Lord Qianhu, as a demon who had disguised himself as a member of the Jinyiwei for twelve years, naturally managed to keep his emotions from showing on his face. After hearing that sentence, his mind felt as if it had been excavated by a zombie, utterly hollow.
What?
Didn't understand.
Ate?
Ate what? Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow or tiger's guts and bear's heart? What seven? Seven dragon eggs or seven Luminous Pearls? Ah, peas, I know peas, they are annual climbing herbs from the pea family, right, very good, a healthy green food.
Mm-hmm.
At this moment, Lord Qianhu still had that gentle smile on his face, but what was noteworthy was that his normally dark eyes were now hollow, as if they had lost their luster.
In fact, Lord Qianhu knew everything; he just didn't want to face it, that's all.
Looking at Zhou Li in front of him, with an honest smile, and the white-haired girl beside him nodding in agreement, Lord Qianhu felt like his brain was trembling non-stop, and the whole world seemed to be shaking unbearably like an earthquake.
Wait a second...
Soon, a bold and dangerous idea appeared in Lord Qianhu's mind. He stared at Zhou Li, madness flickering in his eyes. It was at that moment that an inconspicuous Bamboo Leaf Green Snake slithered into his clothing, its fangs piercing his skin, and the voice of the Golden Snake Lady resounded in his mind.
[Help him through seven trials, and I'll collect the Immortal Fruit.]
A phrase identical to what Lord Qianhu was thinking rang in his mind. Suddenly, Lord Qianhu understood everything and knew what he had to do next.
Instantly, his face, that of a man in his forties, lit up with a radiant glow. In an instant, Zhou Li, Tang Wan, and the Hundred Households shuddered together, Zhou Li even doubting whether this old man had suddenly awakened a passion for the Good of Longyang.
"Such talent in one so young, such talent indeed."
Patting Zhou Li on the shoulder, a chrysanthemum-like smile appeared on Lord Qianhu's face, "Hearing your words is like seeing a young gentleman soaring with outstanding grace; Spirit Vulture Mountain is better off for having a beautiful tale about you. Our Great Da Ming needs promising youths like you, how can we let that demon succeed again?"
Glancing at the corpse at his feet, Lord Qianhu snorted coldly and said:
"This monster dared to harm the talents of Great Da Ming, a crime unforgivable. Merely killing him is hardly enough to atone for his crime."
Turning back to Zhou Li, Lord Qianhu's smile reappeared as he rubbed his hands together gleefully and said:
"Young friend Zhou Li, since the monster didn't succeed, I'm afraid the person behind it will not rest easy. It just so happens that I'm also heading to Beiliang to look for an old friend. How about we travel together? It'll be safer that way."
Looking at Lord Qianhu, who was fawning from beginning to end, Tang Wan turned her astonished face towards the Hundred Households, whose mouth was twitching.
"Lord Qianhu... that's right."
Clenching his teeth, Guo Lingyun felt the repeated searing of his conscience and said hesitantly, "Such appreciation for talent."
"That's just→fantastic!"
Zhou Li immediately grasped the hand that was halfway raised, shaking it vigorously and joyfully saying, "With Lord Qianhu as our companion, what worry is there of not exterminating monsters and evildoers? This is our good fortune, and we are deeply grateful."
Watching Zhou Li turn the table and flatter Lord Qianhu, the Hundred Households's mouth twitched with an afterimage, looking incredulously at Tang Wan, whose expression remained normal.
"Ah, that's just Zhou Li for you."
Tang Wan, following Guo Lingyun's gaze, said matter-of-factly, "What? Did you think he cared about saving face?"
It wasn't to the extent of a verbal attack.
At this moment, Guo Lingyun felt his future was bleak, but his duties compelled him to take action. He stepped forward, clasped his hands in salute, and said in a deep voice with his head bowed:
"Although I am only a Hundred Households, I wish to accompany you, my lord, in protecting the talent of our Great Da Ming and travel together to Beiliang."
Upon hearing this, the air instantly became awkward.
To the Qianhu, Guo Lingyun was nothing but a nuisance; without him, the Qianhu could have extended a much-needed helping hand, single-handedly rescuing Zhou Li from danger. Even if Zhou Li didn't bow down in gratitude, he would have been profoundly thankful. But Guo Lingyun preempted him, stealing his thunder.
For Zhou Li, Guo Lingyun's arrival was an unknown factor. Zhou Li had intended to lure the Scorpion Spirit Qianhu into his own lair, to serve up a sumptuous feast with the help of his three hundred Great Han men. Yet here was Guo Lingyun, sticking his foot in the door, and if the man turned out to be a pawn of the Qianhu, Zhou Li's plans would need altering.
As for Tang Wan… who was Guo Lingyun?
Chewing on her finger as she analyzed the composition of the poison within the Demon Monk, Tang Wan lifted her head to see the three men engulfed in an atmosphere known as embarrassment and silence, her forehead creased with question marks.
"Do they dislike you that much?"
Using a voice quiet enough for everyone to hear, Tang Wan asked Guo Lingyun softly. This question nearly drove Guo Lingyun, who was metaphorically digging his toes into Zijin Pavilion, to the brink of collapse, but Zhou Li was quick to respond with a laugh, saying, "Of course, of course, having the Hundred Households gentleman accompany me is indeed my honor."
"Ah hahaha, indeed."
The Qianhu also caught on, remembering that he was supposed to be playing the role of a Jinyiwei deeply devoted to talents, and swiftly regained his previous smile, adding:
"Lingyun is also a renowned marksman among our Jinyiwei, blessed with discerning eyes and the ability to control the 'Flying Bow Spirit'. Drawing his bow, he can strike from a thousand miles away, known in the martial world as..."
"Sky Sniper."
Upon hearing this title, Tang Wan barely held back her laughter.
And Zhou Li?
Zhou Li did laugh.
"I apologize, I apologize."
Zhou Li, in a rare display of composure loss, waved his hands repeatedly, wiped his face hard, and suppressing his mirth, said to Guo Lingyun, "Hearing your honor's title, it reminded me of an old acquaintance, thus my inappropriate reaction, for which I deeply apologize."
"No worries."
Though unsure why Zhou Li laughed, it was clear there was no malice intended. Considering Zhou Li's background, Guo Lingyun had no choice but to endure, saying, "Then I shall follow the two of you to Beiliang."
"What are we eating later?"
Tang Wan raised her head and said with gravity, "We've been walking for two days; it's time to eat something."
Zhou Li, seeing Tang Wan who entered the eye of the storm with him yet understood nothing, flashed a smile of affection for a fool and humored her with a casual response.
Thereafter, they gathered for those who perished in the fire catastrophe, preparing a nameless tomb for the Hundred Households Guo Lingyun, and a bag containing the Demon Monk's head ready to claim credit, preparing to leave this place.
Stepping out of the desolate forest and greeting the first ray of dawn, Zhou Li and the others set off towards Beiliang City. From this point on, a group with hidden agendas and divergent thoughts remarkably came together.
Zhou Li, who wanted to trick the Scorpion Spirit into a trap, the Scorpion Spirit who wanted to help Zhou Li pass through the sevenfold Dragon Gate Pass, the seemingly hiding something Guo Lingyun, and Tang Wan, who knew nothing, swinging a head around just to get through the days, all set out on a peculiar journey towards Beiliang City.