Xie Lian took a step forward, intentionally or not, blocking San Lang and said, "I know my own identity better than anyone else."
Fu Yao asked, "Then why do you dare to stand next to him?"
Xie Lian honestly replied, "Because... standing next to him means no snakes will come to bite."
"......"
Hearing this answer, San Lang chuckled, while Fu Yao's face turned even more sour. He said, "You..."
His face turned from blue to completely black. Not just his face, but Xie Lian's entire view turned pitch black.
It turned out that the fiery barrier Fu Yao had just set up, and the flames he had cast at the bottom of the pit, suddenly extinguished!
In the darkness, Xie Lian heard San Lang laugh twice and say, "Useless!" Then he felt San Lang put an arm around his shoulder. Immediately after, Xie Lian heard a rapid and violent "bang bang" sound coming from above them, like a torrential rain hitting an umbrella.
Needless to say, it must have been the purple-red snake rain falling without any barrier to stop it. But there was an umbrella above, shielding them from the snake rain!
Xie Lian smelled a strong scent of blood and was about to move when San Lang said, "Don't move. Nothing without eyes would dare come near."
His tone was confident, the first part low and gentle, the latter part carrying a hint of arrogance. Xie Lian wasn't worried, but he heard Fu Yao shout angrily, seemingly drenched by the snake rain, and say, "San Lang!"
San Lang immediately replied, "Don't."
Xie Lian couldn't help but laugh and said, "How do you know what I was going to say?"
San Lang said, "You can rest assured. He won't die."
At this moment, a voice shouted from their left front, "Half Moon! If you want me dead, just let them bite me for a quick end, what's the point of this?"
Half Moon said, "It wasn't me!" It seemed Ke Mo had been awakened by the snakes and found himself surrounded by countless slithering snakes, assuming it was Half Moon's doing. Xie Lian said, "Fu Yao, can you still light a fire? Light another fire!"
Fu Yao gritted his teeth and said, "The thing next to you is suppressing my magic, not letting me light a fire!"
Xie Lian's heart sank, but San Lang said, "I didn't."
Xie Lian said, "I know you didn't, and that's exactly why something's wrong. Both Half Moon and Ke Mo are bound by the Immortal Binding Rope and can't use magic. I've exhausted my spiritual power, and you're not suppressing him. Doesn't that mean there's a sixth person at the bottom of this pit?!"
Fu Yao said, "Are you crazy? There's no sixth person, no one came down from above!"
At this moment, Half Moon said, "Who?!"
Xie Lian asked, "Half Moon, what's wrong? Did someone go over to you?"
Half Moon said, "Someone..." Before she could finish, her voice disappeared. Xie Lian called out again, "Half Moon?!"
Fu Yao was still fighting the snakes, brief flashes of white light exploding in the darkness. He said, "Be careful, she might be tricking you to get close!"
Xie Lian said, "Not necessarily. Let's save her first!" As he spoke, he was about to charge into the snake rain, but San Lang whispered in his ear, "Okay!"
Xie Lian felt an arm wrap around his shoulder, and in an instant, he was propelled forward.
He suddenly realized that this young man was holding an umbrella with one hand and him with the other, advancing and attacking. In the darkness, silver light flickered, and suddenly, a piercing sound of blades clashing rang in everyone's ears. San Lang said, "Oh? There really is a sixth person. Interesting."
It was unclear how he controlled his weapon or what weapon he was using, but at this moment, he was indeed engaged in a head-on battle with someone!
The opponent remained silent, and Xie Lian heard the sound of a sharp sword slicing through the air, indicating another attack. Occasionally, dazzling sparks lit up the darkness, but they were fleeting, not enough to reveal the opponent's face. Xie Lian listened intently to the battle while calling out, "Half Moon, are you still awake? Can you respond?"
There was no reply from the other side. Fu Yao said, "Maybe the person you're fighting is her!"
Xie Lian said, "No, this is definitely not Half Moon!"
Fighting in the dark, San Lang had easily toyed with Ke Mo, but this time, he was slightly more serious.
The opponent was skilled, adept with their weapon, while Half Moon was small and lacked strength and weapon skills, so it couldn't be her. But who was this sixth person? And when did they appear?!
Fu Yao said, "This kind of person who betrays their own country is no different from the ghost Xuan Ji. Why do you still trust her?"
