The food won't taste good if it gets cold.
Han Tao glanced at him, then stood up: "An acquaintance is looking for me, I'll be right back."
"Wait here for me to come back." After he finished speaking, he seemed a little worried. He reached out and tapped Fu Mingxu's forehead, then quickly withdrew his hand and explained, "I'm leaving now."
A cool sensation entered his brow, and in a daze, he felt a giant dragon churning in his sea of consciousness.
Fu Mingxu quickly realized that this was a defensive mark. Before he could speak, Han Tao had already turned around to see that acquaintance.
He rubbed his temples; the rough touch of his fingertips seemed to still be there, but for some reason, he felt a little depressed.
"Hmph, I'm not waiting for you. I'll finish all the food later!" he thought to himself.
A note from the author:
Fu Mingxu: Honey, shall we become sworn brothers?
Hantao: Ah.
I'm here! From now on, updates will be at midnight.
Chapter 29
Outside the Tianxuan Sect's market, Han Tao stopped in a secluded spot. He looked at a shadowy figure and said, "Come out, Shadow."
As soon as the words were spoken, the calm shadow began to writhe, and in the blink of an eye, a human figure took shape.
The shadow moves with the body; no matter where the body is, the shadow's presence can be felt.
An ordinary face remained expressionless. Ying knelt on one knee, his demeanor extremely respectful: "Master, You Shu has fallen to the edge of life and death, and is difficult to find."
Han Tao frowned slightly, his eyes cold: "Tell me in detail."
"I was ordered to go to the Demon Realm. When I arrived, the Demon Realm was in chaos. Many demon guards were searching everywhere in the Demon Realm. The target they were looking for was You Shu, whom we were looking for. I kept hiding in the shadows of different demons and finally saw You Shu jump into the Demon Realm's cliff of life and death."
The Cliff of Life and Death is a forbidden zone in the Demon Realm; since its creation, no living being who has fallen into it has ever returned alive.
"You saw it with your own eyes?" Han Tao asked doubtfully. "Did you see her face clearly?"
Ying nodded affirmatively: "I saw it with my own eyes. Her face is exactly the same as the projection Master gave me. The only difference is that her waist is thinner in reality than in the projection."
A slimmer waist?
Han Tao didn't think much of it upon hearing this; the shadow wouldn't lie to the main body, so what he said must be true.
However, this also severed the clues related to his descent into demonic possession.
Ying seemed to have thought of this as well, and suggested: "Master, why don't I go back to the city lord's mansion and arrest Ao Yushu? After a few rounds of severe torture, we might be able to get some information out of him, or it would be convenient for you to directly search his soul."
Han Tao shook his head: "No, although he showed signs of colluding with the demons, I have no evidence. The only clue is on You Shu. Since she is dead, we should not alert her for now."
Shadow had no objection to his decision, only lowered its head, preparing to re-enter the shadows to hibernate.
Even after being away for so long, he still isn't used to acting in the sunlight.
"Wait a minute," Han Tao called out to him, "Go back to the city lord's mansion now."
Ying looked up again: "Master has changed his mind?"
"No." Han Tao's voice was cold and flat. "Go back to the city lord's mansion and bring all the top-grade spirit stones from the storeroom."
Ying was stunned: "Spirit stones?"
Han Tao nodded: "Yes, deliver it before dawn."
It was already night, and the world was filled with darkness and shadows. There was nowhere to block his shadow, so his speed was at its fastest at this moment, making it the most suitable time to return to the city lord's mansion.
Finally, he added, "Go find Han Zhengzhi and tell him it was my order."
Seeing Ying staring intently at him, Han Tao cleared his throat uncomfortably: "Well, I didn't bring any spirit stones with me when I went out. You should go now."
Shadow had no concept of spirit stones and never questioned his master's orders. Han Zhengzhi had seen him before but did not know he was his master's shadow, only considering him a hidden guard who did some clandestine tasks.
The priest, far away in the city lord's mansion, had no idea that after tonight, his beloved top-grade spirit stones would vanish without a trace. Just as he finished counting the spirit stones and sealing them, he suddenly sneezed.
He quickly looked around and saw that it was dark and windy with no sign of trouble, so he assumed that some dragon cub was cursing him behind his back.
He finished his explanation in less than half an incense stick's time, and he moved into the shadows as if he were a fish in water; darkness was his best camouflage.
Han Tao flicked his sleeves, sensing that the defensive mark he had placed on Fu Mingxu had no effect, but he quickened his pace toward the market.
...
The waiter served the dishes quickly, and Fu Mingxu's appetite was whetted by the delicious and visually appealing food in front of him.
The rule that a lone person is bound to attract trouble didn't apply to him; he just looked at the bustling entrance with some worry.
Although the plates of these dishes were engraved with basic heat-keeping arrays, it was really unpleasant to only be able to look at them and not eat them.
Fu Mingxu thought for a moment and decided to eat the vegetables first, and give the remaining spirit meat to the person who had seen an acquaintance but had not returned.
The restaurant chef is quite skilled; these vegetarian dishes, brimming with vitality, are cooked to perfection, ensuring that their essence is preserved and bringing out their best flavor.
Fu Mingxu was enjoying his meal to the fullest, completely unaware that the shopkeeper behind him was watching him nervously, afraid that some fool might come up.
After all, it's quite conspicuous to have such an outstandingly beautiful but completely devoid of spiritual energy here.
The key point is that she is his own master's Daoist partner, so he cannot openly protect her.
"Manager Liu, what are you doing?" The waiter joked when he saw his manager staring at the man without blinking, "Why are you staring at that immortal with such a lecherous look?"
