51

Capítulo 47

But when Xu Rujian blocked the door and almost caught us, the old demon roared and nearly pounced on him, giving us a chance to escape.

"Is he alright?" Tang Chen looked back as he dragged me away.

"It should be... alright." I hardened my heart and ignored his painful screams.

Seriously... I can't take it anymore. But we're just students. Xu Rujian took a visiting professorship, and the principal supports him, so we can only play it by ear.

But if we demolish it like this, the school's complete enclosure will be compromised. I don't understand why the original residents are so stubborn; despite such an uncomfortable environment, they still cheer for "going home."

Xu Rujian's patience finally reached its limit. In the end, he complained to the principal, and Tang Chen and I were both arrested and questioned. I, being a liar, was fine, but Tang Chen made me very nervous.

"Teacher Xu said that you damaged school property," the principal asked gravely.

"Is there?" Tang Chen countered. "Everything requires evidence. What evidence points to me?"

This made me look at Tang Chen in a new light.

As a result, Xu Rujian lost his temper, but couldn't produce any convincing witnesses or evidence. I suddenly realized that while he might be very skilled at exorcising demons, he still needed to learn about human relationships and adaptability from Tang Chen's level.

This is probably kindergarten level, I think.

That day, Tang Chen had class, and I wandered around the campus, recording the configuration diagrams of each restriction.

I don't know if I was too focused, but Xu Rujian suddenly appeared and grabbed my arm, saying, "Caught red-handed."

He grabbed my arm and it felt like I was being burned alive, but outwardly I looked perfectly fine. I was in excruciating pain, but he was grinning maliciously.

Of course, he has a good-looking appearance. Some girls in our school are infatuated with him, and even Xiao Lian abandoned Tang Chen to pursue the "mature and charming" "Teacher Xu." But in my eyes, he's more ferocious and terrifying than a primitive man kicking someone's head.

"What do you mean by 'caught red-handed'?" I denied it to him. "What did I encounter? Teacher Xu, if you don't understand what 'caught red-handed' means, I can lend you a dictionary."

His eyes turned cold as he glanced at the unscathed barrier, pulled me closer, and gently stroked the fine scales on my face. "You're not even human anymore, you monster!" His tone was so vicious it sent chills down my spine.

"I'm going to report you for sexual harassment!" I said breathlessly. The divine power emanating from him was far more terrifying than when Tang Chen was heartbroken. Tang Chen hadn't cultivated and didn't even realize it himself, but this guy not only had a strong will but also cultivated diligently. I was almost driven to my death by this terrifying divine power. "A teacher who lays hands on a student is going to be reported to the education committee!"

Actually, I don't know if it's going to be sent to the Education Committee or something, but I've really mastered that Huang'e thing, so I'll scare him first.

But he was genuinely intimidated; his face contorted for a moment, and he shoved me hard. A thought suddenly struck me: if he really caused trouble, he wouldn't be able to stay in this school anymore, and the principal's protection wouldn't help.

Evil arises from the heart, and I mocked him, "What do you mean by slaying demons and eliminating evil? I, this demon, am waving around in front of you, and you wouldn't even dare to touch a fingernail."

He was about to leave when he suddenly turned around, his expression terrifying. He grabbed my arm and raised his fist. I quickly closed my eyes and used my other arm to protect my head and face. I gritted my teeth and endured the pain, hoping I still had a breath left to get my injuries checked.

But after waiting for a long time, all I felt was the pain from his grip, and I didn't hear his punches or kicks. I opened my eyes tremblingly; his expression was unpredictable, and his eyes were practically spitting fire.

Just as the stalemate was at hand, with a loud bang, Huang E, who had gone to seek refuge, suddenly appeared on my left shoulder and grabbed at his face. He was grabbed and shouted loudly, then threw out a talisman to restrain Huang E, and was about to kill him.

Before I could even think, I crashed into his arms and we began to wrestle. Looking back at Huang E, I saw her trapped in the talisman, screaming in agony as she was burned.

That talisman... it looks familiar.

"Stop!" I drew the small peach wood sword I always carried with me. "I am a disciple of Master Xubai of the Rende Hall of the Lingbao Sect. My divine power is like a prison. If you have something to say, tell my master! Release my shikigami!"

He was stunned for a moment, then angrily exclaimed, "Liar!"

"As a disciple of the Lingbao Sect, don't you recognize your own sect's magical artifacts?" I shouted even louder.

He snatched the peach wood sword away, his face turning pale with anger. He angrily withdrew the talisman, and I quickly caught Huang E, and we huddled together, trembling.

"Don't think you're so great just because you know my real name. You just stumbled upon this by accident! You treacherous, cunning, despicable, and shameless vixen! I don't know how you bewitched my martial uncle..." He gritted his teeth, his rage escalating, "I'll kill you first, you bitch!"

He rushed over, and I hugged Huang'e tightly in my arms and closed my eyes.

Hearing a bell ring sharply, Tang Chen roared, "What do you think you're doing? What do you want to do to Hengzhi?" He walked over angrily, standing protectively in front of me. "Are we elementary school students? Are we going to be punished?"

