687 Life-consuming Garden

"Peach Garden?" There were so few of records of the ancient Celestial Court remaining to begin with; Meng Qi had read fewer still. He might have come on this trip with complete ignorance had he not had to make preparations due to his contract with Gu Xiaosang. However, the Peach Garden was one of the few places that he need not read a book to learn about!

Meng Qi had once salivated over the idea of the Peach Garden when reading the tales of the Journey to the West. He remembered the peaches that ripened after three, six, and nine millenniums as well as those who achieved immortality and Dao after consuming the peaches. Though his memories had long faded and he was certain that he remembered some details incorrectly, the salivating sensation was deeply ingrained in his mind.

He looked around and saw that all the peach trees were unique in their own ways. Some trees were of the commonly-seen sizes while others were gigantic or so tall that they reached the sky. Their only similarities were their withered branches and leaves, sparse tree barks, lack of fruit, and bark that were tainted with red as if they were demonic trees that absorbed blood.

The fact that the soil was reeking of blood was the most terrifying part. It was as if the soil had been completely soaked in blood for tens of thousands of years.

These demonic bloodstains caused Meng Qi to raise his guard. Flowing Fire appeared in his left hand, accompanying Heaven Inflicted Pain in his right. He concentrated on sensing his surroundings.

The collapse of the Celestial Court of ancient times had been inexplicable. Who knew what changes this Peach Garden had gone through?

Just as he had extended his consciousness outward, he felt himself sinking into a sea of blood and soaking in the bloody waters. The sea eliminated his consciousness and blinded his senses.

The blood under the tree barks began shifting. Meng Qi could tell it was harboring a terrifying force underneath.

He instantly withdrew his consciousness, not daring to extend it anymore. He operated his Eight Nine Mysteries at full force as he could feel that it was about to become dangerous for him.

Gu Xiaosang's eyes were deep and unfathomable on her simple and neat face, preventing others from reading her emotions. She had fallen into momentary silence before she suddenly chuckled. "How is this the Peach Garden? It is obviously the Life-consuming Garden. My husband, remember this: No matter what happens later, don't turn around, stop walking, or accept any items. Otherwise, you will eternally damned."

"Don't turn around, stop walking, or accept any items? Demoness Gu sure knows a lot..." Meng Qi could feel Gu Xiaosang's use for him greatly diminishing after unlocking the ancient Thunder God's Seal. Thus, he was exceptionally wary of her ruthlessly betraying him. He could not help analyzing her every word.

The contract ruled that she could not secretly kill him. In other words, while she could not use deceit to lure him into a trap, she could very well conceal crucial information and watch him "court disaster".

No matter how affectionate Demoness Gu appeared or how charming she was, he had never once relaxed his guard around her.

"Later on, I will only do whatever she does..." Meng Qi lowered his voice and said, "Why can't I turn around or stop walking?"

She smiled sweetly at him. It made her look like an exceptionally lovely goddess. "It is a long story. Since the masters from the Myths might be able to find clues at any time, we should pass through this place as soon as possible. Don't you trust me, my husband?"

Her eyes turned sorrowful as she lamented, "My husband, must I save you a thousand times before you could trust me?"

"She is bringing that up again." Meng Qi's mouth twitched. He knew that the demoness would not be honest no matter how he asked. So he remained silent and walked alongside Gu Xiaosang to enter the Peach Garden for real.

The soil under his feet felt soft and loose, giving him the feeling that he was about to sink into the mud. Meng Qi slightly raised his Qi and made gentler steps as he rapidly moved forward.

Since this place belonged to the Celestial Court, he naturally could not take flight here.

He had barely taken a few steps when a sense of danger pierced him. It was as if an enemy was peeping at him from behind. He was about to subconsciously turn around and lift his sword in response.

However, he saw that Gu Xiaosang taking light strides in her white boots as if she was taking a walk. She looked as if she felt no premonition of danger whatsoever.

"Don't turn around, don't stop..." Her warning instantly reverberated in his mind.

Meng Qi took a deep breath to calm his tense mind and resisted the urge to turn around and strike with great difficulty. He believed that the demoness would not joke around with her life!

The danger did not disappear. He could feel it prickling like a thorn in his back and he felt more exhausted than if he had shouldered a burden weighing a thousand tons as he walked.

While moving forward step by step, he suddenly felt a cold wind swirling in the air. Even with his physique, he could not help shuddering.

Just then, he felt a shadow flitting across behind him.

The muscles in his hands became taut. It took a great deal of strength for Meng Qi to suppress his instinctive reaction.

Subconsciously, he once again turned to look at Gu Xiaosang. She had looked so deep in concentration earlier and so removed from the vulgarity of the mortal world like a Bodhisattva descending on earth. Now, an inexplicable strain was surfacing on her expression. The puffiness under her eyes turned darker, her skin lost some of its usual glow, and her midbrows turned greenish in color. While she did not turn old, she seemed one step closer to death!

"You..." Meng Qi said in alarm.

Gu Xiaosang turned her head and reflected in her beautiful eyes, like two pools of water, was Meng Qi's face. His midbrows was reflecting the same greenish hue and his face appeared sallow. He looked as if his lifespan was about to reach its end!

