Chapter 172
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Chapter 172: Land of the Demon Race
The desolate mountain path lay silent and profound, flanked by towering peaks and solitary cliffs that hung precariously in the air. Ancient pines and twisted vines intertwined, while the occasional cry of a bird echoed hauntingly, filling the stillness with an eerie unease.
At the mountain’s summit, a hollowed-out cave led to a steep and isolated pathway that seemed to pierce the clouds. The narrow trail was treacherous, with occasional rocks tumbling down, their heavy thuds resonating deep within, stirring an unrelenting fear.
In the silence, a trembling voice hesitantly broke through, “Boss, shouldn’t we take another route?”
“This Cloud Mountain Path towers into the clouds and is immeasurably deep. If we fall, even we wouldn’t escape being crushed to pieces!”
By the end of his words, his fear was unmistakable.
Then, the one he called ‘Boss’ slapped him on the head.
It was a young man dressed in coarse linen. Though he appeared youthful, his face bore the marks of hardship, with several scars and a rough, aggressive demeanor. He glared at his subordinate and snapped, “What do you know? Since ancient times, wealth has been sought through danger. I don’t want to spend my life as a king of the mountains, living in idleness.”
“This time, the Left Envoy’s closed-door disciple is holding a coming-of-age ceremony, open to all, regardless of background.”
“If we want to reach Mo City on time, the Cloud Mountain Path is the fastest route. Where else can we retreat? If we turn back, where will we go?”
“As long as the gifts we present catch the eye of the Left Envoy’s Young Master, we won’t have to endure the harsh winds and sandstorms of the Extreme West.”
“If she allows us to stay in Mo City, then we’ve achieved our goal.”
As the young man spoke, his eyes gleamed with pride. “The gifts we’ve prepared this time at Fei Hua Zhai are unlike any before. The Left Envoy’s Young Master will surely be pleased.”
“But…” The man who had suggested retreating shrank back, “The Cloud Mountain Path isn’t just treacherous—it’s also a perfect spot for an ambush. What if…”
His implication was clear: the gifts they had painstakingly prepared for the Left Envoy’s Young Master could be stolen by rival forces.
After all, the Extreme West was a perilous place; who would want to remain there if given a chance?
“Don’t worry about that,” the young man said with a proud chuckle, glancing back at the carriage at the rear of the group, his expression filled with satisfaction and anticipation. “Didn’t we pick up two people by the river? They are our protective talismans.”
“Boss, are you saying they have significant connections?” The man paused, a look of realization crossing his face. “Could they be from Mo City?”
The people of Mo City were of royal blood.
Even if they weren’t of royal lineage, they were undoubtedly of noble birth or held high status.
“Fool!” The young man slapped his subordinate on the head, a grin spreading across his face. “Haven’t you seen their appearances?”
Appearances.
The man’s pupils constricted, his astonishment surpassing even his earlier speculation about their royal lineage. “Could they—”
“Exactly,” the young man nodded, “They are envoys of the Demon Race.”
They were likely sent from the royal city of the Demon Race to attend the Left Envoy’s Young Master’s coming-of-age ceremony. For some reason, they had been injured, and their carriage had been lost.
Now that they had found them, it was a clear sign that destiny favored Fei Hua Zhai’s rise.
He glanced toward the black mist rising above the Cloud Mountain Path, where a carriage hovered, his eyes flashing with calculation. But when the carriage suddenly shook and collided with the cliffs, a pang of panic struck him. He glared at the black-clothed guard controlling the black mist behind the carriage and warned, “Be careful. Do not disturb the two Demon Race envoys.”
“Yes,” the black-clothed guard replied obediently, manipulating the mist to envelop the carriage, steadily lifting it as it navigated the narrow Cloud Mountain Path.
Ming He slowly opened her eyes, troubled by the young man’s low voice in command as confusion washed over her.
She turned her head to survey her surroundings, noticing the black, exquisite curtains that blocked the outside light. In the darkness, a shadow lay quietly beside her, its breathing oddly familiar.
Ming He’s heart jolted with alarm. As her spiritual sense detected Qin Chu Yi’s presence, she abruptly sat upright, urgently wanting to reach out and help her up. Yet, a dull ache in her right hand made the effort feel almost insurmountable.
Moreover, the spiritual energy within her was stagnant, swirling chaotically, rendering her unable to summon it.
Was it because of the spatial currents?