I quickly hid behind Tang Chen, trembling as I clung to his clothes. I caught a glimpse of a lucky ribbon with bells tied to it on the ground; it must have been made by him. He made a pair, one for me and one for himself.

He probably threw that lucky charm at Xu Rujian, which is how Huang E and I were saved.

With a cold laugh, Xu Rujian withdrew his fist. "Since you, sir, have pleaded for my life, I cannot refuse. However, you should stay away from such wicked people who spread heresies and mislead the public. Do not bring trouble upon yourself!"

"I love letting her misunderstand me, so what?" Tang Chen stubbornly raised her head.

…This is the first time I've ever seen Tang Chen throw a tantrum.

Xu Rujian looked at the peach wood sword. "Don't say I'm bullying my uncle's junior. Here you go." He threw the peach wood sword over, and it flew like a knife, nimbly dodging Tang Chen, but cutting off a few strands of my hair before inserting it into the bulletin board behind me until there was no hilt.

My legs went weak.

He turned around, grinning maliciously, "I'll have my teaching assistant send you the blueprints later. Since you're my master's disciple, you must have a way to break this, right?" Then he laughed wildly and left.

I can't even stand up anymore.

I couldn't pull that sword out at all; Tang Chen was the one who managed to do it.

That afternoon, Xu Rujian's teaching assistant actually sent me the blueprints; it was the Bagua formation planned for construction. Although my uncle had devoted himself to "correspondence courses," I had only scratched the surface. I wanted to send it to my uncle, but I was afraid it would cause discord among his fellow students.

Just like how deities shouldn't interfere in this matter, I really wouldn't dare to be so foolish as to use this to incite infighting within their sect.

I took it to ask the old man, but his face was ashen, and the Zhao family and Renwang who were watching him all looked gloomy.

“…Girl, if you still care about the past few years, talk to the principal and we’ll move to the columbarium together. Let them clean it however they want.” The old man said in utter despair.

"Grandpa!" I cried out. I turned around and saw Tang Chen holding Huang'e, feeding her his own blood. Where was the blood from Tang Monk's flesh? But Huang'e was still completely listless, not even making a sound. I couldn't help but cry.

“Girl, how could I bear to do that? The Taoists won’t tolerate us, and he has powerful backers. What can we do?” The old man looked miserable. “I’m just a local deity in a cemetery, while he’s the Yan Emperor of the South. How many can compare to his high status? That’s reality. You’re too kind-hearted, don’t waste your life. See if you should take a break from school or transfer to another school. Don’t confront him head-on.”

I cried even harder. This school meant so much to me, how could I watch a lousy Taoist priest ruin it? I started to regret complaining about the hard work. I should have just taken it on and patrolled until graduation. Now I had to watch it all go to waste.

The old man didn't curse me; in fact, he comforted me for quite a while. I would have preferred him to swear, at which point there would still be room for maneuver. His utter despair shows he's truly finished. Without the old man, this cemetery school, even after a few years of this vacuum, can't hold on much longer. If the old demon dies, it'll become a breeding ground for evil. If a powerful figure were to infiltrate, would anyone still be alive?

My beloved school, the hometown that my soul cherishes, is gone just like that?

"...If that ragged Taoist priest didn't rely on divine power, I wouldn't even give him a second glance." Huang'e struggled to his feet. "Hengzhi, that's enough. What's the use of crying? Let's go. Where can't we live?"

That day was truly bleak and desolate; I cry whenever I think about it. By evening, Huang'e had recovered, but this proud and arrogant demon was deeply upset by this unpleasant loss, and her unusual silence made me even more distressed.

I went to the bike shed to get my bike, feeling preoccupied. I didn't expect Xu Rujian to be lying in wait there. I was so scared that I hugged Huang E tightly and hid behind Tang Chen.

"Junior Sister, why are you so frightened?" He said with a forced smile. "It's inevitable that we'll have some friction because we have different opinions. But if we go to our Martial Uncle's place, people will say that our sect is fighting amongst itself, which doesn't sound good."

“I won’t complain to Master either,” I whispered behind Tang Chen. “I just ask you to show mercy and spare all these beings. This school was, after all, the idea of the local earth god. You should consult with Him about everything.”

“Old folks? Ha!” He sneered. “I’m not sure what gods are, but it’s inevitable for old people to become senile.”

At that moment, I was so angry I forgot to be scared. "What did you say to the old man?!"

He curled his lip dismissively, "Junior Sister, do you think this old earth god can break the Bagua Formation?"

First, I felt all the blood drain from my face, then I almost rushed to my head. "...It's because He doesn't like interfering too much with the secrets of Heaven!"

He chuckled twice. "This Bagua formation doesn't necessarily have to be so elaborate." He leisurely looked at the sunset. "Uncle-Master Xu Bai is a renowned Daoist master. I suppose a strong general has no weak soldiers under his command. Let's have a friendly spar. If you can beat me, I'll build a Bagua formation that's all show and no substance."

I stared at him, then couldn't help but laugh. Me?! Forget about my inability to cultivate; my uncle only took me as a disciple before summer vacation.