The sight of Meng Qi's own face frightened him. Just as he was about to open his mouth, he saw Gu Xiaosang's moist lips opening ever so slightly. She relayed her voice telepathically to him, saying, "Don't be alarmed. There will be a way to mend this once we go out."

Her sonorous voice was like the chirping of a yellow oriole in the valley. Meng Qi inhaled and continued treading upon the blood-stained ground, walking toward the other side of the Peach Garden.

Shadow after shadow flitted across from behind him and a chilling sensation continued to prick his skin. Meng Qi moved forward using a supernatural willpower. This time, he no longer needed to look into Gu XIaosang's eyes to feel that an indescribable change deep in his physical body and Vital Spirit – a detrimental change!

Suddenly, a golden silhouette appeared in Meng Qi's vision and he felt an exuberant, terrifying breath that carried a taste of destruction coming from the figure.

"Golden-armed Heavenly Warrior, a Dharmakaya master!"

Meng Qi was so stunned that he nearly stopped in his tracks. Fortunately, he recovered quick enough to suppress his reaction and continued walking.

Golden-armed Heavenly Warrior knelt awkwardly, with his body leaning forward and head leaning backward, as he "stared" at Meng Qi and Gu Xiaosang. He was in a peculiar condition; despite his apparent vigor, not one hint of life was left in him. It was as if he was inexplicably paused at the peak of his life.

His condition was different from the suspended vitality that Meng Qi had previously encountered in the Southern Heavenly Door.

"He looked behind him, didn't he? He looked behind him..." Meng Qi could instantly tell what was wrong upon seeing Golden-armed Heavenly Warrior's posture. This warrior had turned to look behind him!

"So, he inexplicably died?"

"Even a Dharmakaya master had died inexplicably!"

"Just what kind of strange things is the Peach Garden hiding? Why is Gu Xiaosang aware that we couldn't turn around yet Heavenly Warrior wasn't?"

Pfft! The sinisterly cold wind swept him. Meng Qi instantly detected the presence of a shadow standing several steps away from him.

Snap! Crisp snapping sounds came from the joints in his hands. He nearly turned around to attack the shadow. Cold sweat drenched his back.

"It is the last moment now; as long as we don't turn around, the body will take care of it." Gu Xiaosang blinked at him while wearing a faint smile. She seemed to be teasing Meng Qi about his nervousness.

"The last moment..." Meng Qi mentally repeated the words. His nervousness did not seem to affect the tranquility of his mind.

They continued moving forward, walking around Golden-armed Heavenly Warrior. The stench of blood became even more apparent as they walked. Earlier, it was the soil that was soaked in blood. Now, the blood seemed to be pooling everywhere above ground. Meng Qi could feel the soil underneath his feet to be soft and slippery as if he was walking on vipers.

"Hm?" Gu Xiaosang's mouth suddenly opened. Her feet did not stop.

Meng Qi followed her line of sight and discovered a head lying on the bloodied ground in the distance. The head had a protruding forehead, large ears, and a white beard. The top of the head was split open. The flesh under the neck had turned into a pile of mud. This corpse was the source of the blood that permeated the entire Peach Garden!

"This person looks familiar..." Meng Qi frowned. He seemed to have seen this face somewhere before.

"Longevity Sage," Gu Xiaosang said, lowering her gaze.

"The one recorded in the folklore as the overseers of predestined lifespans and as old as heaven and earth, Longevity Sage, had died in the Peach Garden?"

"Who killed him?"

Just as he was grappling with his turbulent emotions, he felt someone breathing down his back. The sinister breath was bitingly cold as it traveled from his neck down to his collar.

As the sense of danger climbed to its peak, Meng Qi steadfastly faced forward. Heaven Inflicted Pain suddenly thrust backward, its blade producing bolts of purple lightning. Gu Xiaosang gave both her hands a gentle press and there seemed to be streamers in the void floating backward.

The purple lightning dissipated and the vortex morphed into a gate. Two black-robed members of the Myths emerged from the clouds next to it. One was Star of Northern Dipper and the other wore the mask of the ancient "Sun God" Xi.

"So it is true... The three topmost layers of the Ninth Heaven are really open..." Star of Northern Dipper said in a low voice.

Xi allowed his hands to fall beside him as he stepped forward. "Let's first relay this news before going inside and helping Heaven Sovereign and the rest find their way. We must thwart Demoness of Grand Luo and 'Killing Blade' Su Meng and prevent them from obtaining valuable items."

"Go inside?" Star of Northern Dipper asked. "We don't know what is like up there. It is best if we wait for Heaven Sovereign and the rest to come."

It was unknown what caused the inexplicable disappearance of the Ninth Heaven. It was the wisest choice to explore the place alongside a Dharmakaya master.

"It will be fine. We will be entering the Peach Garden through this gate," Xi said indifferently.

"Peach Garden?" Star of Northern Dipper looked at him in surprise. "How did he find out about the layout of the Ninth Heaven? Did he have some other adventure?"

"It is now open." Han Guang stared into the misty horizon, a hint of mirth surfacing on his demonically handsome face.

Gao Lan was about to speak when a loud rumbling abruptly resounded. There were intruders to the shard of Celestial Court!

Han Guang narrowed his eyes at the entrance.

"Sure enough, one incident leads to the other..."