Chapter 89
Translator: Redolens
Editor: Cresscentmoon
Helpless, Bai Yang could only turn towards Zhou Ying and say, “It seems like only you can open the domain to leave. From now on, you can come here to cultivate and level up.”
Zhou Ying laughed bitterly. “Even if I have to cultivate, let me catch my breath first.”
He’d just been through two fights, receiving injury after injury. He was battered and exhausted.
Forcing the protagonist to cultivate at this moment really would be inappropriate. Bai Yang frowned, threw his sleeve, and said, “Very well. Come here and I’ll help heal you.”
Zhou Ying had wounds all over his body. His face was pale, and his clothes were tattered. If he were tossed into a crowd he’d be mistaken for a refugee.
Bai Yang was just as bad. His clothes had long been ripped by his fierce aura during the fight.
The two refugees huddled together. They really were a sorry sight.
Of course, right now, neither could control their appearance. Recovery was more important.
Zhou Ying heard that Bai Yang was willing to heal him and immediately dragged his battered body over to him. Bai Yang just wanted to leave as soon as possible, so he didn’t talk nonsense. He immediately helped Zhou Ying turn around and used magic to heal him.
Demonic energy and spiritual energy repel each other, and it normally wouldn’t be easy for them to interact harmoniously. If one isn’t careful, they could end up aggravating the wound. However, for someone with a high level of cultivation, this wasn’t a problem.
Bai Yang whole-heartedly concentrated on channeling his energy into Zhou Ying. It was very quiet in the two-person cell.
Who knows how much time they spent like that. When Bai Yang considered the task almost done, he took away his hand and let Zhou Ying heal naturally.
As the son of Seven Stars and darling of the Heavens, Zhou Ying’s const.i.tution was different from a normal person’s. If an ordinary person had forced their cultivation to advance to the Mahayana Stage like he had, their body would have exploded long ago. Zhou Ying, on the other hand, could not only take on the burden but also slowly recover. As a result of him forcefully advancing his cultivation, his meridians widened, and he was more likely to make great progress in his cultivation.
In the Mysterious Dragon Domain, Bai Yang couldn’t do anything. He could only stay to one side, staring at Zhou Ying and monitoring his condition.
After a while, Zhou Ying opened his eyes. His dark pupils glittered, gleaming like precious stones…. This was a sign of him reaching a higher level of cultivation.
His mood had improved, and his complexion was rosy. There were no traces of his injuries.
Bai Yang secretly admired his const.i.tution. He was about to tell him to hurry and cultivate so they could exit the domain when Zhou Ying suddenly spoke.
“Are you Mr. Xie?”
Bai Yang was slightly stunned.
Zhou Ying’s eyes were very clear as he stared calmly at Bai Yang. He asked again, “Are you Mr. Xie? The one who gave me the medicinal pill that time?
Bai Yang subconsciously refuted him. “I’m not.”
Zhou Ying said, “Don’t lie to me. You are Mr. Xie!”
Bai Yang was expressionless. “Don’t talk nonsense.”
Zhou Ying said, “It’s useless to deny it. I know it’s you.”
Bai Yang: “….”
He wanted to deny it again, but then remembered that not only did he break off relations with Lou Jianfeng, but they were also currently trapped inside a domain. Zhou Ying saw what he’d done, so it seemed like there was no need to hide. He let out a sigh.
His silence was the best answer.
Zhou Ying’s expression became extremely complicated. After a moment he asked, “Were you also the one who saved me that time during the Hidden Flower Mirage?”
His words shocked Bai Yang, who couldn’t help looking at Zhou Ying. “How do you know that?”
At that time, Zhou Ying had fallen off a cliff, unconscious. How did he know that Bai Yang was the one to save him?
Zhou Ying said, “I woke up halfway. I remember what you told me. You said I was the Son of Destiny and that I wouldn’t die. Your words encouraged me and got me through obtaining the Dragon Blade.”