"May I ask how many years you have been cultivating?" I asked politely.

"It's only been a little over ten years," he said with a smile.

"If you count the time I was your disciple, it was less than half a year." I sneered. "Not to mention you have such a powerful backer, we can't afford to offend you. If we can't afford to offend you, we can at least avoid you, right?"

"That's true. Don't say I'm bullying my junior sister." He turned to look at me. "I won't use my divine power. My junior sister hasn't been a disciple for long, and your shikigami is quite skilled. How about I fight your shikigami?"

What kind of wicked idea is he plotting? But these kinds of cultivators, let alone reading minds, can't even sense emotions.

"Alright." Huang'e raised his head. "You don't need divine power, we've already fought! I refuse to believe we can't subdue you, you worthless old Taoist!"

"Disaster!" I stopped her.

"Stop talking, that's it!" she snapped. "I've never been so humiliated in my life! I can't swallow this insult without getting my revenge! These Taoist priests aren't all that great, they only rely on their family's gods! Without any backing, they'd be in for a beating!"

Unable to resist her, my fellow disciple and I (I really don't want to admit it...) set a place and time for our duel.

We agreed to meet at midnight, at the school playground.

I don't know what he did, but I guess it was some kind of magic? Anyway, no students passed by, and even if they did, they couldn't see him.

The desolate aura was murderous, shining like a torch. Xu Rujian stood there casually, holding only a peach wood sword.

Before the fight began, I forced him to swear an oath according to the Lingbao Sect's rules, promising never to use divine power, which he complied with with a smile. I thought that since my uncle was so righteous, his sect must be the same. Although I was uneasy, Huang'e insisted, so I had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

The original residents of the school gathered to watch from a distance, while Tang Chen and I stood on the sidelines. My palms were sweating as the game began.

Although Huang E was slightly injured, Tang Chen's blood allowed her to recover quickly. Despite her raging anger, she was surprisingly calm, her circling attacks measured and controlled, fierce yet not reckless. I watched her, and a strange feeling washed over me.

I used to think she was a very capable child, but in recent years, after encountering many disasters, she has unexpectedly matured. Although she is still impulsive and talkative, she has the demeanor of a great general when facing enemies, which makes me very proud of her.

Her arrogant self-proclaimed title is quite fitting: Golden-Winged Roc King, Heavenly Empress.

Without relying on divine power, Xu Rujian was indeed at a disadvantage. Even when he used the talisman to suppress the desolate calamity, she gracefully dodged it, leaving deep claw marks on his face instead. If he hadn't dodged quickly, his eyes would have been exposed as well.

I felt like I was beside Tang Chen, yet also like I wasn't. That feeling of being possessed by the desolate place returned; my heart was empty, yet full. But it wasn't just instinctive rage filling my chest anymore; it was a surge of passion, a powerful morale, a heroic courage knowing why I was fighting.

All beings are sentient beings, and I hope I can repay them in kind. This unrealistic wish of mine was accepted by Huang E.

Therefore, I am the desolation, and the desolation is me. My spirit rides on her wings, not for the sake of fleshly desires or the anger of ignorance, but for a belief, and forges ahead.

Our claws shattered his weapons, forcing him to surrender.

"We won," I said expressionlessly.

He chuckled twice, blood dripping from his face onto his shirt. "Is that so?"

A feeling of weightlessness struck me and Huang'e. This caused Huang'e to fall from mid-air, and I knelt down, coughing up blood.

An immense pressure enveloped everything, threatening to crush all living beings. Divine might was like a prison, yet divine grace, though vast as the sea, was untouched by humankind. The native inhabitants scrambled to flee, while those closer were immobilized, lying on the ground groaning. I coughed up blood, pointing at the desolate wasteland, unable to utter a word.

Even Tang Chen was a little sluggish, as if he were walking against an invisible gale. He touched the unconscious Huang E and shielded her with his body.

"You broke your promise!" Tang Chen roared at Xu Rujian, whose entire body was engulfed in crimson flames.

"I said I wouldn't use divine power." He laughed, his expression growing increasingly ferocious and terrifying. "But now, I am a god!"

This is the first time I've seen what true spirit writing is. It's not just God's will, but also all of His divine power and fury.

The Yan Emperor from the south has arrived.

A deafening clap of thunder echoed through the sky, instantly shattering the weaker inhabitants into pieces, who screamed and burrowed into the ground. I felt as if my internal organs were about to be shattered by the roar, and I only felt better when Tang Chen, carrying Huang E, embraced me.

"Go!" He hoisted me up and ran. But the flames, turning from crimson gold to pure blue, relentlessly pursued us, even catching on his calves and causing him to fall.

"Tang Chen!" I screamed, but then I spat out another mouthful of blood.

Seeing me cough up blood, he suddenly flew into a rage, roaring, "Get out of my way!" Unconsciously, his divine power transformed into a golden snake, shredding the flames into fragments, giving us a chance to catch our breath.

He limped as he carried me and Huang'e onto the Harley, quickly started the engine, and sped away.

The golden snake flew back into his body, but he let out a muffled groan. I think he also suffered internal injuries.