We meet again

o close to him, yet we felt worlds apart.Mu Wanchen's profile was like cold jade and ice. He stared intently at the dilapidated door in front of him. The palace guardian gu spirit, under such an aura,...Wisps of black smoke emerged from the base of the large tree, where the roots had been scorched by the flames.

The soil crumbled and collapsed, sending chunks of earth tumbling down.

Jiang Qiyun turned her head to the side and frowned, looking at the strange sound behind her.

"Who... could have done this..." Jiang Qiyun's voice held a sliver of icy fury.

"It has nothing to do with me... I haven't stepped foot here in many years... Even the offering stone tablets have been stolen..." The giant serpent's voice also carried anger.

"This fire...once it starts, wouldn't it be impossible to put out" I asked in a low voice.

"Igniting it is to burn this tree, before this tree is burned down, it's estimated that it can't be extinguished... unless the heavens are alerted, but for such a trivial matter of the mortal world, Heaven should not intervene." Yèyóu Shén replied.

Crackle, crackle...

A strange scent mingled with the flames, as if burning dry wood.

At this time, the fire engulfed the trunk of the tree, and we could only wait here until it was extinguished before checking further.

"Hiss... hiss..." The serpent spirit's breathing grew heavier, as if it too were affected by the flames. The black mist emanating from the entrance of the main hall grew thicker and thicker.

"Xiao Qiao, are you ready" Jiang Qiyun instructed me.

I have opened the box and placed it on the stone steps leading up to the side door, waiting.

The main hall's building began to burn, the fire devouring its eaves. The aged and dilapidated walls were soon engulfed by the flames.

As if thousands of spiderwebs pressed down on the entire closed watchtower, the spirit of the giant serpent writhed in the flames, collapsing with the burning trees.

In the instant the roof crashed down, a colossal crimson figure soared from the inferno!

"Wow... this is all turned into a dragon, right..." Ameng whispered in astonishment from behind the door.

This is just a phantom, but its size is astonishingly huge!

It struggled from the flames, rising into the sky. The sparks on the treetops looked like strands of seaweed reaching out to grab it.

Millennia ago, such colossal beasts roamed the earth. Today, they only exist in fragmented whispers of history.

It loomed in the sky, bathed in flames and glowing red, resembling a burning mushroom cloud.

The giant serpent let out an angry roar, scattering the clouds that hung overhead. White moonlight streamed through the gaps in the clouds and fell upon its body.

Moonlight like water, calmed its agitation.

It hovered in the air, gradually lowering its head as the flames dwindled, and crashed into my little box.

…………

……

When the clouds part and the moon appears, the flames of ambition are extinguished.

The flames came fast and went just as quickly. When Jiang Qiyun had set the mountain ablaze, it was boundless and unstoppable. This time, he only directed the fire into this giant tree. The tree fell, leaving behind only other vines smoldering and fading away like sparks.

Here it's like a funnel, after burning it down, that odd unsettling aura dissipated a lot.

“Little Qiao, when you travel the world, pay more attention to long-lived plants. Though they don't speak, they have absorbed the essence of sun, moon, heaven, earth, and their surroundings. They will offer some ‘hints’." Jiang Qiyun reached out and took my hand, waiting for the wind to scatter the last embers.

"That giant serpent that likes to hide in tree hollows, Mang... have you ever heard its name" I clutched the small box tightly in my hand, afraid to let go.

"No, the spirit beast. If it told you its name, it means it trusts you." Jiang Qiyun looked at me and said, "Sometimes, animals are purer than humans."

I sniffed my nose. I still had a thought earlier, wanting to trade Meng's spirit for my brothers back.

Now that I think about it, for someone to trustingly plunge themselves into a small box like that, it's a kind of faith that must not be betrayed... Perhaps I should find time to ask Mang, see if he can persuade the Crimson Sky Demon Lord to release them.

The statue of the snake was burned black, and beneath it lay a large hole.

Shining the small flashlight down, it was pitch black and nothing could be seen.

"What shall we do Shall I go and take a look" I volunteered.

Jiang Qiyun glared at me: "This place has already been cleaned up. Just let Ling Xuzǐ, the old Daoist, send someone to clean up the aftermath. For now, let the Earth God watch over this land in secret and keep outsiders away."

"How can I keep people away"

"Just hit the wall," Jiang Qiyun said. "The point is, we must investigate that couple from just now. Their mastermind behind the scenes might be the one who stole this incense stone tablet."

"Knowing their names, you're still afraid I can't find them" I have people in both the white and black society now!

"Can I have A-Da and A-Meng"

"...They are here to serve you."

"Then I'll go back to the Shen family first, check on the children and the situation there, then return to the small building and tell Yan Qin about my brother's affairs."

“Alright, you arrange it yourself, but there’s one thing——” Jiang Qiyun supported my shoulder and stared at me, frowning. “You know what the Demon Exam is now, if you recklessly plunge into it again, I’m afraid…”

"Sorry, I'll reflect on this and be more careful in the future..." I lowered my eyes and admitted my mistake.

Jiang Qiyun lightly chuckled with a hint of mockery: "If you continue to be so 'free-spirited,' I'm afraid all I can do is follow you around day and night. Wherever you go, I'll go too, keeping a close eye on you to make sure you don't take any wrong steps."

Don't… That would delay so many things, wouldn't you leave all the affairs in the Imperial Palace to Bai Wuchang to handle

I'm really afraid that if the Seventh Uncle sees me again, he'll just sneer…

》》》

I remember when I left the Shen family and rode away on the dragon, it was winter, so cold that my teeth were chattering.

But this time, just as I came out of the temple and landed on the small attic of the Shen family, I felt that the wind was not right.

Although a faint scent of plum blossoms still lingered, the chill in the wind was no longer so biting.

I quietly went to the children's warm pavilion to check, and on the top floor of the pavilion there was only one very dim nightlight burning, casting a faint halo.

But the first floor had its door half-open, and the lights were on.

As soon as I stepped halfway in, a languid voice came from inside——

"These nine heavens are good too~ The mortal realm is good too~ Staying here for too long, it's all so boring~"

I was taken aback, staring at the small study next to the stairs on the first floor.

That was a study separated by a carved wooden door. At this moment, there was a person sitting in an armchair, with his legs propped up on the desk, idly holding a tablet computer.

Who is the Star Deity of the Counts!

I stood at the door, stunned. He was really diligently helping me take care of the children!

I'm very reassured leaving the child with the Shen family. They have a large family, so they are well-fed and clothed, and there are adults to look after them.

But I never expected...that he would actually be sitting downstairs, waiting for me!

"Mu Xiaqiao, you look so stupid." Ji Dou said with a frown.

"No... you... you... are you helping me watch the child"

Ji Dou was stunned, his brows furrowed and faintly twitching with veins popping out.

He slammed the tablet on the table and stood up, yelling at me, "Where have you been for so long! The world is filled with malice, the Shen family has no one to make decisions, it's just demons bringing plagues! Where did you run off to hide! Yu Gui Nan keeps bothering me every day asking when you're coming back, I'm so annoyed!"

"I'm so annoyed, why don't you go back to the upper realm..." I asked cautiously.

"Ahem, I, I—"ever, it also suits their personalities.Mu Wanchen was naturally kind and generous, while I was used to being willful. He always gave in to me, which made me feel embarrassed and self-conscious, even...