Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 105 - Yin Li (2)

“Do you know me?” Yin Li was somewhat uneasy.

“Of course, I know you,” Zanxing replied. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have ended up here. But…” She leaned forward, carefully scrutinizing Yin Li. “You’re a bit different from what I imagined.”

According to the rumors in the Li’er Country, the shark demons were said to be ugly, vicious, and ferocious, resembling bloodthirsty monsters. But the mermaids Zanxing had heard of since childhood were lively, adorable, kind, and charming creatures. And Yin Li in front of her looked like an ordinary beautiful youth. He was dressed in the attire of a palace guard from Li’er, looking so pretty that it evoked a protective instinct in people. He seemed delicate and shy, blushing gradually as Zanxing approached him to speak, his face becoming as if a layer of rouge had been applied on white jade, remarkably beautiful.

Seeing Yin Li growing increasingly uncomfortable, Zanxing withdrew her gaze, pondering, “But you’re a wisp of qi, and there’s another person outside who looks exactly like you. He’s also a shark demon, but he has scales on his face, a true member of the demon clan, not a trace of qi. Why is that?”

Yin Li was taken aback by her words, his brows furrowing tightly. After a moment, he spoke softly, “What you said must be about my twin brother, Yin Ying.”

“Brother?” Zanxing pondered for a moment. “Could it be that he’s seeking revenge for you?”

Yin Li’s expression changed slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.

Zanxing stood up. “Regardless, I have to go out first. I don’t know what’s happening outside. Your brother is very powerful. Even my senior uncle could barely hold on against him. I need to help.” However, as soon as she stood up, she felt dizzy and nearly fell to the ground.

Yin Li quickly supported her and said, “This place is connected to the heart of the demon-slaying formation. It won’t directly shred your soul, but you’re a living person with demonic energy in your body. The longer you stay here, the more your spiritual power will drain. Eventually, you’ll die here.” He glanced into the distance. “I know of another exit. I’ll take you out.”

*

Near the Starry Sky Terrace, in front of the White Jade Palace, chaos reigned.

The cultivators lay scattered on the ground, blood stains everywhere. Some blood splattered onto the jade steps, slowly trickling down, as if to dye the steps completely red. Even the silver moon in the sky seemed to have turned into a bloody crimson.

However, in the deep darkness of the night, a silver blade flashed like a streak of silver, violently tearing open a rift in the night sky. Countless snowflakes, like a silver sea, wrapped around a mass of black mist. Layer by layer, the snow fell to the ground, yet the wilderness remained untouched by white. As a loud noise echoed through the night sky, everyone looked up to see a beautiful shark demon in robes landing on the rooftop, pressing down on his blood-stained arm.

He smirked coldly, “Gu Baiying, you’re indeed more formidable than I anticipated.”

Facing the shark demon, the young man was also heavily injured, his pearl-colored silk robe dyed in layers of red from his blood, resembling vivid crimson flowers embroidered on his garments. Gu Baiying’s expression remained indifferent as he rushed forward again with his spear.

“Not even a word to say to me,” Rong Yu taunted. “It seems your Daoist companion has died, and you’re grieving.”

At this remark, Gu Baiying’s spear movement hesitated for a moment, his frosty face suddenly filled with anger as he rebuked, “What Daoist companion? You’re talking nonsense!”

Rong Yu sidestepped, striking out a palm towards the silver spear, while mocking his opponent, “Hmph, two people embracing and sharing a room in Tianlu Pavilion at night, claiming to be master and disciple. Who knows what indecent activities you were engaged in. The cultivators of the immortal realm boast of their righteousness, yet they indulge in such debauchery in private, sickening!”

He deliberately spoke loudly, not bothering to avoid others around. For a moment, all eyes turned strangely towards Gu Baiying.

Tian Fangfang was startled. “I knew about sharing a room at night, but what’s this about embracing and sharing in Tianlu Pavilion?”

“Sharing a room?” Meng Ying, standing beside him, exclaimed in surprise. “When did Martial Uncle share a room with Sister Yang at night?”

Behind the pillar, Men Dong held his head in his hands, muttering softly, “This is bad, really bad.”

As the cultivators in the sect were engaged in lively combat, they suddenly learned about such a scandalous affair. When they looked towards the disciples of the Taiyan Sect, their gazes carried a hint of schadenfreude. Mu Cengxiao frowned, “Is this the time for these people still have the mind for such nonsense?”

Looking back at the rooftop, Gu Baiying’s face turned livid with anger. His movements became more fierce, cursing as he fought, “Nonsense! Monster! You’re spouting nonsense. You won’t speak the truth even if you’re a dog. Today, I will definitely kill you and scatter your remains into the Western Sea to feed the fish!”

“That depends on whether you have the ability,” Rong Yu sneered.

In the midst of their struggle, a sound broke through the air, and an arrow pierced through the black mist, hitting Rong Yu’s right atrium.

On the Starry Sky Terrace, Princess Lizhu once again drew her bow and shot an arrow, saying, “An inch to the left of the heart.”