Xie Lian said, "Fu Yao, can you not be so impulsive all of a sudden? You... wait, what did you just say?"
Fu Yao blasted several Scorpion-Tailed Snakes away with a palm strike and said, "I said, why do you trust her so much? Just like you trust that thing next to you!"
Xie Lian said, "No, I wasn't talking about that sentence—you mentioned Xuan Ji. Did you mention Xuan Ji?!"
"So what if I did?! It has nothing to do with this, right?!"
Xie Lian held his breath for a moment and then said, "Stop it! There's no need to hide anymore, I already know who you are!"
The sound of clashing blades didn't stop, and the opponent remained unmoved. Xie Lian wasn't anxious and said, "Do you think I'm bluffing when I say I know who you are? General Pei Jr.?"
Fu Yao was stunned, "Who are you talking to? General Pei Jr.? Are you crazy? If General Pei Jr. came down, who wouldn't know?"
Xie Lian said, "You're right. But what if it wasn't him in person?"
In the darkness, the sound of weapons clashing paused for a moment, then continued.
Xie Lian said, "I realized it too late. Actually, from the beginning, I should have thought of it.
"I know that for nearly two hundred years, something has been causing trouble at Half Moon Pass, but no god has ever cared, and no one wants to mention it. It must be someone everyone is afraid to offend suppressing the matter. But because I'm not familiar with the current gods in the Heavenly Court, I didn't dare to speculate recklessly about which god it might be."
It was only when Fu Yao mentioned the ghost Xuan Ji that he was reminded.
Mentioning the ghost Xuan Ji inevitably brings to mind the two Pei Generals. The north is the territory of the two Pei Generals, and Fu Yao had casually mentioned that before General Pei Jr. ascended, he did something: massacre a city.
What city did he massacre?
It's very likely it was the ancient city of Half Moon Kingdom!
Such things aren't uncommon among the gods in the Heavenly Court.
After all, to achieve something, who doesn't have to spill some blood? But massacring a city isn't exactly a glorious thing, and if it spreads too widely, it might affect the recruitment of new believers. Therefore, after ascending, it's often covered up a bit. Although everyone knows about it, they don't delve into it. After all, unless there's a deep-seated grudge or ill intent, who would want to dig up someone's past and offend their powerful backer?
Xie Lian slowly said, "The buried face said that among us, there's someone who was here fifty or sixty years ago.
I originally suspected it was a lie to lure others closer, but it might also be true.
"Previously, among this group, I was most suspicious of you.
The caravan followed you, and you could lead them anywhere; I lived in Half Moon Kingdom for years and never saw Scorpion-Tailed Snakes, yet you happened to encounter such rare venomous creatures when seeking shelter from the sandstorm;
"I asked you to join us in finding the Benevolent Moon Grass, and before leaving, you specifically gave directions to the others, telling them the direction to the ancient city of Half Moon, so that if we didn't return, they could go there themselves; just now at the Pit of the Damned, I clearly said I'd go first if something happened, yet you, usually so calm, suddenly jumped down, pointlessly risking your life."
After a pause, he said, "Your behavior is so strange, full of inconsistencies, and it's only now that I realize who you are. Isn't it too late, General Pei Jr., or should I call you by your current name—Ah Zhao!"
Suddenly, there was a dead silence.
After a while, a voice finally said coldly, "Have you not considered that the buried face might be talking about the red-clothed boy next to you?"
As soon as the words fell, a flash of fire suddenly lit up the bottom of the Pit of the Damned. In the light, two blood-colored figures were revealed facing each other.
One was the red-clothed San Lang, who had already put away his weapon and was standing leisurely; the other was a young man in plain clothes, still holding a sword in front of him, not letting go.
Because the young man was covered in blood, he looked as if he were wearing red clothes, his face cold and serious, with someone slung over his shoulder. Sure enough, it was that young man, Ah Zhao.
Whether it was General Pei Jr. himself or Ah Zhao, the calm and overly composed expression on their faces hadn't changed. It was just that Xie Lian had never thought in that direction, so he hadn't connected the two.
The person on his shoulder was Half Moon.
Releasing the snakes was probably intended to create chaos and take Half Moon away, but since his identity was exposed, there was no need to create more chaos. The snake flow and rain stopped, and he sheathed his sword, putting down Half Moon, who was slung over his shoulder. Ke Mo was stunned and said, "Who are you? Weren't you already dead?"
