CH 71

The black flames receded, transforming into wisps of blue smoke that gradually dissipated.

Zhou Xuanlan gently pulled Shen Liuxiang into his arms, a trace of blood staining his left temple, and his heart still racing. “Master, are you alright? Your disciple arrived late.”

He had been engaged in a fierce battle with Ling Ye, both of them sustaining injuries. However, for some reason, Ling Ye’s recovery speed was faster than his own. Soon after, he received the message from Qilin City through his clone, and he rushed to the scene. Fortunately, Ling Ye didn’t block his magical transportation, allowing him to arrive in time.

Shen Liuxiang frowned, wriggling out from Zhou Xuanlan’s embrace and staring at the blood on his temple. There was no visible wound, yet blood continued to flow.

Blood trickled down his face, dripping onto his jawline. He gently touched the area. “What happened? You’re bleeding.”

Zhou Xuanlan wiped away the blood and probed Shen Liuxiang’s empty spiritual power with a slightly furrowed brow. He then shifted his gaze to Wenren Qin.

The Senluo Mandala Formation had been shattered, and Wen Renqin, as the formation’s core, had suffered a fatal blow. He vomited a large amount of blood, mixed with fragments of his internal organs. Holding his hand over his mouth, blood oozed through his fingers, staining his hand dark red.

Wenren Qin’s figure swayed, almost unable to stand.

Zhou Xuanlan took a step forward, a glint of killing intent in his eyes. At this moment, a group of hybrids stood in front of Wenren Qin. Fear was evident on their faces, but they didn’t retreat despite the overwhelming pressure they felt from Zhou Xuanlan.

A cold smile played on Zhou Xuanlan’s lips, his killing intent intensifying.

Shen Liuxiang reached out and stopped Zhou Xuanlan, his face showing confusion. He shook his head slightly.

These hybrids regarded Wenren Qin as a god, a king for whom they would sacrifice their lives. If Zhou Xuanlan tried to kill Wen Renqin, they would undoubtedly stand in his way. Massacre would ensue, and it would be a river of blood.

Zhou Xuanlan understood Shen Liuxiang’s thoughts and sighed softly. “I don’t have a better plan.”

Although he was a demon king, these hybrids had unwavering faith in Wenren Qin. If there was someone they would trust, it was him. Zhou Xuanlan also knew that Wenren Qin possessed the recipe for the Illusory Pill.

Shen Liuxiang furrowed his brow. “What if we tell them about the Illusory Pill and how they can openly appear in the demon realm in the future? Will that help?”

Zhou Xuanlan looked at him. “Wenren Qin also has the recipe for the pills. I think they would trust him more.”

Shen Liuxiang sighed in resignation. These hybrids were loyal to Wenren Qin and wouldn’t easily change their allegiance.

As they discussed their predicament, Shen Liuxiang suddenly felt the spiritual energy around them increase several-fold.

Surprised, he raised his head and saw a figure appearing in mid-air. Dressed in white robes with a golden crown, and accompanied by a phoenix, the person emitted an overwhelming aura that silenced the chaotic Qilin City. Even the fleeing demons came to a halt.

The ruler of the Three Realms, Emperor Yunyu.

“Emperor?!” Shen Liuxiang blinked in astonishment. It seemed that he had predicted everything correctly.

He scanned the reactions of the surrounding demons. To his surprise, Ye Bingran had vanished without a trace. He must have gone to find the disciples of the Sword Sect.

The Sword Sect had many members, and they didn’t hide their presence well in the demon realm. It was dangerous for them to be in a demon stronghold like this. Once everything settled, Shen Liuxiang planned to take the Sword Sect disciples to a safer location.

Shen Liuxiang’s gaze shifted away from Emperor Yunyu, who had appeared at an opportune moment.

The look of awe on the faces of these hybrids is exactly the same as that of all the demons. If Emperor Yunyu spoke up, he might be able to change the situation in their favour.

Thinking of this, he felt a little more relaxed.

At this time, the back of the neck was hot, and child Gu moved faintly.

Shen Liuxiang’s long eyelashes trembled subtly, and his fingers at his side involuntarily clenched as a strange expression gradually crossed his face. A faint blush rose from his pale neck, gradually extending behind his ear.

Sensing something unusual in his body, he felt a sense of unease creeping in. Glancing around, he noticed that everyone was looking up at the figure in the sky, and no one paid attention to him.

Silently, Shen Liuxiang took a step back, intending to leave the area. However, he was abruptly pulled back by a hand. “Master, where are you going?”

Zhou Xuanlan had been gazing at Emperor Yunyu in the sky, his expression changing unpredictably. But as Shen Liuxiang made his move, Zhou Xuanlan sensed it, and he grabbed Shen Liuxiang’s hand, turning to face a pair of phoenix-like eyes filled with surprise.

