Chapter 33: Infiltration |
Demon technique? Shěn Lí wrinkled her brow.
The Demon realm had been under the Immortal realm’s jurisdiction since the end of the war a thousand years ago. The boundary dictated by the Immortal realm was firmly enforced by the Demon emperor, so even if the demon people didn’t like it, they couldn’t disobey. Despite this, there were those in the Immortal realm who suspected the demon people had evil intentions and were simply biding their time, waiting for a chance to strike back. But because the Demon emperor took great pains to enforce the boundaries, there were no issues between the two realms and nothing for the Immortal realm to complain about or use as evidence.
This would change if immortal beings were being kidnapped. If a link, no matter how dubious, could be drawn to the demon people, the already suspicious people of the Immortal realm would jump to conclusions and pass a guilty judgment.
The reputation of the Demon emperor and his people would be tarnished and the already tenuous peaceful relationship between the two realms would crumble.
Shěn Lí thought it would be great if the feigned friendship between the two realms fell apart and they could stop pretending to be nice to each other, however she had an issue with being used.
“Undo the limiting spell,” Shěn Lí said to Xíng Zhǐ as she walked to the group of men clad in black. She said this, but before he could do as she asked, she had already broken through the ice, grabbed one of the men by the scruff of his neck and punched him to the ground.
He lay in a fetal position clutching his belly. She promptly kicked his legs out and sat on his stomach, then she forced his mouth open to keep him from committing suicide.
“I’m going to ask each question once and only once. Refuse to answer and I will cut your finger and force you to eat it, so take stock of how many fingers you have.”
Xíng Zhǐ knew from the coldness in her eyes she was serious. She was a king of the Demon realm after all, so he didn't doubt her ferocity.
“Who is your master?”
The veins on his face bulged and he looked like he was choking. Since he refused to answer Shěn Lí moved her hand to his waist and reached for the dagger sheathed there. She slid it out and pressed the blade to a finger, ready to slice it off. The man squeezed out the words, “Sect Master. . .
Before Shěn Lí could ask the next question his face turned a ghastly purple. The already bulging veins on his face expanded and pulsated like worms. Their movement grew in intensity until his eyes bulged out. A whinny sound of pain escaped his throat before a loud “pop” erupted from his head.
The brunt of the blood splatter landed on Shěn Lí’s hands, but some still managed to make it to her face. She glanced down at the body underneath her before tossing the dagger away and standing up.
Bones and flesh disintegrated into sand and spilled out of his clothes like an overfilled bag.
“What a malicious death curse. Answering questions will blow you up.”
With a grave expression, Xíng Zhǐ turned to the other men in black to find their eyes closed in suicide. Apparently, they didn’t want to die the same horrible death their comrade suffered.
Shěn Lí turned to follow his gaze. With a frown she said, “We lost our only lead.”
“I . . . I once overheard about a lake.” Hú Lù hesitated but pushed forward. “The immortals being kidnapped are being held in a cave near a cliff that’s covered with green vines. It’s by a huge waterfall. The only place that fits that description is Qingya cave.”
Shěn Lí was quick to reply. “Let’s go. We’ll rescue any immortals we find and figure out our next steps afterwards.”
Xíng Zhǐ muttered some things to himself before speaking out. “We should disguise ourselves first. Let’s change clothes so it’ll be easier to approach the cave.”
“When the time comes, Xíng Zhǐ, you take care of them with your spells and I’ll take care of them with my fists.”
Xíng Zhǐ nearly laughed at her words. He picked up a stick and tapped her forehead lightly with it. “What is wrong with your brain? Always so violent.”
Shěn Lí distractedly touched the spot he tapped and turned away without saying a word.
Xíng Zhǐ had been careful how he behaved around her, but all that care went to waste with that single action that made his personality shine through. The way he touched her, the way he spoke, they were identical to the other jerk! The mortal him rejected her but the immortal him was seducing her. What was with him? She wanted to beat him up for unsettling her heart so much!
Shěn Lí was still stewing when she felt her clothes morph into the same black outfit the men wore. Xíng Zhǐ had changed both his appearance and his clothes to resemble the leader as well. Now he gave off a competent heroic air, instead of that of a lazy loafer.
“Ahem, let’s go,” said Shěn Lí after clearing her throat.
Hú Lù led the way. The idea of passing through the waterfall made Shěn Lí’s scalp prickle with discomfort, but she swallowed any complaints and followed behind Hú Lù. She was expecting to get wet but not a drop of water landed on her. She looked up to find a golden barrier above their heads. She turned to Xíng Zhǐ, but he was staring intently ahead into the darkness.