Ming He pondered this, then let out a soft chuckle. No matter how severe their injuries, the fact that she and her Senior Sister were still alive was the most comforting thought.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the faint pain in her chest, and moved slowly but resolutely to Qin Chu Yi’s side to help her sit up.
Qin Chu Yi’s eyes were open, gazing at her, clearly awake. Ming He’s heart swelled with emotion as she assisted Qin Chu Yi to lean against the carriage. She grabbed a soft pillow nearby to support her back, her voice hoarse and strained from her injuries. "Senior Sister—"
She wanted to ask Qin Chu Yi how she was feeling, but upon seeing her current appearance, she was momentarily stunned, and the rest of her words dissipated into the air.
Their eyes met, and Qin Chu Yi’s expression mirrored her own—both filled with shock and bewilderment.
Qin Chu Yi was clad in fiery red attire, her beauty undiminished despite the bloodstains. Her long black hair cascaded down to her waist, seemingly unharmed.
If only they could overlook the pair of small black horns that had sprouted from her head.
Yes, Qin Chu Yi now had a pair of black horns, symmetrically placed on her head, their tips slightly curved. Combined with her dazed expression, there was an unexpected charm to her.
In the past, her striking red attire and sharp, cool demeanor would have exuded an air of pride and nobility, hinting at her extraordinary origins.
Two envoys of the Demon Race.
Ming He recalled the words she had heard in her dazed state and suddenly thought of something. With a wave of her hand, she summoned a thin veil of spiritual energy to form a water mirror. Upon looking into it, she froze.
The woman in the water mirror wore blue clothes, her face delicate yet exuding poise and composure, radiating a calm and serene demeanor. However, a pair of long, white rabbit ears protruded from her head, soft and pure.
As she moved slightly, the long rabbit ears swayed gently, transforming her composed demeanor into something adorably soft and cute—far removed from the graceful poise of the young leader of the human race.
This was a quality Ming He had never possessed before.
Thus, she stood there in a daze, questioning whether everything was just a dream; how could it be so fantastical?
Qin Chu Yi couldn’t help but smile at Ming He’s bewildered expression, genuinely amused.
Meeting Ming He’s accusatory gaze, she felt no pressure. Instead, she playfully tugged at Ming He’s pristine rabbit ears, her eyes sparkling with affection for the soft fur.
Ming He felt helpless, watching Qin Chu Yi enjoy herself. She opened her mouth but decided against saying anything. However, seeing Qin Chu Yi stretch her pale hand toward her ears made her heart ache a bit, so she lowered her head to make it easier for her to touch. After a while, she finally spoke up, "Senior Sister, have you had enough of touching?"
Her voice carried a hint of helplessness and fatigue.
Qin Chu Yi beamed and dismissed her concerns, running her fingers over the ears a few more times and even bending them into a crescent shape before letting go, chuckling as they sprang back to their original form. The joy in her eyes was evident. "What’s the matter?"
"Senior Sister hasn’t noticed that our spiritual energy is stagnant like chaotic currents, making it difficult to operate?" Ming He couldn’t help but roll her eyes. "And it seems we are not in the battlefield of the heavens?"
"I know," Qin Chu Yi replied with a radiant smile. "I knew the moment I woke up. But we are both alive and together, and that’s already wonderful enough."
The moment she jumped into the spatial currents, she was prepared for death; now, she was alive and Ming He was by her side, and that was more than enough.
Ming He paused for a moment, inadvertently curling her lips into a smile before saying to Qin Chu Yi, "Based on our current appearances and the situation outside, I have a guess."
She locked eyes with Qin Chu Yi as she spoke slowly and deliberately, "We might be in the land of the demon race."
Although their spiritual energy was stagnant and their consciousness limited, it was still usable.
As her consciousness spread out, she sensed a mass of dark mist, different from the oppressive haze of the battlefield of the heavens. This mist was generated by the spiritual practices of cultivators, unlike the pure spiritual energy of the human race.
"I know," Qin Chu Yi nodded lightly. As she opened her eyes and surveyed her surroundings, she already had some suspicions.
As the Young Master of the Qin Clan, she had read countless ancient texts, making her knowledgeable enough to uncover insights from subtle details and deduce the essence and truth of events.
If she hadn’t had some understanding, how could she feel in a playful mood to tease and joke with Ming He?
