Chapter 270: A Subst.i.tution for Daji
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
On the second day after surrendering, Su Hu mustered 3,000 soldiers and horses, and 500 servants. He also prepared a felt-topped carriage for Daji. Accompanied by her mother, Daji was dressed up. However, both of them could not stop crying, and their moaning saddened people. The people of the Province of Ji had to part, even if they were reluctant to say goodbye.
After Daji got on, Su Hu led the army to advance. When parting, the people in the Province of Ji saw her off. At the sight of this, Daji was even sadder. She held a jade pendant firmly in her hands, which was peculiar because it seemed to be a half one. Looking at the jade pendant, she was extremely sorrowful as if she were bidding farewell.
It was already evening when the army reached the En Prefecture. Since it was so late, Su Hu ordered to check in at a posthouse for one night and leave the day after. He put Daji in the inner room of the posthouse and appointed guards to be stationed to protect her because he heard from the post a.s.sistant that a Devil Incarnation haunted here. Meanwhile, it was dark, and it was inadvisable to rush on, so they had to be careful.
Outside the En Prefecture, there was a spooky place called the Xuanyuan Tomb, which no one dared to get close to. The Nine-tailed Fox and the Pipa Spirit were looking at the brightly lit En Prefecture and had a wicked idea. The Pipa Spirit said, "Sister, do you know who is coming to the En Prefecture on such a grand occasion?"
After hearing that, the Nine-tailed Fox said, "I do not know either. It seems that they are going to Zhaoge to meet the King of the Zhou Dynasty. Since our empress sent us to Zhaoge to tempt King Zhou, we can infiltrate them at the right moment." Although G.o.ddess Nvywa had covered up their Demon Aura, they dared not to enter Zhaoge without a human body, because a large number of competent people were there.
Pipa Spirit sighed, saying, "We"re more miserable than our sister Chicken Spirit, who stays in the Royal Nu Wa Temple. If she gets imparted martial arts again, she"ll get outstanding achievements. However, we have to take a big risk doing things. In case of any carelessness, we"ll kick the bucket." The Chicken Spirit, who did not join them, was misunderstood.
The Nine-tailed Fox suddenly envied her a little. She could not figure out the reason why G.o.ddess Nvywa preferred the Chicken Spirit over her. She was not inferior to the Chicken Spirit in cultivation nor apt.i.tude. Thus, she snorted and said, "Hum, cut the c.r.a.p. Let me go to the city and find out the truth. If I get a chance, I"ll go to Zhaoge. When everything is ready, I"ll pick you up."
Then, she turned into a gust of wind and flew out of the Xuanyuan Tomb toward the En Prefecture. Seeing the posthouse being guarded by soldiers in armor, she sneaked inside in one blow. Seeing the inner room of the posthouse tightly packed with guards both outside and inside, she guessed there must be some crucial tasks. Therefore, she turned in a gust of wind and sneaked in.
In the inner room, she saw a beautiful woman with dark hair, a rosy face, elegant eyebrows, and a delicate waist. This pretty sobbing lady was no less attractive than the fairies in the Ninth Heaven and Chang"e of the moon. She was Su Daji, the daughter of Su Hu. At that time, Daji was holding a jade pendant, falling tears covered her face. The scene was heartrending.
A gust of weird wind swept through the inner room, all the surrounding oil lamps went out and Daji"s maid suddenly fainted. At the sight of this, Daji was started panicking. Then, the Nine-tailed Fox walked out of mosquito net and looked at Daji with a sinister smile. Daji was scared out of her wits, but she could not cry out because the Nine-tailed Fox had cast a spell upon her.
As the Nine-tailed Fox tried to approach Daji and swallow her soul, she was suddenly overwhelmed by a huge force and could not move. She was terrified and said, "Great Immortal, please spare my life. I"m just following orders, that"s why I took such an unwise decision. I beg for your mercy."
All of a sudden, a black-robed man appeared in the room. He looked at the fainted Su Daji, and then at the Nine-tailed Fox, he said, "I not only know that you are following orders but I also know your master. You"ll swallow her soul, take her body and replace her. But Su Daji is still useful, so I can not give her to you. Let me do you a favor."
After the man stretched his hand and pointed, a streak of silver light emitted from between the fainted Su Daji"s eyebrows. The light directly hid between the Nine-tailed Fox"s eyebrows. Subsequently, the man injected a ball of blood into the Nine-tailed Fox"s body. All of a sudden, Nine-tailed Fox"s figure changed. Be it appearance or temperament, she was identical to Su Daji.
The Nine-tailed Fox quickly bowed and thanked the man, saying, "Great Immortal, thank you for a.s.sisting me with my reincarnation. I"ll follow any orders you give." Since the man knew who ordered her, he must have a powerful backing. Although G.o.ddess Nvywa guarded her, it would be harmless to have one more backing. The Nine-tailed Fox would not miss such a good opportunity.
However, the man ignored the Nine-tailed Fox. He waved his sleeves and carried away the fainted Su Daji. Meanwhile, he also disappeared. After the man had left, the Nine-tailed Fox was relieved. From the man"s means to change her body, it could be deduced that his cultivation must be high. But, the man did give her any attention, which made her feel a little regretful and sighed secretly.
The next day, Su Hu led his army to escort "Su Daji" to Zhaoge again. However, as an ordinary person, he could not recognize that this Su Daji was a 1,000-year-old fox spirit, rather than his daughter. Not to mention the father of Su Daji, even the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal could not find out, if the Nine-tailed Fox did not give herself away.
Standing on the hill along the state highway, Su Daji saw with tears in her eyes how her father, Su Hu, took his leave with his army. Although she felt saddened departing, she was a little joyful. Owing the men present, Su Daji knelt and said, "Great Immortal, thanks for saving my life." If not for the man present, she would have been killed by the Nine-tailed Fox.
The Taoist said coldly, "I saved you merely because you are a good p.a.w.n for me. I hope you won"t waste my effort. Tell me, is the jade pendant around your waist given by Bo Yikao, the eldest son of Marquis of the West? Are you in love with each other? The jade pendant must be a token of love given by Bo Yikao, right?"
Hearing that, Daji was stunned at first and then a little shy. She replied, "Great Immortal, you"re indeed omnipotent. This is indeed a pair of jade pendants. The one around my wrist is given by Bo Yikao, the eldest son of Marquis of the West. If not for your kindness, I might have parted from him forever." At that time, the Nine-tailed Fox had replaced her to the palace. Therefore, she had an opportunity to look for Bo Yikao.