It turns out this youngster really did wake up halfway!
“How do you know it was me?” Bai Yang said.
Zhou Ying said, “At first, I wasn’t sure. Later, I ran into you in a restaurant in Anning Village. I thought you seemed very familiar and after some chatting, I felt like your voice sounded a lot like the one I’d heard during the Hidden Flower Mirage. However, I still wasn’t sure. When things like this kept happening, I became sure that it was you.”
Bai Yang: “k2026;.”
No wonder when he wrote a letter to Zhou Ying telling him to go down the mountain, this child immediately went down without a second thought. At the time, he’d thought that Zhou Ying’s confidence in himself was too high. Turns out this fellow already suspected Bai Yang.
Zhou Ying’s expression was complicated. “In fact, after leaving the Hidden Flower Mirage, I was sent to Heavenly Execution Stage and was almost cut to pieces. Fortunately, there was a demon that kidnapped me, and I narrowly escaped. Now that I think about it, you probably kidnapped me and Zhao-shijie to save me.”
Bai Yang: “….!”
The protagonist’s brain wasn’t simple!
Zhou Ying continued to say, “Afterwards, you sent me a medicinal pill two more times, secretly helping me cultivate. I, on the other hand, often misunderstood you and even hurt you. I was wrong!”
As he talked there was a sudden thump as he kowtowed to Bai Yang. “I’m sorry!”
Bai Yang was frightened. He didn’t dare accept the protagonist’s grand gesture and avoided it by helping him up. “Don’t suddenly kneel before me.”
Zhou Ying was very moved. “Mr. Xie, you’ve treated me with great kindness. I will remember this for the rest of my life!”
Bai Yang’s head hurt. “I don’t want anything in return for saving you. You only have to cultivate well and soar to the heavens.”
“Sir, I understand.” Zhou Ying’s face was flushed with emotion. “I don’t know why you want to help me like this. Why?”
Why?
Because this ancestor wants to go home.
Bai Yang knew it wouldn’t be a nice thing to say, so he avoided answering. “I just did it to help you, why are you asking so many questions? Hurry and cultivate so we can quickly leave.”
Zhou Ying didn’t listen to him and continued to interrogate him. “Sir, I must find out. Why are you helping me like this?”
“Because I want the Dragon Blade.”
Bai Yang didn’t want to keep chatting with him and just said something to satisfy him.
Unfortunately, Zhou Ying wasn’t an idiot. He wasn’t fooled for even a minute. Shaking his head, he said, “Sir is always saying that he’s only helping me because he wants the Jade Cloud Pearl or the Dragon Blade. But I don’t think that’s the real reason. Can’t you tell me the truth?”
Bai Yang had originally been anxious. He became even more twitchy after being caught and interrogated by Zhou Ying. Angrily he said, “Very well, you want the truth? I’ll tell you the truth. You have something I need so I helped you. Are you satisfied now?”
Zhou Ying seemed confused by his sudden anger. A little startled, he then said, “I have something you want? What is it?”
Bai Yang impatiently threw his sleeve. “I can’t tell you right now. Long story short, you must cultivate as quickly as possible so you can soar to the Heavens. When that happens, you will naturally know.”
Zhou Ying was silent for a moment, then said, “If you have a request, I will definitely fulfill it.”
“Then remember what you said today.” Bai Yang was still impatient. “If I have a request you can’t fulfill, don’t blame me for being impolite.”
Zhou Ying immediately promised him. “Don’t worry, sir. I, Zhou Ying, vow before Heaven that I abide by this promise to give sir the thing he wants.”
Bai Yang’s agitated heart was somewhat consoled. At least, things weren’t as bad as they could be. At least this mission could still be completed.
He nudged Zhou Ying, “Enough talk, quickly cultivate!”
“Alright.” Zhou Ying obediently sat on the ground and started cultivating.
