Zhu Xian

Chapter 2 Die Together A

The Inferno Mirror on her chest slowly settled down. All the glow began to disappear. Shaw Danon suddenly discovered, the giant fire dragon was also gone.

Really, he did not know how long the time have past……

He was rooted on the ground. Thousands of thoughts were shaking in his mind. But, he still felt his brain was empty.

The six-tails white fox silenced for a while, then slowly lifted its head, told Shaw Danon: “Youngster, come over here.”

Shaw Danon walked slowly to him. Behind him, in the tunnel, the screaming of the wind was getting louder!

The six-tails white fox was still holding the unconscious body, his face however, has turned calm, even his voice was peaceful as water: “Can you do me a favor?”

Shaw Danon was quiet for a moment, then asked: “What?”

The white fox looked at the lady in his arms, he said quietly: “Throw both of us into the lava below!”

Shaw Danon abruptly raised his head, took a step backward.

The white fox looked at him, did not say anything.

Shaw Danon’s mouth opened, wanted to say something, but not a word was able to come out from his mouth. He felt his eyes suddenly felt like burning by fire. They were heated.

He nodded hard.

The white fox smiled, holding the lady in his arms tightly.

One step, two steps, Shaw Danon was slowly carrying the two embraced foxes to the end of the platform.

The raging heated air was roaring under his feet.

Finally, he reached the end, standing on the edge between life and death.

The white fox’s face suddenly had became better. He lifted his head, looked at Shaw Danon.

No one could see Shaw Danon’s expression at this moment.

Then it suddenly smiled, seemed like all resentments are forgotten, like an aged senior looking at a young man.

“Young man, why being like this?”

Shaw Danon did not say anything.

The white fox lightly picked up the Inferno Mirror on the girl’s chest, using its last strength, it pulled up Shaw Danon’s right sleeve, tied the Inferno Mirror on his arm with the red threads.

“This is a divine artifact that was exchanged with countless of life from the fox race, now give to you as memento!” It smiled, its body was shaking hard again, black blood also came out from its mouth: “However, do not let anyone see it……”

His voice, finally, also fell.

Shaw Danon bit his lip, took a deep breath, then letted go.

At far, following a huge boom, Bilu and Onara, and Li Su and Yanon of Incense Valley shot out from the tunnel in the form of light1 and landed on the platform. They arrived just in time and saw Shaw Danon dropped the two foxes into the magma.

Shaw Danon stood on the edge of the platform, did not notice anything behind him, only staring at the falling figures in the air.

The wind came by and fluttered his lapel.

A soft light flashed, the graceful lady lost her human clothes, showed the true form as a beautiful three-tails fox.

The two lifeless but yet beautiful foxes, embraced together, fell in the air. Accompany with a low noise, they sunk into the lava, disappeared.

Bilu was a bit worried. She stepped forth and shouted: “Xiao Fan……”

But that young man was like did not hear anything, but rooted on the ground.

※※※

They came out from the drake cave, then the black stones cave, finally returned above the earth. At this time, the sky already turned morning.

Everyone letted out a long sigh, including Li Su and Yanon. Both of them also looked tired. It was understandable that the “Giant Black Leech” (Note 1) defeated by four of them was not easy.

Only Shaw Danon remained silent.

Bilu asked him softly, but Shaw Danon only shook his head.

Li Su came, said to Shaw Danon: “So Zhang Shidi was able to escape from the disaster under the Forsaken Abyss, this really worth celebrating.”

Shaw Danon forced a smile, nodded in return: “Thank you Li Shixiong.”

Yanon also came. Her face was more kind than Li Su’s, she smiled: “Zhang Shixiong, you have deep bond with fortune, able survive such disaster is destined to have good fortune in furture.” Then she suddenly smiled: “By the way, because they couldn’t find you under Forsaken Abyss, those from your faction were really worry, especially your Lu Shijie……”

Shaw Danon’s heart moved, lifted his head and looked at Yanon. But she glanced at Li Su with a weird smile.

Li Su felt the eyes from Yanon, he gave a rare smile, but there was a light flashed in his eyes, he nodded slowly: “Indeed, your faction mates were very worry about you, you better hurry return and report that you are safe!”

Shaw Danon was moved, he bowed: “Thank you two of you.”

Yanon smiled in return, caught a glimpse of the green dress girl behind Shaw Danon. She was pretty, but there was a dark shadow on her face at this moment.

It immediately caught Yanon’s attention. She took a few looks at Bilu, then asked Shaw Danon: “Zhang Shixiong, those two are……”

Shaw Danon turned around, said: “Oh, this is Onara, disciple of the Herald of Valor from the righteous faction ‘Vajra’.”

Then he said to Onara: “Brother Shi, these two are Li Su Shixiong and Yanon Shijie of Incense Valley.”

