CHAPTER 44

— Lu Xianrou —

Shrugging off thoughts of those who appeared and vanished inexplicably, Tong Tong held Su Yan's warm body, feeling troubled: her senior brother's condition wasn't optimistic at the moment. Although they had obtained the Kongluo Grass, the Siam Honey-Fruit was still nowhere to be found...

Just as she was racking her brains for a solution, she heard a sharp cry from Jiya, followed by a tentative female voice calling from behind, "Senior Sister Tong?"

"Huh?" Without thinking, Tong Tong craned her neck to look back. Unexpectedly, her movement was too sudden and forceful, and with both hands occupied holding Su Yan, she couldn't support herself. The combination of these factors caused her to fall backward with a loud thud, the back of her head hitting the ground hard. The pain instantly brought tears to her eyes—she had heard that hitting one's head could turn a person into an idiot... and her intelligence was already average! She couldn't afford such a fall!

Through her blurred, tear-filled vision, she saw a woman in white holding a long sword. Her attire resembled that of a Chonghua disciple... Who was she?

"Senior Sister Tong, are you alright?" The sword-wielding girl didn't rush over to fuss or inquire after her well-being. Instead, she stood to the side, frowning slightly as she asked in a cool, detached tone. Her clear and captivating voice was mesmerizing, but the cold, almost indifferent tone reminded Tong Tong of a certain outwardly cold but inwardly warm "Obasan".

"Um... I-I'm fine..." Closing her eyes to force out the tears at the corners, the world finally came into focus—first, a pair of plain brocade boots came into view, their surfaces stained with specks of bl0od. Tong Tong's heart skipped a beat. Her gaze shifted upward, and she saw that the white robe was mostly stained with bl0od. Even the girl's indifferent yet handsome face was smeared with bl0odstains—only then did Tong Tong notice the heavy scent of bl0od emanating from the girl in white.

"You are... Junior Sister Lu? What happened? Are you injured?" Tong Tong's almond-shaped eyes widened as she struggled to sit up straight, looking up at the girl and asking urgently.

Lu Xianrou, one of the eight outstanding Chonghua disciples who had emerged this time, didn't reply immediately. She calmly looked at Tong Tong, her gaze lingering briefly on the seemingly unconscious Su Yan in her arms. A flicker of doubt passed through her eyes before she shook her head. Propping her sword on the ground, she knelt on one knee, meeting Tong Tong's clear gaze, and said in a low voice, "Just some minor injuries. Nothing serious."

—It was only two broken ribs, with pain accompanying every breath. For Lu Xianrou, who had grown up treating injuries as commonplace, anything that wasn't life-threatening could only be considered a minor injury.

"That's good... By the way! The one in your group... that..." Tong Tong thought for a long time but couldn't recall the person's name, only conjuring an image of a taciturn young man—it wasn't her fault for having a poor memory, it was just that the person was too low-key, easily overlooked. "That guy, where did he go?"

"He isn't the real Xiang Wu... he is a Demonic Cultivator!" Lu Xianrou said coldly, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on Tong Tong's widened, shocked eyes. She saw only surprise, not guilt—those eyes met hers directly, without a hint of evasion.

Looking away, Lu Xianrou stood up first, looking down at Tong Tong and the Su Yan she held in her arms, her expression a complex mix Tong Tong couldn't decipher. "Senior Sister Tong, let's find a place to rest first... I'll tell you everything slowly."

......

"What? You're saying Young Master Ding and He Gu were both taken?" Having finally found a towering ancient tree to lean against, the trio and their beast companion had barely settled down when a sharp, piercing female voice shattered the sky, shaking loose countless fragments of leaves.

If not for the concern over Su Yan in her arms, Tong Tong would have leaped up long ago, grabbing the other's collar to demand answers—though the current situation wasn't far off from that...

Lu Xianrou turned her head and coughed lightly a few times, her expression still calm and unruffled. She offered neither comfort nor urgency, simply nodding before continuing, "I traveled with Xiang Wu and the two of them. The journey was peaceful enough until we defeated King Qin Guang..." She paused briefly, then went on, "After leaving the Hall of Yama, Xiang Wu suddenly turned hostile. He knocked out Senior Brother Ding and forced Senior Sister He to seal her own energy meridians... I fought him but was ambushed instead. I tracked him all the way here, only for demonic energy to suddenly surge everywhere. I had no choice but to pick a random direction and press forward, eventually running into you all."

T/N: [King Qin Guang (秦广王, Qín Guǎng Wáng) is the First King of Hell and the presiding judge of the First Court of the Underworld (Diyu) in Chinese mythology and Buddhist-Taoist tradition. As the first point of contact for a soul after death, he serves as a "Gatekeeper" and a preliminary judge.]