Ah Zhao didn't spare a glance at Ke Mo, still staring intently at San Lang, only speaking in Half Moon language, "Ke Mo, you really haven't changed in hundreds of years."
Perhaps this familiar, infuriatingly calm tone was too familiar, for Ke Mo's dark face instantly surged with anger, "…It's you!!! Pei Su?!"
If not for the Immortal Binding Rope binding him tightly, he would have rushed up to fight to the death.
Xie Lian said, "General Pei Jr., the Scorpion-Tailed Snakes don't just listen to one person's command. The disobedient snakes that Half Moon mentioned, the ones that went out to bite people, were all under your control, right?"
Pei Su admitted frankly, "Yes, it was me."
Xie Lian asked, "Did Half Moon teach you how to control the Scorpion-Tailed Snakes?"
Pei Su said, "She didn't. But I could learn how she controlled them myself."
Xie Lian said, "After all, General Pei Jr. is exceptionally intelligent."
After a pause, he asked, "When did you two meet? And how did you meet?"
Pei Su looked at him and said, "Flower General."
Xie Lian was puzzled, "Why are you calling me that too?"
Pei Su said lightly, "Didn't you recognize me, Flower General?"
"......"
Xie Lian remembered.
He vaguely recalled that when Half Moon was a child, she was ostracized by other Half Moon children, and only an Eternal Peace boy occasionally interacted with her.
That boy, like Half Moon, wasn't very talkative. Many children on the border were the offspring of soldiers stationed there, and most would join the army when they grew up. Could it be...
Xie Lian said, "It was you?! I can't believe I only just realized."
Pei Su nodded and said, "It was me. I only just recognized you too, General."
No wonder. So Half Moon and the enemy general had known each other for so long!
Xie Lian asked, "Did Half Moon really open the city gates under your orders?"
Ke Mo spat and said, "Untie me and let me fight this despicable Pei Su to the death!"
Pei Su said coldly, "First, we fought to the death two hundred years ago, and you lost; second, may I ask where Pei is despicable?"
Ke Mo said, "If it weren't for you two colluding, inside and out, how could we have lost?!"
Pei Su said, "Ke Mo, stop denying it. Even though I only had two thousand men, breaking through the city gates was just a matter of time for me."
Xie Lian couldn't help but ask, "Wait, you were sent to attack a country with only two thousand men? What's going on, were you even more ostracized in the military than I was?"
"......"
Pei Su didn't speak. It seemed Xie Lian had hit the mark. Xie Lian continued, "Since you were sure to win, why did you need Half Moon to open the city gates?"
Pei Su said, "Because I needed to massacre the city."
Xie Lian asked, "What do you mean? If you were already going to win, why did you have to massacre the city? It can't be a hobby!"
Pei Su said, "Because we were about to win, we had to massacre the city. And quickly, immediately, leaving no one behind."
The phrase "leaving no one behind" sounded chilling. Xie Lian asked, "Why?"
Pei Su said, "The night before the attack, many Half Moon clan leaders gathered and secretly agreed on something."
"What was it?"
Pei Su said, "The Half Moon people are naturally fierce and deeply resentful of Eternal Peace.
Even knowing they were about to lose, they refused to admit it. The entire Half Moon Kingdom, men, women, young, and old, were prepared to quickly produce something."
Xie Lian had already guessed what it was. And Pei Su's next words confirmed his suspicion:
"Explosives!"
Pei Su said word by word, "They planned that if the city fell and they were defeated, the residents would hide these explosives on their bodies, immediately scatter and flee in all directions, infiltrate Eternal Peace, and wait for opportunities to cause chaos in crowded places.
Even if they died, they would take more Eternal Peace people with them. Even if their country was destroyed, they swore to make the country that destroyed them restless."
So, they had to be eradicated before these civilians could escape...
Xie Lian immediately turned to Ke Mo, "Is this true?"
Ke Mo made no attempt to hide it and said, "It's true!"
Hearing this, San Lang raised an eyebrow and said, "Vicious, vicious."
He said this in Half Moon language, and Ke Mo angrily replied, "Vicious? What right do you have to call us vicious? If you hadn't attacked us first, how would we have been forced to this point? You destroyed us, so we retaliate against you. What's wrong with that?!"