He stepped inside and she followed behind like nothing happened.
They continued down the dark path until they reached a vermilion door. Earlier, Hú Lù had told them about the monster that lived in the area. Because of its easy temper, it easily co-existed with the other immortals in the area. Both sides minded their own business, so there were no problems. No one expected the cave would become a prison for the immortals.
Shěn Lí’s group didn’t stand in front of the door long before a slit opened and a voice from within asked. “Password?” It was a cold and unwelcoming voice.
The three of them had come disguised in the right clothes but they didn’t know the password. Xíng Zhǐ could tell Shěn Lí wanted to kick the door down, so he immediately gripped her hand and shook his head.
Xíng Zhǐ was disguised as the leader of the group and he had brought his stick with him. He limped closer to the door making the person guarding it on the other side nervous.
The guard cautiously asked, “What?”
“Sect master . . .” Xíng Zhǐ imitated the dead man’s voice perfectly.
The one behind the door visibly relaxed and opened the door for them.
Xíng Zhǐ looked to Shěn Lí and said, “Now,” letting her do what she had been itching to do all along.
She shifted inside and knocked out the guard and his companion with a swift chop to the neck.
Xíng Zhǐ turned to Hú Lù and said, “Return to the woods. We will release the other immortals imprisoned here.”
Hú Lù wasn’t so sure about the plan. “They’re really powerful . . .will you guys really be OK? I can stay with you and help . . .”
The offer made Xíng Zhǐ smiled but Shěn Lí was openly disdainful of it. “You should worry about the other party.”
Xíng Zhǐ placed the stick in Hú Lù’s hand. “It’s all right. We’ll be fine. Take this stick for protection. You’re welcome.”
Hú Lù stared at the stick in his hand. “How am I supposed to defend myself with this tiny stick?”
Shěn Lí stared at it. “For an ancient god, he sure is stingy with his gifts.”
“As long as he doesn’t lose the stick, no one within a hundred miles will be able to touch him.” Xíng Zhǐ gave it as thanks for the useful clues and as thanks for what happened in the human world before when Hú Lù had tried to save the mortal him, even if it was an unsuccessful attempt. . .
They left Hú Lù behind and continued onwards. Eventually they reached the end of the passageway and entered a cavern. It was a huge space with ten floors embedded into the walls. The water on the floor cast a green light that lit the entire cavern up.
Immortals were held in individual iron cages all along the wall straight down in a line. Light, like the one that imprisoned Hú Lù when they found him, encased each cage.
A guard was patrolling the area unaware of their presence.
Shěn Lí wrinkled her brows. “How do we save them?”
Xíng Zhǐ laughed. “Like you said, I’ll handle magic. You handle brute force.” He waved his hand as he said this, and a golden light snaked forward to the cages weaving in between the restricting white light.
“Break,” he said in a low voice that still somehow resounded throughout the cavern. The light responded to his voice and the spell binding the cages broke.
Taking that as her cue, Shěn Lí formed her spear and flew to the cages, destroying each lock quickly and easily, releasing the immortals inside.
Alerted, the guards rushed over to attack, but they were no match for Shěn Lí, and she dispatched them in no time.
The immortals all bowed their heads in gratitude.
“It’s not safe to stay here. “Xíng Zhǐ said. “Let’s leave first and talk later.”
Upon reaching the outside and seeing the light again, many immortals wept in joy. They thanked Xíng Zhǐ again for rescuing them.
Strangely enough no one approached or thanked Shěn Lí, not that she noticed.
They would have continued to ignore her had she not asked, “Do you know where the first immortals were caught?”
This question made them turn to her. No one answered for the longest time. Finally, a young man pointed at her and heatedly said, “You demon! You dare have the audacity to ask?!”
The person next to him immediately grabbed the hem of his robe and tried to pull him away. “She also saved us! Come on, don’t act that way!”
Shěn Lí frowned. “I will only say this once. The matter with immortals being kidnapped has nothing to do with my people. I only incidentally learned about it today.”
“Like hell you did!” Now that the joy of being freed wore off, he gave vent to his anger at being kidnapped and imprisoned. “You demon people are barbaric, evil villains! This time you captured us in the Mortal realm. What next? Do you plan to go to the Immortal realm and kidnap those immortals too?! Every single one of you are disgusting criminals! And that includes your stinking Demon emperor-”
Shěn Lí lifted him up by the collar before he got through his sentence. “Such impudence! I, the Azure Sky king, will cut you to pieces!”
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