—She didn't mention that the real reason she had pursued in this direction was because she had sensed another, far deeper and purer demonic energy here!

Yet by the time she arrived, that aura had vanished completely, as if it had all been an illusion.

This made her wonder... Could there be a demon sect expert here to assist him?

"So, it was Xiang Wu who suddenly turned hostile and took Young Master Ding and the others? But why would he do that?" Tong Tong instinctively tightened her hold on Su Yan in her arms, hoping to draw some comfort from it. More than once, she lamented inwardly: If only Senior Brother were awake! If it were Su Yan facing this situation, how would he handle it? Surely he wouldn't be as flustered as she was, right?

Stay calm, learn from Junior Sister Lu!

With this thought, Tong Tong finally set aside her chaotic thoughts, suppressed her anxiety, and forced herself to think clearly.

—Young Master Ding was the first person she had met in this world, and they came from the same place. He could be considered her only family here. No matter what, she couldn't just stand by and do nothing!

"From what I observed, that person was likely a hidden spy or a demonic cultivator who had taken over another's body... The techniques he used weren't Chonghua's Taiqing Art but pure demonic arts. Only a disciple of the demon sect could cultivate such profound power—which shows this was premeditated." Lu Xianrou pressed a hand to her chest, suppressing another cough as she calmly analyzed, "But it's unclear whether the demon sect's scheme targets an individual, Chonghua, or the entire righteous path of the Xuan Sect. If it's the latter, I fear the bl0odshed of a thousand years ago may repeat itself..."

A trace of worry surfaced on her serene face, yet it brought a vividness to her delicate features, far better than the earlier impassivity.

Tong Tong gazed at her junior sister with admiration, impressed that despite her severe injuries, she could remain composed and deliver such a lengthy analysis. Patiently waiting for her to finish, Tong Tong finally spoke softly, "Let's set aside the demon sect's plans for now. The most urgent matter is healing Senior Brother's injuries. Once Senior Brother is fully recovered, no problem will be too difficult!" She waved a hand with confidence, then looked seriously into Lu Xianrou's calm eyes and asked gently, "Junior Sister Lu, are you still capable of fighting? I need to cure Senior Brother, and for that, I require some Siam Honey-Fruit... I'll need martial support."

Lu Xianrou gave a slight nod and replied without hesitation, "No problem, let's go right away..." Before she could finish her sentence, she suddenly turned her head and coughed violently several times. The heart-wrenching sound sent shivers down Tong Tong's spine, yet Lu Xianrou remained remarkably composed.

Tong Tong stared wide-eyed as Lu Xianrou took out a handkerchief stained with red plum blossoms, its original color long gone, and casually wiped away the large amount of bl0od that had spilled from her mouth. Just as she gripped her longsword and prepared to stand up, Tong Tong hurriedly pressed her back down.

When Lu Xianrou looked at her in confusion, Tong Tong stammered, "Ah, well, no, no need! You... you shouldn't go!"

—Girl! How can you be so calm after coughing up bl0od? You're going to scare someone to death! I'm afraid you'll cough up bl0od and die before we even find the Siam Honey-Fruit! Just stay here quietly and recover, my dear lady!

Who would have thought that this seemingly reliable Junior Sister Lu was actually so reckless with her life...

Meeting Lu Xianrou's puzzled gaze, Tong Tong had a sudden idea and pointed at the unconscious Su Yan, feigning worry. "Look, Senior Brother is currently unconscious. I really can't bear to leave him alone here... Not to mention the risk of being carried off by wild beasts or kidnapped by traffickers, but with such a beautiful face, what if some mountain hermit—especially a female one—kidnaps him to be her husband?"

The thought of that scene made Tong Tong's heart ache so much she could hardly breathe. "Besides, you said Xiang Wu escaped here, and his intentions are unclear. What if he attacks Senior Brother again? If you stay here to guard him, he wouldn't dare act recklessly!"

Even though you seem more injured and have little ability to defend yourself...

"Senior Sister makes a good point. Then I'll stay here and keep watch." Convinced by Tong Tong's elaborate persuasion, Lu Xianrou no longer insisted. She took a few pills, sat cross-legged, and began circulating her energy to heal her injuries.

Tong Tong wanted to give her a few instructions, mainly to warn her not to take advantage of Su Yan, but seeing that Lu Xianrou had already entered a meditative state, she pouted and gently stroked Su Yan's smooth, delicate cheek. She thought about stealing a kiss but ultimately felt too embarrassed—and lacked the courage.

Instead, she stood up and walked over to Jiya, pretending not to notice the disdain in its eyes. She earnestly entrusted it, "Good little Jiya, I'll be back soon~ You must guard Senior Brother and the others well and watch out for bad people!" Seeing the golden eyes blink, she leaned closer and whispered, "Also, make sure no outsiders take advantage of Senior Brother! Understand?"