Pei Su said, "If that's the case, why don't we settle accounts from the beginning? How many times have the Half Moon people caused trouble on the border? How many Eternal Peace caravans and travelers heading to the Western Regions have been maliciously intercepted by Half Moon? You knew there were bandits in your country specifically ambushing and slaughtering Eternal Peace people, yet you deliberately sheltered them. The soldiers Eternal Peace sent to eliminate the bandits were instead killed by you under the pretext of border violations. Is that vicious?"
Although his tone wasn't fast or agitated, his words were sharp. Ke Mo said, "But that was because you first forcibly occupied our land, so we retaliated."
Pei Su said, "The land at the border was ambiguous to begin with. How can you call it forcible occupation?"
Ke Mo said, "The territories were clearly divided long ago. It's you who don't keep your promises!"
Pei Su said, "The so-called division was only acknowledged by you.
When did Eternal Peace ever acknowledge it? Your so-called division was that the desert was all ours, and the oasis was all yours. Isn't that laughable?"
Ke Mo angrily said, "The oasis was originally ours. The Half Moon people have lived on the oasis for generations!"
Both sides were adamant, and just listening to their arguments gave Xie Lian a headache. Remembering the days two hundred years ago when he was caught in the middle and beaten black and blue, his face seemed to ache faintly again. Pei Su ignored Ke Mo and said to Xie Lian, "So you see, many things in this world can't be argued clearly. You can only fight."
Xie Lian said, "I agree with the first part."
San Lang said, "I agree with the second part."
Ke Mo's anger subsided slightly and suddenly said, "Most Eternal Peace people are shameless, and you're the most shameless I've ever seen. Pei Su, you're a cold person. You didn't kill us for your country or to save your people."
Hearing this, Pei Su fell silent.
Ke Mo continued, "You're the son of an exile, looked down upon by everyone. You only wanted to secure your position in the Eternal Peace army and climb higher, so you had to win this battle. Poor Half Moon thought you were good, but you used her and betrayed us."
Xie Lian said, "But isn't General Pei Jr. a descendant of General Pei?" With such a famous ancestor, he shouldn't have ended up in such a situation, right?
San Lang said, "He's not a direct descendant of General Pei, but a branch from who knows how many generations ago."
I see. Meaning that if he hadn't ascended later, he probably wouldn't have had the chance to receive his ancestor's protection.
Pei Su said calmly, "Half Moon was originally my subordinate, just following my orders to infiltrate Half Moon Kingdom. She's both Half Moon and Eternal Peace, choosing one side and being loyal to it. There's no betrayal. The Half Moon people were scheming, and I have no regrets in exterminating them."
Suddenly, a voice from above said, "No regrets in exterminating them? What about all the travelers you've lured into this pit over the years, who died here? Do you dare say you have no regrets for them too?"
The voice came from above, and Xie Lian immediately looked up and asked, "Which expert is up there?"
There was no answer, but a strange sound came. It was a howling, like a strong wind. As the sound approached, Xie Lian finally confirmed—it was indeed a strong wind!
The sudden gust of wind was so fierce and unexpected that before Xie Lian could figure out what was happening, his body tilted, and he was lifted off the ground!
The sudden gust of wind blew straight into the Pit of the Damned, lifting everyone into the sky!
Xie Lian grabbed the nearest San Lang and said, "Be careful!"
San Lang also grabbed him back, his expression unchanged. Xie Lian felt a whirlwind, his body rapidly ascending, pausing in mid-air, then suddenly plummeting.
He quickly threw out Ruoye, coaxing it in a hurry, "Alright, alright, it's okay, come on, Ruoye, come out and help!"
After fumbling a bit, Ruoye finally flew out.
However, the surroundings were empty and barren, with nothing to grab onto except the large Pit of the Damned. Ruoye flew a circle and retracted, leaving Xie Lian to adjust his landing posture in mid-air. In the past, he would likely have landed headfirst, but this time, as he was about to hit the ground, San Lang gave him a hand, and he landed upright. When his boots hit the ground steadily, he was still in disbelief. But this disbelief was soon overshadowed. As soon as he landed, a black-clad figure stumbled towards him.
Xie Lian looked closely and was pleasantly surprised, "Nan Feng!"
Sure enough, it was Nan Feng. However, he was in a sorry state.