Onara immedately turned solemn. In the cultivators’ eyes, Incense’s reputation is no where below the well known Jadeon. He immediately saluted: “Greeting to two of you.”

Li Su and Yanon bowed in return. Yanon smiled: “Brother Shi’s cultivation is very high!”

Onara blushed, but Onara was a straight forward person, pride showed on his face. He smiled: “You flattered me.”

Yanon smiled and turned around, took a glance at Bilu, asked Shaw Danon: “And that lady is?”

Shaw Danon couldn’t speak. Bilu’s eyes turned cold.

Onara saw that they did not say anything, he smiled: “This is Miss Bilu, she is brother Zhang’s friend, very deeply cultivated.”

Li Su glanced at Bilu, seeing she has no intention to greet, he turned his head away. But Yanon seemed very concern about Bilu, she smiled: “Ah! So it is Miss Bilu, which faction you come from?”

Chapter 2 Die Together B

Bilu took a glance at Shaw Danon, but he remained quiet, she suddenly gave a cold laugh: “I have no faction, born to be alone. I helped a person once, but was abandoned by him!”

Shaw Danon frowned. Yanon looked at her, smiling.

Then Li Su in front coughed, turned to Shaw Danon: “Zhang Shidi, I have a thing to ask you.”

Shaw Danon did not delay, said: “Li Shixiong, please ask.”

Li Su looked at him, said slowly: “Zhang Shidi is the first to enter the drake cave, did you saw a jade ring esper, with a fire totem in the center and red stings on both side, inside the cave or with the white fox?”

Shaw Danon’s heart jumped. Onara already shouted out: “Yes! Yes! Last night when we were battling with three-tails fox spirit, she used that esper.”

Hope arose on Li Su and Yanon’s face. But Yanon’s mind was more careful, after a thought, she asked Li Su: “But why last night when we went down there, the three-tails fox spirit did not summon Inferno Mirror?”

Li Su said lightly: “She used the Inferno Mirror to summon the fire dragon to resist us, then the Inferno Mirror must be with her.”

Yanon pondered and nodded. Li Su turned to Shaw Danon, said: “Zhang Shidi, Inferno Mirror is an important treasure of my faction. Did you saw it?”

Everyone’s eyes were on Shaw Danon. Shaw Danon took a deep breath, quiet for a moment, then said: “No.”

Li Su startled and frowned.

Yanon’s eyes wandered around on Shaw Danon, pondered and asked: “What? When Zhang Shixiong battled with the ‘three-tails fox spirit and that ‘six-tails fox demon’, they did not used Inferno Mirror?”

Shaw Danon quiet for another moment, said: “Last night I accidentally entered the drake cave and discovered that white fox, which is the six-tails fox demon you talked about, was already badly ill, about to die. Later when the three-tails fox spirit came in, probably because fighting with you four, her vigor was severely injuried. I did not use much power to de-defeat them.”

Disappointment immediately appeared on Yanon and Li Su’s face. Yanon turned to Li Su. Li Su said lightly: “Before we came out from the drake cave, I already carefully searched through the place, there was no sign of Inferno Mirror, I am afraid it got threw into the lava along with them.”

Yanon sighed, then said: “Anyway, Li Shixiong, we eliminated the remaining fox spirits, at least we have something to report to our faction.”

Li Su nodded, then turned around, folded his hands to Shaw Danon and others: “Since this is the case, shimei and I will need to return to Incense Valley to report, we shall leave first.”

Shaw Danon and Onara quickly said: “Please.”

Bilu’s face was still dark, standing on the side, not moving.

Li Su nodded, said to Yanon: “Shimei, lets go!”

Yanon smiled and nodded, but suddenly recalled something, and told Shaw Danon: “Zhang Shixiong, recently there was movement of the Felkin, Jadeon has gathered other Righteous cultivators at East Sea’s Billows Hill. I heard your master’s house also went there, why don’t you go there and reunion with them?”

Shaw Danon was surprised, then cheer appeared on his face: “Really? They went to Billows Hill! I will immediately head there.”

Yanon smiled and nodded: “That’s good. Li Shixiong and I may also go there after we report to our faction, may we see each other again!”

Then she turned, and took a few steps with Li Su, but Yanon suddenly turned around again, this time she smiled to Bilu: “Miss Bilu, the golden bell on your waist is very pretty.”

Bilu was surprised. The golden bell on her waist was the “Lupin Bell” left by Lady Jingling that she found while she was trapped inside the Blooddrop Cave with Shaw Danon.

It was suddenly mentioned by Yanon, she almost thought her identity was saw through by this gentle female disciple of Incense.

But Yanon only said this like it was nothing. She smiled then left together with Li Su.

Bilu frowned, and was still surprised. Then she suddenly felt Shaw Danon was looking at her.

