clouds. It stood there alone and ancient, like a silent monument at the end of the world.
"The Heavenly Emperor's Treasury—" A hint of anticipation flashed in Russell's eyes. He wondered if there were any other treasures here besides the Heavenly Book, the Heavenly Emperor's Nether Stone, and the Jade Elixir from the original story.
"Let's go."
With the command given, the black serpent twisted its body, carrying him slowly into the dense miasma that devoured the light.
Just as he was about to be completely swallowed by the gray fog, Russell's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously turned around to glance at the vast wasteland behind him.
For some reason, ever since he left the Blood Refining Hall, he has had a feeling that he is being watched from time to time, but he can't find any trace of it even after careful investigation.
At first, Russell thought it was Xiaoyu who had followed him, but later when he asked in the chat group, Lu Mingfei sent over a photo. In the photo, Xiaoyu was indeed meditating and practicing her inner energy in the cave.
It's really strange.