He looked like he had rolled in the dust a dozen times and then been tossed into a chaotic mess of animals for a night, his clothes tattered and disheveled. Hearing Xie Lian call him, he raised a hand, wiped his face silently, and couldn't even speak. Xie Lian helped him up and asked, "What happened to you? Did those two girls beat you up?"
Before he finished speaking, two figures followed Nan Feng.
One was the white-robed female Taoist, who had her horsetail whisk draped over her arm and greeted him with a smile, "Greetings, Crown Prince."
Although he didn't know who she was, Xie Lian returned the greeting with a smile, "Greetings, fellow Daoist."
The black-clad woman, however, gave him a cold glance and didn't pay much attention to him. But when she saw San Lang, she paused, as if finding him suspicious, and stopped for a moment.
The gust of wind had brought several people from the bottom of the pit.
The two women bypassed Xie Lian and headed straight for Pei Su. Pei Su wasn't surprised to see them, having already met them in the city while disguised as Ah Zhao. He knelt on the ground, bowed to the white-robed Taoist, and said softly, "Wind Master."
Hearing these four words, Xie Lian was stunned.
He had thought this was some kind of demon or ghost, but it turned out to be a god from the Heavenly Court? And it was the Wind Master, the one who casually spent a hundred thousand merits in the Spirit Communication Array!
But thinking about it, it wasn't unreasonable. When the white-robed Taoist had said something about "those people hiding, do I have to find them and kill them one by one," it had made him think she was not a good person. But perhaps "those people" didn't refer to them but to "Half Moon people," and he had been biased, which made her actions seem sinister.
For a god who could casually spend a hundred thousand merits, Xie Lian couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. He said to Nan Feng, "Why didn't you tell me this was the Wind Master? I even guessed if it was some snake or scorpion spirit, which is a bit disrespectful."
Nan Feng's face darkened, "How would I know that was the Wind Master? I've never seen the Wind Master in this form. The Wind Master has always been... never mind."
Xie Lian understood. This was probably a disguise the Wind Master had taken on, so he didn't delve into it and asked, "Why did the Wind Master come to Half Moon Pass?"
Nan Feng replied, "To help. Earlier, they were wandering in Half Moon City looking for those Half Moon soldiers."
Xie Lian suddenly remembered that when he first asked about Half Moon Pass in the Spirit Communication Array, amidst the awkwardness, the Wind Master had suddenly spent a hundred thousand merits to divert attention. It seemed the Wind Master had noticed what he was asking about at that time.
While he was deep in thought, the Wind Master squatted in front of Pei Su and said, "Little Pei, I heard everything."
Pei Su lowered his head. The Wind Master said, "You admit that for the past two hundred years, those who entered the ancient city of Half Moon were all lured in by you?"
Since he had been caught in the act, Pei Su didn't argue and said, "It was me."
The Wind Master asked, "Why?"
After a pause, Pei Su said, "Wind Master, you must have suspected and guessed why."
The Wind Master said, "Is it just because these souls are the bloody evidence of your past, which might become an obstacle to your future advancement?"
Pei Su didn't respond, and Xie Lian couldn't help but interject, "If that's the case, why didn't you just kill them? Why use living people as sacrifices to appease the resentment here? Isn't that like quenching one person's thirst with another's blood and flesh?"
San Lang said, "He can't."
Indeed, in the Heavenly Court, a god like Pei Su was under countless watchful eyes.
Many things couldn't be done directly. He couldn't come down in person to simply kill all these resentful spirits, nor could he send troops to eliminate them. It was already a matter that was being covered up, and making too much noise would only draw everyone's attention.
At most, he could send a doppelgänger like Ah Zhao to quietly handle it.
Using the Scorpion-Tailed Snakes that Half Moon was skilled at controlling to bite people and lure them in to feed the resentful spirits, allowing their resentment to dissipate, was undoubtedly a perfect way to kill with a borrowed knife.
The Wind Master said, "Your Pei General wouldn't do such a thing. This time, you might have gone too far."
As a god of the Heavenly Court, Pei Su had let a doppelgänger cause trouble at Half Moon Pass for nearly two hundred years, leading countless travelers astray and becoming victims of the Half Moon soldiers. No matter how you looked at it, it wasn't a small matter. Pei Su bowed his head and said, "I understand."
The Wind Master shook his horsetail whisk and said, "It's good that you understand. Think it over carefully, and we'll talk about it when we go back."
Pei Su said softly, "Yes."