The three people left the forest surrounding the Dark Drake Cave. On their way, they came across the Lunar Well from last night. Bilu recalled the three-tails fox spirit had kept asking Shaw Danon about what did he saw in the well, she also asked him. Shaw Danon was first startled, but did not answer, only shook his head.

Anger rose in Bilu’s heart, she did not ask him again, but she was very curious, so she walked to it. She took a look into the ancient well. The deep, clear water was reflecting her beautiful face. But there was nothing strange about it, she did not put it into her heart.

They came out from the forest, returned to Laguna Collective. The chief and other people were very anxious. Once they appeared, the people immediately surrounded them.

When they heard Onara announced that the devil was gone, from today on everyone could have a peaceful life, everyone cheered and clapped happily.

Shaw Danon stood at the side, watching the cheering crowd. His mind was confused, the figures of the two foxes reappeared before his eyes.

When Li Su asked him about the Inferno Mirror, he knew the thing he was looking for is tied on his arm, but his brain recalled what the white fox said.

In truth, he only met the six-tails fox demon for one night, there was totally no friendship. But seeing the three-tails fox spirit commited suicide with a determined mind, and the six-tails fox demon carried her and fell into the magma together, the soul touching scene was still remained before his eyes.

In deep of his heart, he felt very friendly to that fox spirit, so he oddly said he did not know, concealed it from Li Su,

Onara managed to escape from the crowd and gave him a look. Shaw Danon and Bilu looked what was behind Onara. They were the smiling residents that were about to surround them.

Onara turned and said to the crowd: “Everyone, listen to me. This thing is over, we also need to continue our cultivation practice. Today we will say farewell here. As for the gift like silvers, I and my two companions appreciate it. But money is just some item, it has no use. Everyone please return!”

Chapter 2 Die Together C

Then he quicken his pace, pulled Shaw Danon, whispered: “Hurry.”

The people saw the three of them turned into three lights, then disappeared. Uproar rose. They discussed for a while, then dispersed.

But after the crowd dispersed, an old and a young came out from the corner of the street, watching the place where the three people had disappeared. They were the fortune-teller Tanis Ka and his granddaughter Tonni.

Tanis Ka took a few glances at that direction, seeing there was no one nearby, he whispered to Tonni: “Can’t imagine that even with the Inferno Mirror at hand, the three-tails fox spirit is still eliminated by them.”

Tonni was eating her newly bought lollipop, she said: “If that esper really is as powerful as you said, why it still happen to three-tails fox spirit? I think that Inferno Mirror is just a figure without actual power.”

Tanis Ka frowned: “Inferno Mirror is ancient deity artifact, there is no doubt in its power. I think that it is most likely because the cultivation of the three-tails fox spirit is not enough to release the full strength of the Inferno Mirror. And with the two powerful people from Incense Valley last night, she is hard to escape her fate!”

Tonni glanced at him: “Who do you think that got the Inferno Mirror?”

Tanis Ka shrugged: “Most likely being retrieved by the two Incense disciples. Anyway, alas! I was hoping to go in there and see if there are anything good, didn’t expect……”

Tonni spit out a lollipop’s nut, said: “Where are we going, grandpa?”

Tanis Ka pondered for a moment, said: “I heard the Good and Evil are gathering at East Sea, don’t know why. From the direction of where the three people are going to, it is east. Perhaps we should go there, too!”

Tonni laughed: “Let us go then! Things are all the same no matter where we go.”

※※※

After Shaw Danon and others left, Laguna Collective returned to peace. In the Dark Drake Cave, there was no longer any devil come out and harm people. But the strange thing is, soon later, there are many weird beasts that they have never seen before in the forest outside of the Dark Drake Cave.

For the following days, if they accidentally enter the forest, nine out of ten will never come out. But those weird beasts have a special behavior. They will never leave the forest. After the residents of the Laguna Collective discovered this, no one ever entered the forest again.

As the time past, this place became desolated. There was no one will ever remember what had happened inside the forest.

After Shaw Danon and others left, the residents of Laguna Collective built a temple at the east of the town, worshiping three deities. The center one was large and strong like a vajra. At the side there were a boy and a girl. The girl was pretty, but the boy was weird. He hand was holding a fire stick.

※※※

As the age past, the people of the later generation already forgot what happened today, but the temple of Laguna Collective was crowded by worshippers. Many people came investigate but could not tell which deities are they, so came up with the answer that they are the earth gods of the Laguna Collective despite they do not look like one.

Perhaps they absorbed many spiritual power from the incense, according to the people, the deities in this temple will always answer requests. After its reputation grow, people from nearby villages and towns also came worship. Some wish for money, some wish for job, even pregnanted women came here worship Onara and others for a male child.

If the three of them know about this, how will they feel?

※※※

《Shenmo Ziyi – Yasho》 –Giant Black Leech: Ancient beast, living in dark cave. Large body, ten yards high, has tentacles with several yards long, eat meat, eat everything nearby it, without bones left behind.