The waiters here all possessed immortal qualities, but their immortal qualities were fragmented, preventing them from advancing beyond the Qi Refining stage. However, their eyesight was exceptional; they immediately noticed that although the mortal had no spiritual energy around him, he possessed an extremely handsome demeanor, and his face was enough to captivate all beings, making him unforgettable.
More importantly, the aliens around him exuded an imposing aura, and none of them looked like they were to be trifled with.
Not everyone knows the physical characteristics of dragons and winged races; they privately refer to them as alien races.
Manager Liu was startled by the waiter's words and scolded, "Don't talk nonsense! I'm just squinting, not being lecherous!"
The waiter tried to explain, but was simply sent to the kitchen.
As more and more people looked at Fu Mingxu, and some couldn't wait to try to get up, Manager Liu was so anxious that he was sweating profusely. He thought that if all else failed, he would take the person to the back room first.
Just then, a man dressed in moon-white wide sleeves entered from outside. He was full of spiritual energy, and his aura was as powerful as stars descending.
As soon as he entered, he scanned the room with his eyes before walking toward Fu Mingxu.
When did such a person appear in this market?
The others immediately dared not move, while Manager Liu looked in the direction he walked and immediately felt as if he were facing a formidable enemy.
"Young man." The newcomer landed on the empty chair beside him like a gust of wind, his smile as gentle as a spring breeze. "I observed the celestial phenomena last night, and it seems we are destined to meet."
Fu Mingxu, who was engrossed in eating, initially thought it was some kind of charlatan. But when he looked up, he almost choked on a bite of food.
"You...you..." He was so shocked that he stammered, and after a long while, he finally exclaimed in surprise, "It's you!"
He actually saw Immortal Lord Siyang!
At this moment, Immortal Lord Siyang, with his black hair and snow-white robes, exuded an ethereal aura, completely different from the Immortal Lord who had half-martialed himself, drawing back time and turning his black hair to snow.
"You know me?" Si Yang could sense the causal connection between the two of them. Although the connection was faint, it seemed to penetrate time and had a mysterious pull.
Memories flooded back in an instant, and Fu Mingxu suddenly realized that the two of them should not have known each other at this time.
If you encounter me when you return, do not mention anything, and say nothing.
Fu Mingxu, this is my choice, and it's your choice too, you know?
The words of Immortal Lord Siyang still echoed in his ears, and although Fu Mingxu was extremely excited, he could not express them.
He could not disobey the instructions of Immortal Lord Siyang.
But Si Yang was well-versed in Taoist magic and deeply entangled with the secrets of heaven. Judging from his expression, he knew that Si Yang should recognize him, but no matter how Si Yang tried to calculate, the secrets of heaven seemed to be firmly covered by a hand, making it impossible for Si Yang to see them.
The causal connection between the two is real, but he cannot fathom where this causal thread comes from or where it goes.
If Fu Mingxu knew what he was thinking, he would know that this was the cause and effect that the current Immortal Lord Siyang could not foresee in the future Immortal Lord Siyang.
The only one who can stop him is himself.
Fu Mingxu finally came to his senses. He knew that his expression had given him away, so he could only bite the bullet and say, "I was fortunate enough to see the Immortal Lord from afar once before."
Si Yang shook his head, but he couldn't feel any malice towards Fu Mingxu who was lying, as if he didn't want to hurt the person in front of him at all.
“You’re lying to me. You’re only in your twenties, but I haven’t left the Star-Picking Platform for thirty years.” He looked straight at Fu Mingxu, grabbed his hand, and starlight appeared on his fingertips. “Let me calculate the cause and effect between us.”
Fu Mingxu, fearing he might disrupt the arrangements made by the reborn Immortal Lord Siyang, said with a hint of tears in his eyes, "You might not believe it, but we've met in a dream."
Manager Liu, who had been stealthily approaching, overheard these words clearly and was immediately shocked.
What should we do? There seems to be a color change on the master's head.
Si Yang glanced at Manager Liu lightly, and the man was instantly immobilized, without anyone else noticing.
"It's not good for children to lie," said Immortal Lord Siyang with a smile.
Fu Mingxu shuddered at his kind smile, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a reasonable explanation.
But under Si Yang Xianjun's knowing gaze, he couldn't find a single word.
"Let him go!"
Just then, an angry shout came from outside the door, and a golden light carrying an incomparably sharp killing intent rushed straight towards Si Yang.
Si Yang stood up instantly, pushed aside the stunned Fu Mingxu, his smile vanished, and with a flick of his sleeve, the boundless stars seemed to fall instantly, blocking the blazing golden light.
The two had only made one move, but the fierce wind raged almost instantly.
Si Yang didn't want to hurt anyone, but he was forced to retreat step by step. Seeing Han Tao pull Fu Mingxu into his arms like his own little chick being caught, he was furious: "Let him go!"
The people at the dinner party wanted to leave as soon as they saw the dispute, especially since these two looked to be highly skilled, and they were afraid that the fight would cause collateral damage.
But now the reason for the two fighting is actually because of a mortal who has no spiritual energy at all. This exciting scene has caused many people to shrink into corners, unable to run away.
How long had it been since they'd seen such a thrilling scene? What's more, the central figure was a mortal man with a face as bright as the moon and an ethereal, otherworldly beauty.
The atmosphere instantly became tense, and Fu Mingxu's temples throbbed. He was being held in Han Tao's arms in front of everyone, his arm holding him captive. He tried to move, but couldn't get out.
Seeing the starlight at Si Yang Xianjun's fingertips growing brighter, Fu Mingxu blurted out in a moment of panic, "Things aren't what you think!"
The onlookers: Oh wow, what a classic line!
Shopkeeper Liu: Waaah, the city lord is so pitiful...