After finishing with Pei Su, the Wind Master stood up, inserted the horsetail whisk into the back of her robe, and turned to Xie Lian with a smile, "Crown Prince, I've heard a lot about you."
This was a formal greeting. For Xie Lian, "heard a lot about you" wasn't exactly a good thing, but since it was just a polite exchange, he smiled and said, "Not at all. I've heard a lot about you, Wind Master."
The Wind Master said, "I'm sorry about earlier."
Xie Lian was puzzled, "Earlier? What happened earlier?"
The Wind Master said, "Didn't you encounter a sandstorm in the desert earlier?"
Xie Lian recalled and still felt like his mouth was full of sand, "Yes."
The Wind Master said, "I caused that."
"......"
The Wind Master said, "The intention of causing that sandstorm was to keep you away from Half Moon Kingdom, but you weren't swept away and still found your way here."
The more Xie Lian listened, the more he felt something was off. Causing a sandstorm to stop them from going to Half Moon Pass, and now suddenly appearing, what did this mean?
He held back and didn't respond, waiting to hear what the other would say. The Wind Master continued, "However, Crown Prince, you shouldn't concern yourself with this matter anymore."
Xie Lian glanced at Half Moon, who was curled up on the ground, and felt a sense of foreboding.
He had been worried that if this matter reached the Heavenly Court, the gods might tweak a few details, change the narrative, and General Pei Jr. would be exonerated while Half Moon took the blame. Now, with the Wind Master suddenly appearing and telling him not to interfere, it seemed even more like they wanted to cover for General Pei Jr.
So, he stepped forward, blocking Half Moon, and said gently, "But I've already dealt with this matter, so saying I shouldn't interfere now doesn't make much sense, does it?"
The Wind Master smiled and said, "Don't worry. You can take the Half Moon national teacher with you."
This was unexpected for Xie Lian. He was slightly taken aback, and the Wind Master continued, "We've heard the whole story from above. Although this Half Moon national teacher has reached a 'fierce' state, I saw her in the city locking the Half Moon soldiers in an array she set up and releasing mortals caught by the soldiers. Not only did she not harm anyone, but she was also saving people. I'm only taking General Pei Jr. and Ke Mo, so you don't have to worry about me making someone else take the blame."
Xie Lian was relieved and said, "I'm sorry! I was overthinking."
The Wind Master said, "It's normal for you to worry, given the bad atmosphere in the Heavenly Court."
The black-clad woman seemed unable to bear staying here any longer and said, "Are you done talking? If you're done, let's go."
The Wind Master exclaimed, "Hey! Why are you in such a hurry? The more you rush, the more I'll talk!" But despite saying this, she had already turned around, taken out a folding fan from her waist, and said, "Crown Prince, if there's nothing else, shall we meet again in the Heavenly Court?"
Xie Lian nodded, and the Wind Master opened the folding fan.
On the front was a horizontal "wind" character, and on the back were three lines representing a gentle breeze.
It was likely the Wind God's artifact.
She fanned it three times forward and three times backward.
Suddenly, a whirlwind arose from the ground. The wind blew, sending sand and rocks flying, blinding everyone.
Xie Lian raised his sleeve to block the wind, and when it passed, the two women, along with Pei Su and Ke Mo, had disappeared, leaving only Xie Lian, San Lang, Nan Feng, and the curled-up Half Moon.
Xie Lian lowered his sleeve, bewildered, "What's going on?"
San Lang casually walked over and said, "It's a good situation."
Xie Lian looked at him, "Is it good?"
San Lang said, "It's quite good. The Wind Master is helping you by telling you not to interfere."
Nan Feng also came over and said, "Yes. You've already done a lot with this matter, and now it's just a matter of going to report to the Emperor. You don't need to worry about reporting."
Xie Lian understood, "Because of General Pei?"
Nan Feng said, "Exactly. This time, you've completely offended General Pei."
Xie Lian laughed, "I already expected to offend at least one person, so it doesn't really matter who I offend."
Nan Feng frowned, "Don't take it lightly. Besides the Divine Martial Hall, the Bright Light Hall is the most powerful martial god. General Pei values General Pei Jr. a lot and always wanted him to replace Quan Yizhen. He'll definitely cause you trouble."
Xie Lian asked, "Quan Yizhen is the Western Martial God you mentioned?"