Zhou Xuanlan frowned. “What’s going on?”

Shen Liuxiang lowered his head and averted his gaze, avoiding Zhou Xuanlan’s intense scrutiny. He suppressed the agitation in his heart and spoke in a husky voice, “I suddenly remembered I have something else to attend to. You stay here, I’ll be back shortly.”

Zhou Xuanlan asked, “Why is your face turning red?”

Shen Liuxiang replied, “I’m injured,” he coughed softly, feigning a hoarse voice, “I’m badly injured, and I need to go back to the Cloud Pavilion to rest for a while.”

Saying this, he shook off Zhou Xuanlan’s hand and turned to leave in haste.

But before he could take two steps, a gust of wind came from behind. Suddenly, a long and slender hand appeared around his waist, and Zhou Xuanlan lifted him up.

Shen Liuxiang exclaimed, “?!”

Suspended in the air, his heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively wrapped his arms around Zhou Xuanlan’s neck. He looked down at the sharp jawline below, and as he raised his gaze, he met a pair of deep black eyes.

Zhou Xuanlan said, “I’ll carry Master back to the Cloud Pavilion.”

Shen Liuxiang protested, “I can walk by myself. You don’t need to carry me.”

Although the night was devoid of stars and moonlight, a chill swept across his face, making him feel unusually warm, especially with Zhou Xuanlan so close. The warmth radiating from him felt like it was deliberately tempting him.

Shen Liuxiang’s body trembled slightly, and he struggled to control the turmoil in his heart. It felt like he was on a hotplate.

“No need to worry about me. Even with the emperor here, it’s better for you to stay here and oversee the situation,” Shen Liuxiang said, trying to sound composed as he struggled violently.

Unexpectedly, the hand that fell on his waist tightened a little as he struggled.

Although the knuckles of the fingers were separated by a layer of clothing, he could still clearly feel the temperature and strength.

Shen Liuxiang’s waist softened and he froze.

Zhou Xuanlan, sensing something amiss, furrowed his brow. He quickened his pace toward the Cloud Pavilion and replied, “With my clone here, you don’t have to worry, Master.”

Shen Liuxiang asked, “?”

He suddenly realized that his clone was still present in the crowd, whereas his main body…

Shen Liuxiang’s heart sank, and he quickly turned to look back. Indeed, there was another Zhou Xuanlan among the onlookers.

If it was the clone could still handle the situation here, but if was his main body…

Sweat beaded on Shen Liuxiang’s forehead. He didn’t have time to ask more questions. He just weakly said, “Don’t go to the Cloud Pavilion.”

Zhou Xuanlan paused his steps, hearing the faint voice.

“Find a cold pool and throw me in.”

With that said, Shen Liuxiang directly covered Zhou Xuanlan’s mouth. “Don’t ask questions, just do it quickly.”

Zhou Xuanlan thought for a moment, then disappeared on the spot, heading into the quiet residence.

In less than a moment, a plum blossom forest appeared in the night, surrounded by a faint white mist. Even before approaching, a gentle fragrance wafted on the light breeze.

Shen Liuxiang smelled the fragrance and raised his head slightly. He heard a voice in his ear, “The water in the plum blossom pond comes from a spiritual spring in the mountains. It’s clean and cold, with healing properties. Master, are you satisfied with this?”

Shen Liuxiang vigorously nodded his head, eager to jump into the pool immediately.

Zhou Xuanlan noticed his urgency, and with lowered eyelids, he looked at the fair skin on Shen Liuxiang’s neck, which had turned a faint shade of pink. His gaze paused for a moment.

“Quick, put me down,” Shen Liuxiang said, seeing the pool, and he couldn’t wait to jump out of Zhou Xuanlan’s arms.

Splash–!

Ripples formed on the surface of the pool adorned with crimson plum blossoms. The ice-cold water drenched Shen Liuxiang from head to toe, making him shiver. However, it extinguished the burning desire that had surged in his heart.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, Shen Liuxiang fluttered his long lashes, now adorned with tiny water droplets.

Suddenly, he remembered there was someone still on the bank. He lifted his head, and there was his hesitant disciple. He waved his hand, saying, “I’m going to bathe. You can leave first.”

Zhou Xuanlan furrowed his brows. Shen Liuxiang had just mentioned that he needed to heal, and now he wanted to bathe. His behavior was indeed quite strange.

Standing by the pool, Zhou Xuanlan crouched down, his palm landing on Shen Liuxiang’s wet forehead. “Where are you feeling uncomfortable, Master?”

Shen Liuxiang’s body stiffened. He hadn’t expected that a simple touch would bring back that overwhelming sensation. He took a step back in the water, avoiding Zhou Xuanlan’s touch, and said, “It’s nothing. You should leave first. I’ll call you if anything happens.”