“Princess!” A maid tried to pull her away. “It’s too dangerous here!”

“Don’t worry about me.” Princess Lizhu’s face remained impassive.

This woman, no longer young, picked up the bow and arrows left behind by the guards when they retreated. Her crimson ceremonial robe was too long, so she simply used a knife to cut it off. Then she rolled up her sleeves, looking like a hunter in the wilderness, except she wielded a bow tightly strung with power.

With all her strength, she shot the arrow accurately an inch to the left of Rong Yu’s heart.

However, the arrow failed to penetrate the black mist.

The shark demon grasped the arrow aimed at him and exerted a little force, breaking the arrow in half. He then casually removed the arrow from his right atrium, leaving no trace of injury. Rong Yu looked at Princess Lizhu and sarcastically remarked, “How can incompetent mortals like you ever harm me?”

“Oh, I almost forgot, forty years ago, you were just like this, using an arrow to pin that shark demon’s tail to the ground. But, I am not the same shark demon from forty years ago.” He exerted force, and the black mist quickly climbed up beside Princess Lizhu. She felt as if a hand was strangling her throat, a suffocating sensation enveloping her.

She struggled, “You’re not the shark demon from forty years ago, then who are you? Weren’t you here for revenge?”

“Revenge?” Rong Yu laughed as if he had heard a joke, genuinely amused. He chuckled, “Why would I seek revenge? That foolish shark demon from back then fell in love with a woman, even sacrificed his demon core to become mortal for her. But in the end, he died at the hands of the woman he loved. Such folly only made him the laughingstock of the entire demon race. Why would anyone bother seeking revenge for him?”

Princess Lizhu felt her head buzzing, as if many voices were gradually drifting away from her. She looked at Rong Yu and struggled to speak, “What do you mean by that?”

“Don’t you understand?” Rong Yu admired her expression, speaking leisurely, “Back then, it was clearly your husband who killed those women, yet all the blame fell on the shark demon. Princess, don’t you find it strange at all? Why did that shark demon appear in the palace all those years ago?”

“Why?”

“Of course, because of you,” Rong Yu looked at her kindly. “My foolish brother, he was determined to help you escape the fate of being sacrificed. So even without his demon core, he insisted on breaking through the demon-slaying formation to save you from danger. Who would have thought it would end up like this?”

Princess Lizhu’s fingers trembled slightly.

“He hadn’t even reached your palace when he was trapped by the demon-slaying formation, and you, Your Highness, you used your arrow to kill him with your own hands.”

*

In the corridor, Yin Li was supporting Zanxing as they walked.

The corridor was longer than they had imagined, and for a while, it seemed endless. Yin Li had said that this was a tomb passage in the imperial mausoleum, and somehow it had been connected by Zanxing from the demon-slaying formation.

Yin Li was not lying either. The qi in Zanxing’s body was slowly draining away. Even a short section of the road was extremely difficult to walk. She said, “Yin Li, your younger brother is really a genius. He actually planted demon energy in my body. I almost died in the demon-slaying formation today.”

“I’m sorry,” Yin Li apologized. He thought for a moment and then added, somewhat puzzled, “However, anyone tainted with demonic energy, even an ordinary person, would be shattered to pieces upon falling into the demon-slaying formation, with no chance of survival. But Miss Yang, how did you manage to pass through the demon-slaying formation and even connect to another corridor here?”

Zanxing thought it might be because of the Xiao Yuan Pearl. Although the Xiao Yuan Pearl was sometimes reliable and sometimes not, it had always faithfully preserved her life.

But she couldn’t tell Yin Li that.

“After all, I am the personal disciple of Xuan Lingzi from the Taiyan Sect,” Zanxing said casually. “Our sect has many life-saving secret techniques that you demon clans wouldn’t understand.”

Yin Li nodded naively, “I see.”

Zanxing looked at him. This young man appeared very innocent, dressed in his guard uniform, looking just like a young palace guard. How could Emperor Shengning and his men have had the heart to be so cruel to him back then?

And they even carved such an ugly statue of him, probably out of jealousy.

Seeing Zanxing staring at him, Yin Li blushed again and asked softly, “Miss Yang, why are you looking at me like that?”

As she continued walking, Zanxing said, “I’m just curious. Yin Li, those who harmed the young girls back then were Emperor Shengning and his people. Emperor Shengning practiced dark arts to extend his life and achieve immortality. But the reason the blame fell on you in the end is because you were indeed present in the palace.”

“Yin Li, why were you in the palace of Li’er Kingdom?” she asked. “Or were you captured outside and brought in to take the blame?”

In the corridor, there was silence for a moment.

Zanxing turned her head. The boy’s profile, illuminated by the torchlight, had a soft, warm glow. His features were flawless, like a beautiful dream from the depths of the Western Sea, and for the first time, a sorrowful emotion appeared in his deep blue eyes.

“I entered the palace voluntarily.”

He pursed his lips, his gaze somewhat forlorn.

“…I wanted to save someone.”