While he was cultivating, golden silk-like threads suddenly appeared on the surrounding impenetrable stone walls. It was like a cobweb, crawling all over the walls. From within the golden web, silky, thread-like spiritual energy poured out and, like smoke, it converged inside Zhou Ying.
With dense spiritual energy to nourish him, Zhou Ying’s cultivation quickly improved in leaps and bounds.
Seeing this kind of situation, Bai Yang felt tired with relief. He had been afraid that even after cultivating ten or one hundred years, Zhou Ying still wouldn’t be able to leave, and that he’d be locked in as well.
With this cultivation speed, he should be able to break through and cultivate to Mahayana Stage soon.
In the novel, the Mysterious Dragon Domain was something built specifically to help the protagonist cultivate. It was also one of the reasons why the Dragon Blade was called a golden finger. By entering the Mysterious Dragon Domain, Zhou Ying could level up quickly and avoid his enemies. The exit wasn’t really an entrance because its location was random. They entered the Mysterious Dragon Domain in Phoenix City, but it was very likely that when they left, they wouldn’t be in Phoenix City anymore. At least, no one else knew where the exit would be.
Bai Yang thought that as long as the exit wasn’t in Phoenix City, things would be safe.
There is no time in the mountains.
The waves crashed again and again on the sandy sh.o.r.e.
A figure stood tall on the coast. He stared coldly at the red sun slowly climbing over the horizon. The sea breeze blew his hair and brushed over his tall nose and fair face.
His black robes fluttered in the breeze. The waves stealthily came up and wet his shoes. He just kept standing there calmly, like a stone statue.
A black-robed person teleported over and knelt on one knee before him. “Reporting to Your Highness, Sir Lou is here.”
The waves crashed against the sh.o.r.e.
The Demon King calmly said, “Have him come over.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The black-robed person stood and quickly left.
He hadn’t been gone for long when Lou Jianfeng came over. When he arrived beside the Demon King, he gave a salute and said, “Your Highness, this subordinate has something important to report.”
The Demon King didn’t even glance at him. He just kept staring at the rising sun and said indifferently, “Speak.”
Lou Jianfeng followed his line of sight and saw only empty air above the horizon.
He didn’t know what was so interesting about the surface of the ocean. He stopped looking and said, “It has to do with Xie Ze Tian.”
“I know,” the Demon King said.
Lou Jianfeng was slightly stunned. “Your Highness knows?”
The Demon King finally turned his head. His pitch-black eyes calmly stared at him. “Didn’t you send me a message earlier?”
Lou Jianfeng said, “Your Highness, the letter wasn’t too clear. When it comes to betrayal of the demon race, this subordinate thought it was prudent to report it to you in person, so this subordinate hurried over here….”
He didn’t understand why the Demon King was staying on the beach.
The northern Boundary Stone was already destroyed. When the Demon King returned from the north, he should have returned to the Demon Realm. After that, he didn’t know why he suddenly turned around halfway and stayed for half a month at the nearest Lost Sea.
Two Boundary Stones in the Mortal Realm were destroyed. This alarmed the entire cultivation community. Lou Jianfeng was recalled by the Soaring Cloud Sect to discuss the matter. Only recently was he able to meet with the Demon King. Of course, he’d already sent a letter beforehand talking about what happened, but he still felt anxious and thought he’d better come in person.
“Betrayal?” the Demon King said indifferently. “There has been no betrayal.”
Lou Jiangfeng said impatiently, “To save the Son of Destiny, he lied about your orders….”
“He accepted my orders and acted accordingly.” The Demon King cut him off.
Lou Jianfeng’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe it. “Your Highness, he really was acting under your orders?”
The Demon King was expressionless. “Of course.”
Lou Jianfeng: “….”
Suddenly, everything he wanted to say was stuck in his throat and wouldn’t come out.
That wasn’t right!
Judging by Xie Zetian’s reaction and behavior, it was clearly a betrayal. Why was the Demon King saying that it was under his orders?
…could it be true?