Zhou Xuanlan raised an eyebrow, then slowly withdrew his hand.

Shen Liuxiang watched him disappear, and as soon as he relaxed, the intense heat surged from the back of his neck and spread throughout his body.

Taking a shallow breath, he realized that even the cold water wasn’t helping. He scanned the surroundings with his misty eyes.

The plum blossom trees formed a natural barrier around him, shrouding the night in silence.

The figure in the water trembled slightly, hesitated for a long time, and leaned against the cool stone by the pool, and the hand under the petals on the water moved silently.

A pair of vigilant phoenix eyes scanned the surroundings.

Hiss…

What love flower Gu, change the name to Aphrodisiac…

Time passed slowly in the night, and after half an hour, the slender figure in the plum blossom pond couldn’t help but tremble. One arm rested on the edge of the pool, half of his face buried in it, as if he couldn’t bear it anymore, he let out a soft moan.

As soon as the sound escaped, Shen Liuxiang bit down on his lower lip.

This was too much.

This aphrodisiac was even more potent than any spring medicine. Whether it was his inexperience or some other reason, he had spent quite a while to no avail. At this rate, he might actually be driven mad.

A breeze rustled through the forest, and many blood-red plum blossoms fell gently, landing on his soft, dark hair. Shen Liuxiang’s forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat, and his legs, submerged in the water, grew weak. He placed one hand on the bank, almost losing his balance.

He took a shallow breath and frowned, feeling utterly helpless.

Just when he felt completely hopeless, he heard a deep voice from the bank, “Master.”

Shen Liuxiang’s whole body stiffened. He quickly raised his head, hurriedly put on his clothes under the water, and his face was filled with panic.

Zhou Xuanlan’s gaze fell on his wet crimson phoenix eyes, and his eyes darkened.

He hadn’t been out of the plum blossom forest for long, but when he thought back to Shen Liuxiang’s previous demeanor, he suddenly realized what was going on. So, he quietly waited outside the forest for a while but became concerned after too much time had passed, so he returned to the poolside.

Shen Liuxiang had his head lowered, completely absorbed, and hadn’t noticed him at all.

Shen Liuxiang’s face turned red as he stammered, “Don’t misunderstand, I… I’ve been affected by the ‘Love Flower’ and can’t control myself.”

Zhou Xuanlan’s eyes flashed with a trace of anger and frustration as his expression darkened further. He understood the nature of this kind of poison, and after a brief moment of contemplation, he asked, “Wenren Qin…. Where’s Mother Gu?”

Shen Liuxiang: “Dead.”

Zhou Xuanlan’s complexion eased slightly. After a moment of silence, he unfastened his black belt with golden accents, tossed it aside, and then removed his outer robe before stepping into the plum blossom pond.

“?!”

Shen Liuxiang’s eyes widened. He hurriedly moved to the side but was caught by the elbow and pulled back. Zhou Xuanlan pressed him against the edge of the pool. Shen Liuxiang protested, “I don’t need help!”

Zhou Xuanlan replied with a deep gaze, “I know very little about the Love Flower Gu, but you won’t be able to handle it alone. If I don’t help, who else can you turn to?”

“I don’t need anyone’s help!” Shen Liuxiang insisted.

He was trapped in Zhou Xuanlan’s warm embrace, with the cold pool wall against his back. He couldn’t escape to the left or right because of Zhou Xuanlan’s arms. He felt utterly disoriented.

“I can handle it! I can!” Shen Liuxiang protested, his face reddening.

However, Zhou Xuanlan had an idea amidst the chaos. He realized something crucial.

The celestial robes! He had celestial robes!

In a slightly hoarse voice, he spoke confidently, “It’s useless. With the celestial robes on, you won’t be able to take off my clothes.”

But as he finished his sentence, Shen Liuxiang noticed a mischievous glint in Zhou Xuanlan’s eyes. Shen Liuxiang raised his head, and to his surprise, Zhou Xuanlan had an almost devilish grin as his distinct fingers gripped his waist.

“Master, you see, the robe’s belt seems to have come undone by itself.”

Shen Liuxiang couldn’t believe his eyes. He looked down and saw that the celestial robes were indeed slipping off him. “???”

His celestial robes! How could this be happening?!

Panicking, Shen Liuxiang stammered, “W-Wait! Stop! Don’t…”

But before he could finish his sentence, the celestial robes fell to the ground, leaving him exposed in the water.

Shen Liuxiang’s face turned beet red as he tried to cover himself with his hands. This situation had taken an unexpected turn, and he found himself in an extremely embarrassing position.

Zhou Xuanlan, on the other hand, couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight. “Looks like the celestial robes have a mind of their own.”

Shen Liuxiang wished he could disappear into thin air.

Immortal clothes! Immortal clothes!! Ah hey!!! Wake up!!!!

Don’t do this to him!!