Nan Feng said, "Yes. Quan Yizhen is also a rising star, having ascended around the same time as General Pei Jr. He's young, a bit... but also very powerful.
General Pei intended for General Pei Jr. to take over his followers in the west, and General Pei Jr. was doing well in recent years. But with what you've done, General Pei Jr. is likely in big trouble, and he might even be demoted. If he's demoted, you'll be in big trouble too."
Xie Lian rubbed his forehead, deciding to be extra careful in the future.
San Lang, however, was unconcerned and said, "No need to worry. Pei Ming is very proud and won't play dirty."
Nan Feng glanced at him, and Xie Lian asked, "What about the Wind Master? If the Wind Master is responsible for reporting, won't she offend General Pei instead? Let's call her back. Nan Feng, do you know the Wind Master's Spirit Communication command?"
Nan Feng said, "You don't need to worry about the Wind Master. General Pei might dare to touch you, but he won't touch her. Although she's younger than you, she's doing much better."
"......"
Xie Lian's silence wasn't because he was discouraged, but because he was thinking, "Is there anyone in the Heavenly Court who's doing worse than me? Probably not."
San Lang laughed, "The Wind Master has someone backing her, so she's doing well."
Xie Lian said, "Are you talking about the black-clad woman beside her? She seemed formidable too."
San Lang said, "No. But that black-clad woman is indeed formidable, probably one of the 'Wind, Water, Rain, Earth, Thunder' Five Masters. It's best not to offend her."
The Wind Master could conjure a tornado, so she was naturally powerful, and the black-clad woman was clearly even more so. Xie Lian felt that the woman seemed to have sensed something about San Lang, which made him uneasy, and he said, "I agree with you."
However, there was one thing he thought best left unsaid. Xie Lian thought, "Having someone backing you doesn't necessarily mean you'll do well." After all, back in the day, the one backing the Celestial Music Crown Prince was none other than the Lord of All, the greatest martial god in three realms for a thousand years, and he hadn't done well either.
Xie Lian picked up his fallen bamboo hat, dusted it off, and seeing it wasn't flattened, he was relieved and put it back on. He looked at Nan Feng and said, "Did those two adults chase you all the way?"
Nan Feng's face darkened, "Yes. Chased all the way."
Xie Lian patted his shoulder, "You've had a hard time." Then he suddenly remembered someone else who had a hard time and asked, "Where's Fu Yao?"
Nan Feng said, "Wasn't he watching those who were poisoned?"
The implication was that they hadn't seen Fu Yao since they were swept out by the gust of wind. In fact, Xie Lian hadn't noticed him since Ah Zhao appeared, and if he hadn't run off then, he must have run off when the wind blew.
Xie Lian wasn't too worried about him, guessing that he just didn't want to get involved in this mess and had quickly slipped away. But when Nan Feng mentioned "poison," it reminded him, and they both exclaimed, "Benevolent Moon Grass!"
San Lang said, "No rush, it's just dawn."
However, saving lives couldn't be delayed. Even if it was far from twelve hours, who knew if something unexpected might happen along the way? Xie Lian picked up Half Moon and rushed towards the palace.
At the palace, he put down Half Moon and grabbed several handfuls of Benevolent Moon Grass.
The buried face was still on the ground, leaving only a pile of bones and a bloody face.
In the past, Xie Lian might have casually dug a pit to bury it, but now he was in a hurry to save people, and besides, this person had been buried for over fifty years and probably didn't want to go back. But the merchant's bones were also gone, and Xie Lian paused, puzzled. San Lang came out of the palace with a small clay pot. Xie Lian saw it and immediately said, "Good San Lang, thank you!"
Half Moon was still weak and couldn't be woken up, so Xie Lian put her in the clay pot.
They picked the grass and finally made their way back. It had only been four hours since they encountered the Scorpion-Tailed Snakes.
At the place where Fu Yao had drawn a circle, everyone was still obediently staying inside, not daring to wander.
The old man had taken the pill Nan Feng gave him, and his condition was stable. After using the Benevolent Moon Grass externally and internally, he would be able to walk after some rest. However, Xie Lian thought it best not to tell him what the Benevolent Moon Grass's fertilizer was.
After a while, everyone calmed down and began to worry, "Where's Tian Sheng? Why haven't they come back?"