“Why?” Lou Jianfeng didn’t understand, and he became a little emotional. “Your Highness, if you really didn’t want Zhou Ying dead, you could have just not given the order. Even if you wanted to change your orders halfway through, you should have immediately told me, not Xie Zetian!”
No matter what he said it wouldn’t make sense. The Demon King wasn’t the type to joke around with his orders. After thinking it over, he could only think of one explanation. His Highness wanted to shield Xie Zetian!
He was hard at work in the Mortal Realm. For the sake of the Demon Realm’s great undertaking, he was attentive and overly cautious, but His Highness wanted to shield a traitor?
Lou Jianfeng quickly controlled his emotions and said with his head lowered, “Apologies, Your Highness, I was being rude.”
The Demon King’s pupils were pitch-black. After a while he said, “You’ve done very well, but Bai Yang really was acting under my orders.”
Hearing this, Lou Jianfeng’s bowed head hid a twisted expression for a split-second.
Very well, I worked so hard to establish a base in the Mortal Realm. When Xie Zetian arrives, he gets a Dark Guard team. He is on equal footing with me. His Highness clearly doesn’t trust me, since he sent Bai Yang over to check on me.
Now, His Highness wants to shield him.
Lou Jianfeng’s tumultuous heart finally stabilized. He had to start making his own plans.
He lifted his head and said respectfully, “Since it was Your Highness’s orders, then this subordinate was being meddlesome. May this subordinate be excused.”
As he spoke, he retreated two steps. Then he turned around and disappeared with the first rays of dawn.
The Demon King watched him leave, still expressionless.
The Mysterious Dragon Domain.
Who knew how much time had pa.s.sed? Just when Bai Yang was getting drowsy, there was a sudden loud noise that startled him awake.
Bai Yang immediately opened his eyes and leapt up from the floor, alert and on guard. “What happened?”
“The door opened.” Zhou Ying withdrew his fist and replied, smiling.
In front of him, the originally impenetrable stone wall had a hole in it. There was a cloud of dust, and stone lay everywhere.
Bai Yang stared blankly and then said, pleasantly surprised, “We can leave!”
“Yes, we can leave,” Zhou Ying said.
Bai Yang immediately rushed into the hole. “Let’s go.”
Zhou Ying smiled and followed after him.
Outside was a courtyard surrounded by the same stone walls. There was a hole in the top, sunlight filtering in through the opening.
Bai Yang had been cooped up for so long that he felt extremely emotional. His first instinct was just to fly up. He jumped out of the hole.
As soon as he was out, he was. .h.i.t in the face by water. All he could perceive with his five senses was water.
Bai Yang was caught off guard and swallowed the wrong way. He quickly doggy paddled for a little while and used spiritual energy to shield himself from the water surrounding him.
The d.a.m.n exit was under water!
He was so choked up that his eyes turned red, and his nose stung even more. He also didn’t know if he was in a lake, a river, or the ocean.
Oh, he tasted salt. It must be the ocean.
Please don’t let it be the seafloor.
Bai Yang stifled a breath and used magic to quickly rise to the surface and then get out of the water.
It wasn’t the bottom of the ocean. It seemed to only be a short distance underwater.
He stepped onto the water’s surface and looked around. He saw magnificent clouds and the horizon in the distance.
It really was the ocean.
He gasped in admiration and turned around, planning to head to the nearest dry land. When he turned his head, he spotted a nearby beach as well as someone standing on it.
The sea breeze blew that person’s robes and hair, exposing their refined and ice-cold appearance.
Eyes, nose, mouth…. Ah, why were they so familiar?
Wasn’t that the Almighty Demon King?
But… but how could this be?
How could the Demon King be here?
The entrance to the Mysterious Dragon Domain was random. Even he didn’t know where it would be. How could the Demon King know?
Was it a coincidence?
Bai Yang’s mind went blank as he stood stiffly on the sea surface.
It must be a coincidence?
But… but why were his legs so weak?
He felt… the need to kneel, wu wu wu.