She emphasized the word "outsiders" heavily, occasionally glancing toward Lu Xianrou.

"Awoo~" Jiya let out a low growl, flicked its tail, and nudged Tong Tong with its body, urging her to leave quickly.

Its golden eyes rolled, not even bothering to show contempt: Stupid human, communicating with you is an insult to my intelligence...

Tong Tong left the large tree they were temporarily using as a shelter, looking back every few steps. She summoned Biling and sped off in the direction Lu Xianrou had come from—Lu Xianrou had mentioned seeing many people gathered around a fruit tree there, which looked very much like the Siam Honey-Fruit depicted in the yellow pages.

After traveling swiftly for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the vegetation gradually grew denser. Waist-high shrubs not only obstructed her vision but also hindered her progress—though they also provided the best cover.

Suddenly, Tong Tong halted her steps and ducked behind a tree, peering cautiously at a group of people gathered not far away. Her gaze fixed on the tree they were clustered around—its branches were laden with fruits as red as rubies, each no larger than a pigeon's egg, glossy, plump, and irresistibly tempting. It was unmistakably the Siam Honey-Fruit depicted on the yellow page.

Judging by the heated arguments and tense standoff among the crowd, it was clear that the ownership of this tree's bounty remained unresolved.

As for the uninvited guest lurking nearby, these people seemed completely unaware—or perhaps they simply had no time to spare for her.

Tong Tong frowned, feeling no joy at having found the treasure. With so many people around, none of whom looked easy to deal with, how could she possibly break through their encirclement?

Could she hope to wait until they finished picking the fruits and left, maybe snatching one or two overlooked ones?

Don't be naive! Such rare treasures wouldn't be easily abandoned. They wouldn't even trade them for spirit stones, let alone allow someone to snatch eight or ten right under their noses!

If only she had a firearm... She didn't need something like a Desert Eagle or an AK-47—even a small Browning would be enough to dominate the scene!

The problem was, even if she had a weapon, she lacked the agility to fire before they could react. She'd probably be hit by their spells before she could even pull the trigger!

Frustrated, Tong Tong ruffled her hair, never before hating her own weakness so much. If her cultivation weren't so lacking—if she were as capable as Su Yan—she would've long since seized the spiritual herbs and swaggered away. There'd be no need for this sneaking around, timid and hesitant.

Her self-mockery lasted only a moment before Tong Tong rallied her spirits. Who was it that said humans reign supreme over all creatures because of their wisdom?

As a university graduate, she had been steeped in five thousand years of culture. Even if she hadn't thoroughly studied The Art of War, she knew the gist of it. Surely she could outwit these cultivators who only knew how to meditate, cultivate, and grind monsters for experience!

—She absolutely couldn't disgrace the people of her homeland!

At that moment, boundless courage surged in Tong Tong's heart, as if a blazing fire ignited behind her. Even her ears seemed to ring with the stirring notes of the March of the Volunteers...

After pondering for a while, a plan suddenly came to mind. Tong Tong summoned Cookie from her spirit beast pouch, tugged its round little ears, and whispered instructions.

Cookie's long tail swished back and forth, its golden eyes flickering with a hint of cunning. Tong Tong couldn't help but glare at it before sighing in resignation. She took out a small bag of sesame candy balls from her storage pouch, glanced at them longingly, and with lightning speed popped one into her mouth, mumbling indistinctly, "This is my last stash, and it's all for you! You better work hard, understand?"

—Waaah, the candy balls were so delicious... If it weren't for her senior brother, she'd never give them away!

Once the trial was over, she'd definitely make her senior brother buy her ten bags! No, twenty bags! Hmph...

Cookie didn't fuss over its master's blatant snack theft. Its round eyes narrowed with delight as it unhesitatingly opened its mouth, swallowing the sesame candy balls along with the cloth bag—skipping the chewing step entirely. A pink tongue licked its lips, and with a satisfied flick of its tail, the golden mark on its forehead seemed to glow brighter.

—What a waste, you little rascal, gulping it down like that!

Shooting a resentful glare at the creature squandering such delicacies, Tong Tong set it on the ground, patted its head, and signaled it to get moving.

Obediently, Cookie leaped lightly and vanished into the tall bushes.

Taking a deep breath, Tong Tong silently counted in her mind. When she reached ten, she gripped Biling tightly and burst forward, her steps light as she sprang onto a tree branch. As the crowd surrounding the Siam Honey-Fruits turned to look warily, she drew a deep breath and bellowed, "Hand it over—this is a robbery!"

The roar echoed like a lioness's cry, startling everyone into silence. They all stared at her, frozen and speechless.

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