"I’ve heard that the far-west region of the demon race is bitterly cold and often suffers from reverse currents, where people of the demon race lose their lives every moment. Generally, it is a place for the exiled who have committed offenses."
"The descendants of the exiles reside in that extreme western cold, rarely allowed to leave unless someone in Mo City pardons them."
This must be the reason why the team from Fei Hua Zhai chose to rescue and care for them.
"But our appearances have suddenly changed to this form and we’re being mistaken for envoys of the Demon Race—"
Qin Chu Yi frowned in confusion. In her unconscious state, she had only heard those two sentences; she hadn’t heard anything about the Left Envoy’s coming of age ceremony.
Ming He’s eyes sparkled, just about to say something, when she felt a sudden jolt.
Caught off guard, she tumbled into Qin Chu Yi’s arms, who gently supported her, a playful glimmer in her fallen gaze: “Junior Sister, your current strength cannot compare to mine at all.”
Before falling through the spatial currents, Ming He had been heavily injured, while Qin Chu Yi, thanks to the help of Star Power, was entirely unharmed; her current condition was actually much better than Ming He’s.
Though she said this, there was a pained and worried look in her eyes as she pulled Ming He closer to her, pointing her finger like a sword to tear apart the black curtain of the carriage, her voice cool yet filled with discontent: “Which rat dares to disturb my peace?”
Ming He obediently stayed in her embrace, her eyes shimmering. Knowing Qin Chu Yi’s intentions, she smiled softly and tightened her grip around Qin Chu Yi’s waist, pretending to be the helpless little Junior Sister.
When Qin Chu Yi suddenly embraced her, her heart raced, and the sword energy she had wielded trembled slightly. After tearing through the curtain, it landed on a ledge beside the walkway, causing a shower of stones to tumble down into the abyss, echoing ominously.
The Young Man who had just spoken felt a surge of joy. After knocking away an enemy in front of him, he shouted, “Two envoys, I’m Yan Situ from Fei Hua Zhai! I saved you both!”
His words were full of bravado, laced with hope and expectation.
Just as he said, the Cloud Mountain Path was perilous and narrow, a perfect ambush point for enemies to seize treasures.
While Ming He and Qin Chu Yi spoke in the carriage, several forces had already shown up at the walkway’s end, all targeting the coming-of-age gift from Yan Situ to the Left Envoy.
At this moment, the black-clothed guards who had previously held up the carriage with black mist had retreated, needing their hands to deal with the sudden appearance of a batch of black-clothed men. Yet the carriage remained securely suspended in mid-air, showing no sign of falling below the walkway.
Fei Hua Zhai, Yan Situ.
Qin Chu Yi paused slightly, aware that they were in the land of the demon race, yet still unclear about many things; they needed a guide.
Compared to the unknown black-clothed men, Yan Situ was evidently a more suitable choice.
Thinking this, she flicked out a red ribbon; the soft silk felt as sharp as a blade in her hand as it clashed against the cliffs, creating sparks and sending numerous stones flying, leaving gashes on the black-clothed men’s bodies, yet narrowly avoiding hitting those from Fei Hua Zhai.
“Withdraw now, or face death without mercy.”
Qin Chu Yi spoke lightly, her tone calm and devoid of any murderous intent, as if she were discussing the weather. The words, however, echoed in the hearts of the black-clothed men like a thunderous roar.
Reluctantly, they shot a glance at Yan Situ before their figures swiftly vanished.
Yan Situ watched their retreating forms with a smug smile, inwardly wishing he could stop them. Yet he knew he had no authority over the envoys of the Demon Race.
Previously, he had thought that they must come from noble backgrounds to become envoys to Mo City; now, it seemed their strength was unfathomable.
With this realization, Yan Situ hurried to the front of the carriage, bowed respectfully, and said, “Thank you for saving my life, envoys.”
He glanced at Ming He, who was snuggled in Qin Chu Yi’s embrace, maintaining his composure. “Saving a life is heavier than Mount Tai; may I ask for your names? I shall remember them.”
This was a test of sorts.
Qin Chu Yi’s gaze turned icy, but she didn’t refuse. Her voice was calm, tinged with the superiority of a young master of a noble family. “I am Qin—”
Her eyes sparkled with a glimmer, as if recalling something, and a smile appeared: “Qin Xiao He.”
“This is my Junior Sister, Ming Xiao Yi.”
Ming He: “……”