Earlier, Xie Lian had been in a hurry to pick medicinal herbs to save people, and with all the Half Moon soldiers in the ancient city gone, he hadn't had time to worry about Tian Sheng and the others. Just as he was about to turn back, he heard a boy's voice shouting and running closer. Turning around, it was Tian Sheng. The boy held a large handful of Benevolent Moon Grass, followed by two merchants, all panting.
It turned out that at the Pit of the Damned, Half Moon had swept a bunch of soldiers down and then captured Tian Sheng and the others. They were initially scared to death, but Half Moon had only captured them to give directions and then let them go. They escaped with their lives, quickly picked the Benevolent Moon Grass, buried the merchant's body, and rushed back as fast as they could, but they were still a bit slower than Xie Lian and the others.
In any case, after escorting the caravan out of the Gobi Desert, the matter was finally concluded.
However, before parting, Tian Sheng secretly approached Xie Lian and said mysteriously, "Brother, can I ask you a question?"
Xie Lian said, "Go ahead."
Tian Sheng asked, "Are you actually an immortal?"
"......"
Xie Lian was a bit shocked and touched.
Because there was a time when he often shouted to people that he was an immortal, that he was the Crown Prince, and no one believed him. This time, someone asked him if he was an immortal without him saying anything, which was quite shocking and touching.
Tian Sheng quickly added, "I saw you using magic! Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
Xie Lian thought, "How should I put it, even if you told someone, they wouldn't believe you..."
Tian Sheng said, "Thanks to you, otherwise I would have been kicked into that pit by those black ghost soldiers. I'll build a temple for you when I get back, just for you."
Seeing him pat his chest and make a "very big" gesture, Xie Lian couldn't help but laugh and said, "Thank you very much."
San Lang, standing nearby, chuckled for some reason. Xie Lian didn't think he was mocking the child's naive promise.
Although the child didn't understand how big a deal building a temple was, receiving such a promise, regardless of whether it could be fulfilled, made him quite happy.
After being pestered endlessly, Xie Lian casually gave the name "Scrap Immortal" and waved goodbye, heading in another direction. Nan Feng opened a Shrinking Earth Technique and sent them back to the Pugilistic Shrine.
Opening the door, Xie Lian laid out a mat on the ground, then lay down on it like a corpse, the whole process seamless. San Lang sat down beside him, resting his chin on his hand, watching him. Xie Lian sighed and asked, "How many days have we been gone?"
San Lang replied, "Roughly three or four days."
Xie Lian sighed again, "Only three or four days, why am I so tired?"
Since ascending, he often felt as exhausted as a dog, and it wasn't an illusion. After sighing, he looked up and said, "Hey, Nan Feng, why haven't you gone back to report?"
Nan Feng asked, "Report what?"
Xie Lian said, "Aren't you a god from the Southern Sun Hall? After being away for three or four days, won't your general look for you?"
Nan Feng said, "My general isn't in the hall right now, not minding me."
Xie Lian then sat up and said, "Good, it's good you're staying."
Nan Feng asked, "What do you want to do?"
Xie Lian said kindly, "I'll cook a meal for you. To reward you."
Hearing this, Nan Feng's face changed drastically. He raised his hand, pressed two fingers to his temple as if receiving a Spirit Communication, and stood up, "There's something in the hall, I have to go."
Xie Lian raised his hand, "Hey, Nan Feng, don't go, how can there suddenly be something? You've really had a hard time this time..."
Nan Feng shouted, "There really is something!" Seeing him rush out the door, Xie Lian sat back on the mat and said to San Lang, "Looks like he's not hungry."
San Lang hadn't replied when there was a "bang," and Nan Feng rushed back, blocking the door, "You two..."
Xie Lian and San Lang sat side by side on the mat, looking up at him, "What about us two?"
Nan Feng pointed at San Lang, then at Xie Lian, hesitated for a while, and said, "I'll be back."
Xie Lian said, "You're welcome, you're welcome."
Nan Feng glanced at San Lang again, then left, closing the door. Xie Lian crossed his arms, mimicking San Lang by tilting his head, "Looks like there really is something."
He glanced at the boy beside him and said with a smile, "He's not hungry, but are you?"
San Lang also smiled and replied, "I'm hungry."
Xie Lian smiled warmly, stood up, turned around, and casually tidied up the offering table, "Alright. So, what would you like to eat, Hua Cheng?"
Behind him, there was a moment of silence, followed by a low chuckle.
"I still prefer being called 'San Lang'."